I really can hardly believe that my baby is already four. I know that's a common thought for moms. But seriously. How did this happen? I mean, I really feel like he was born just yesterday. Since I've never shared his full birth story here, I figured today seemed like a good day.
I was due on December 14. I was convinced I would have the
baby the week before that. I don’t know why, I just had prayed for it and
wanted him to come then so his birthday wouldn't be so close to Christmas.
Well, those days came and went, my estimated due date came and went. I felt
great, the only reason I was upset that I hadn't had the baby was that the
closer to Christmas it got, the less likely I was to see my family – we all
were to be traveling “home” for Christmas. I had many bouts of prodromal labor. It was SO frustrating!
Well, as Christmas approached, so did a major weather
system. Since my mom lives an hour away, we decided that she should probably
come stay with us just to make sure she was here in case the weather and roads
were too bad when I finally went into labor - after all, she needed to be here to catch the baby. She came on Monday. The weather
raged on through the whole week. Thursday (Christmas Eve) was Randall's (my husband) birthday, so Vienna (our 23 month old daughter) and I
made him a nice dinner, cake, a card, and we had a little “party”. Still no
baby. I was getting very frustrated and sad that I hadn't had him yet. Mom was going to miss Christmas morning with my dad and youngest brother (high school age). That night before going to bed, we watched the Nativity Story. I remember
thinking “ok, baby. I’m ready anytime! If Elizabeth and Mary can have safe and
peaceful out of hospital births, I can too!”. I was a little jealous that they
had already done it – silly but true J.
I woke at about 2:15 a.m. to go to the bathroom. I went back to
bed and couldn't fall back asleep so justJ.
With the floors clean, I finally decided it was time to wake
my mom. About that time, my contractions intensified – though they weren't
painful, I could feel the strength of them. I was sitting on my birth ball, mom
gave counter pressure on my back, I leaned into my hubby, and just relaxed and
let the contractions do their job. In between contractions I was so relaxed
that I honestly kind of forgot I was actually in labor. Randall would pull up
funny YouTube videos, and we would joke and laugh. It was a wonderful and
relaxing fun time. About 6:00 a.m. I decided to move to the bathtub. Ahhhh –
bliss! They took turns dumping a pitcher of water over my belly, and it was SO
wonderful!
About 10:00 a.m. or so I felt a little urge to push – it
definitely wasn't the intense urge I had had with Vienna. In the next three
contractions, my healthy baby boy oozed out with barely any pushing on my part.
Of course I was overjoyed and excited. I just held him and looked at him in
awe. As blood was still pulsing through the cord that connected us, he began
nursing like a champ. When I finally let my hubby and mom hold him after we cut
the cord so they could weigh him, I made them do it again. He seemed so small!
There was no way he was 8 lbs 11 oz! Well, they weighed him again, and yep – it
was right the first time and they showed me to prove it. I was shocked!
My entire labor, we had Christmas music playing softly in
the background. Vienna slept through most of it and was
enjoying her breakfast when he entered the world. Within minutes she joined us
in the bathroom and met her baby brother. About an hour or so after having him,
we were all in our living room and our little family that had just grown by one
opened our Christmas presents. After eating, he and I snuggled into bed and
took a long nap. This all happened while getting 16.2 inches of snow during the
worst blizzard of the year! We felt so blessed to not have to go out into the
elements to get to the sterility of the hospital. We were warm and cozy in the
comfort of our own home!
~Evie
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