the Labor Day

Sorry it has taken me so long to finally write about this, but I've been so busy getting into a little daily routine with Adeline.

So... my contractions started at 2am on Sunday April 26. I wasn't sure if it was true labor, so I tried to go back to sleep. That didn't work. So at 4 I woke Will up and told him what was going on and I moved out into the living room and watched Lost in Translation and Garden State. They were the perfect distraction. I called my Mom, Dad and I texted Sarah (who was awake too, its like she knew!). Will got up around 6:30, a little while after I started writing down contraction times and I was sure this was real labor now. We started getting everything ready to go to the hospital and I took a shower. I layed in bed in my robe as the contractions got stronger and closer together. We finally left for the hospital around 1pm. Mom met us there. They checked me and I was dialated to 2 and they admitted me. About an hour or so later I got my epidural, it didn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought, it just felt weird. After that I felt great! Will, Mom and Brianna were in there during this time, followed by Sarah and Will's parents switching in and out. We were just talking and I kind of drifted in and out of sleep for the next few hours. They broke my water, and Adeline didn't like that because her heart rate dropped. So they gave me an amnioinfusion, which basically puts water back in. She was fine after that. After a few more hours I was ready to start pushing. Will, Mom and Sarah were there for the pushing stage, all of them holding my legs and helping me through. After nearly 3 hours of pushing, there was no progress, Adeline was not coming down. So we decided on a c- section. Its not what I wanted, but it was the best choice. They got me ready and took me to the operating room. Will had to go get his operating room clothes on. It was so surreal being in the operating room. It was so bright and I was so exhausted. The whole time I had "Alison" by the Pixies in my head as well as the "mini sirloin burgers" song from the Jack in the Box commercial. After what seemed like forever, they finally let Will in. The actual surgery was so bizarre, I didn't even know when they were actually cutting into me at first. I just felt pressure, no pain. Then all of a sudden we heard her cry! It was amazing! The doctor held her up over the curtain to show me for a second and I started crying! She was born at 11:53 pm on April 26, 2009. 7 lbs 3 oz and 21 inches long! They cleaned her up and gave her to Will, he held her close to me and I got to kiss her sweet little face. I was so amazed at how beautiful she was! Will went with the nurse to have her weighed and have the footprints done. I had to stay while they closed me up. The anesthesiologist was so sweet and kept putting warm towels on me because I couldn't stop shaking. All the doctors and nurses in the room were just talking about current events and joking around. the anesthesiologist leaned to me and said that the only reason they were talking like that was because everything was going fine. :) Everyone was so nice to me and I felt so special. They finally wheeled me out of the room and I got to hold Adeline and try breastfeeding for the first time. She was so alert! Her little eyes were so bright, I was in love so fast! Then I finally got to go to my room where Mom, Brianna and Sarah finally got to meet my little Adeline. I think sometime nearly 3am was when I finally got to sleep, I fell asleep with Adeline asleep on my chest. The rest of the hospital stay was a blur, but I finally got to go home on Wednsday. My c- section scar wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, and after I got my staples taken out a few days later, it didn't hurt at all. I feel pretty much back to normal now. Adeline and I are doing great! The first few days were a little scary, but we have a nice routine now and each day gets a little easier. My favorite days are the weekends when Will is home and I can enjoy my happy little family!
So yeah, that's the birth day story!