SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
This time last year, Part 1
This time last year...
It was Saturday, September 26th at 1:14am. I was still awake, laying in bed with an achy back and a crampy belly..it had become impossible to sleep around this time! We were living with Jake's mom on Cork Lane in Pasadena, Maryland. I had given up on sleep, turned the investigation discovery channel on low (trying not to disturb my sleepy boyfriend beside me) and had the laptop propped up on myhumongous belly.
Earlier that day (well, Friday), my friend Sam and I had took a day trip to Columbia Mall. In hopes of getting me more dilated from walking so much. And oh, we did some walking! We were at that mall for 4 hours! We looked in probably every store, and I was constantly saying I can't wait to be skinny enough to fit in this stuff again! and then we'd go in the baby stores..ohh, the baby stores. I gushed over the little girl things & just couldn't wait to meet my little teeny tiny baby. We drank Starbucks (mine was a vanilla frapp, coffee free :P) and stuffed our faces with Panera Bread. I remember we were drinking Starbucks outside..and that it had actually felt pretty chilly so we went back to the tables inside (wish the weather was like that this year!) Later that night her and I had Wendy's for dinner (my ADDICTION during pregnancy!) and met up to hang out with Jake, and her boyfriend Chance. I don't remember exactly what we were doing, but we were at Jake's house when I had to get up to go pee (the norm, I was peeing every 30 mins at this point) but this time, it was different...*TMIALERT* I had lost my mucus plug! I was super excited, but was afraid to get too excited and jinx myself, so I didn't tell anyone. I think later in the night, I said to Jake - I think I might of lost my mucus plug earlier..but he wasn't too enthused since I always thought something significant was happening, when it actually wasn't, lol..typical pregnant lady!
Fast forward to Saturday at 1am again....
The night was full of restless sleep & aching legs, back, and belly..this had been going on for about a week now so it wasn't something new.
When morning came, I wanted to punch my god for sakin' alarm clock that kept beeping. I was so exhausted. I swore that morning that I'd never felt so sleepy in my entire life. But..eventually I drug my pregnant ass out of bed. Jake and I had plans to go see his nephews play football that morning, and despite my drugged feeling self...I was excited to see them play. I threw my hair up in a pony tail, threw on an ugly yellow Tshirt & some grey yoga pants. I kept saying to Jake all morning how I just didn't feel like myself. I felt like total crap. & I couldn't really explain what it was that was bothering me..I just felt, yuck. I said something that made him crack up as we were parking the car (can't remember what for the life of me!) and then we started walking over to the field. Longest.walk.of.my.life. When we finally made it over to some familiar faces, Jake's dad offered me his chair, he was like "wow Britt, you look really tired..have a seat!" but me, being me, refused. I stood there, feeling completely miserable. I was telling Jake's sister how I thought I was getting sick, and she was like "or you could just be getting ready to have the baby today!" she said with a huge, jokingly smile. I brushed it off as a yea, I wish! and that was the last we talked about it. All I can really remember about the game besides that is the seafood restaurant across the street. Oh my goodness. Jake's dad said something like "Boy, those crabs really smell good don't they!?" Seriously..it took all I had not to run across the busy street and break into their kitchen & steal some hot, steamy, old bay covered crabs. Mmmm, I can still smell them...
Later in the day Jake and I had planned on getting Abby's car seatinstalled by our local police department. Jake was driving my car..and every single police barrack that we went to said that they didn't have any one certified to do it. I called my friend who was an EMT, I called all over the damn state and could not get this poor baby's car seatinstalled into my car. I was 39 weeks pregnant, I was achy & felt sick, I was exhausted, and I was beyond words frustrated...needless to say I was in huge sobs of tears. Jake tried telling me it wasn't that big of a deal, that we'd get it done tomorrow..but I argued with him. I'm getting induced tomorrow!! This has to be done TODAY!!!! We finally took thecar seat to my mom's house and Jake and my step dad were actually able to get the car seat base in just fine...but it wasn't easy. I remember at some point my mom, step dad, brother, and Jake were all in the back seat of my tiny 2 door car trying to get the base in as tight as it would go, and I was walking away crying. Ha ha. Funny memories..
Eventually the car seat fiasco was over, and thank god..because I was ready to murder someone over that whole ordeal. That night Jake and I had planned on going to dinner to celebrate our last night as baby-less parents. I was supposed to be getting induced the following evening. We were going to go to a fancy seafood restaurant that I'd never been to before..and we never made it there.
After a nap and a shower..I had started to get ready for our date. Jake was in the basement playing xbox (HIS addiction back in the preggodays!) and I was sitting on our bedroom floor straightening my hair in front of our big mirror. I all the sudden felt/herd this *pop* I was likehmm, that's weird. wouldn't it be funny if my water broke? ha ha - and went back to doing my hair. 30 seconds later I adjusted my hips..water gushing had confirmed my jokingly thought..my water really had broken!
It was Saturday, September 26th at 1:14am. I was still awake, laying in bed with an achy back and a crampy belly..it had become impossible to sleep around this time! We were living with Jake's mom on Cork Lane in Pasadena, Maryland. I had given up on sleep, turned the investigation discovery channel on low (trying not to disturb my sleepy boyfriend beside me) and had the laptop propped up on myhumongous belly.
Earlier that day (well, Friday), my friend Sam and I had took a day trip to Columbia Mall. In hopes of getting me more dilated from walking so much. And oh, we did some walking! We were at that mall for 4 hours! We looked in probably every store, and I was constantly saying I can't wait to be skinny enough to fit in this stuff again! and then we'd go in the baby stores..ohh, the baby stores. I gushed over the little girl things & just couldn't wait to meet my little teeny tiny baby. We drank Starbucks (mine was a vanilla frapp, coffee free :P) and stuffed our faces with Panera Bread. I remember we were drinking Starbucks outside..and that it had actually felt pretty chilly so we went back to the tables inside (wish the weather was like that this year!) Later that night her and I had Wendy's for dinner (my ADDICTION during pregnancy!) and met up to hang out with Jake, and her boyfriend Chance. I don't remember exactly what we were doing, but we were at Jake's house when I had to get up to go pee (the norm, I was peeing every 30 mins at this point) but this time, it was different...*TMIALERT* I had lost my mucus plug! I was super excited, but was afraid to get too excited and jinx myself, so I didn't tell anyone. I think later in the night, I said to Jake - I think I might of lost my mucus plug earlier..but he wasn't too enthused since I always thought something significant was happening, when it actually wasn't, lol..typical pregnant lady!
Fast forward to Saturday at 1am again....
The night was full of restless sleep & aching legs, back, and belly..this had been going on for about a week now so it wasn't something new.
When morning came, I wanted to punch my god for sakin' alarm clock that kept beeping. I was so exhausted. I swore that morning that I'd never felt so sleepy in my entire life. But..eventually I drug my pregnant ass out of bed. Jake and I had plans to go see his nephews play football that morning, and despite my drugged feeling self...I was excited to see them play. I threw my hair up in a pony tail, threw on an ugly yellow Tshirt & some grey yoga pants. I kept saying to Jake all morning how I just didn't feel like myself. I felt like total crap. & I couldn't really explain what it was that was bothering me..I just felt, yuck. I said something that made him crack up as we were parking the car (can't remember what for the life of me!) and then we started walking over to the field. Longest.walk.of.my.life. When we finally made it over to some familiar faces, Jake's dad offered me his chair, he was like "wow Britt, you look really tired..have a seat!" but me, being me, refused. I stood there, feeling completely miserable. I was telling Jake's sister how I thought I was getting sick, and she was like "or you could just be getting ready to have the baby today!" she said with a huge, jokingly smile. I brushed it off as a yea, I wish! and that was the last we talked about it. All I can really remember about the game besides that is the seafood restaurant across the street. Oh my goodness. Jake's dad said something like "Boy, those crabs really smell good don't they!?" Seriously..it took all I had not to run across the busy street and break into their kitchen & steal some hot, steamy, old bay covered crabs. Mmmm, I can still smell them...
Later in the day Jake and I had planned on getting Abby's car seatinstalled by our local police department. Jake was driving my car..and every single police barrack that we went to said that they didn't have any one certified to do it. I called my friend who was an EMT, I called all over the damn state and could not get this poor baby's car seatinstalled into my car. I was 39 weeks pregnant, I was achy & felt sick, I was exhausted, and I was beyond words frustrated...needless to say I was in huge sobs of tears. Jake tried telling me it wasn't that big of a deal, that we'd get it done tomorrow..but I argued with him. I'm getting induced tomorrow!! This has to be done TODAY!!!! We finally took thecar seat to my mom's house and Jake and my step dad were actually able to get the car seat base in just fine...but it wasn't easy. I remember at some point my mom, step dad, brother, and Jake were all in the back seat of my tiny 2 door car trying to get the base in as tight as it would go, and I was walking away crying. Ha ha. Funny memories..
Eventually the car seat fiasco was over, and thank god..because I was ready to murder someone over that whole ordeal. That night Jake and I had planned on going to dinner to celebrate our last night as baby-less parents. I was supposed to be getting induced the following evening. We were going to go to a fancy seafood restaurant that I'd never been to before..and we never made it there.
After a nap and a shower..I had started to get ready for our date. Jake was in the basement playing xbox (HIS addiction back in the preggodays!) and I was sitting on our bedroom floor straightening my hair in front of our big mirror. I all the sudden felt/herd this *pop* I was likehmm, that's weird. wouldn't it be funny if my water broke? ha ha - and went back to doing my hair. 30 seconds later I adjusted my hips..water gushing had confirmed my jokingly thought..my water really had broken!
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
One year ago today, Part two
I didn't forget you guys, I promise! My life has been so crazy busy, but so perfect all in the same these past few days. Updates to come, I have like 3 different blogs I need to post! But, in the meantime..here is the rest of my precious baby girls birth story that you all have been waiting so patiently for :)
So, it was for real. My water had really broken. I was in the room by myself, Jake was in the basement..but for some reason I still yelled out for him. His mom herd me & answered saying he's in the basement Britt, do you need something? me: umm, no..it's okay I'll go down there in a minute. I grabbed my cell phone & texted my friend Sam (the one who had went to the mall with me the day before to help start my labor!) and our conversation went like this:
me: omg, my water just broke
sam: shut up
me: no, I'm not even kidding, I'm freaking out
sam: OMGGGG!!!!!!
Then I called my mom. Our conversation went like this:
me: I think my water just broke.
mom: *very serious tone* How do you know?
me: because! I herd the pop & theres STILL water gushing out of me!
mom: oh my god! Where is Jake?
me: downstairs.
mom: did you tell him?
me: not yet..
mom: GO TELL HIM! I'm calling your doctor..
*why SHE called my doctor and not me, I'll never figure out lol, I was freaking out so I just went along with whatever she was saying*
I finally got myself together & walked downstairs to tell Jake. He was in deep xbox mode, and I was like:
babe, my water just broke.
whaaaat? how do you know?
because I freaking know! why does everyone keep asking me this!
oh shit..what are we going to do?
well, my moms calling the doctor & I guess we should get ready & go to the hospital..come on!
okay, hang on..I'll be up in a minute
*gives look of death*
*turns off xbox & follows me up the steps..like a good boy ;)*
The next 40 minutes were complete chaos. I was supposed to be induced the very next night, so we had nothing ready..we were just going to pack bags in the morning. My water kept breaking..I was almost crying because I'd already soaked through 3 pairs of pants in a whole 15 minutes. My mom was calling me back saying how she got in a fight with the hospital because they said they wouldn't call my doctor, that the doctor on call would have to deliver, and then she said:but regardless, they said you need to go up to labor and delivery ASAP. Which just freaked me out even more! I was trying to finish doing my hair because it was half wet & half dry..and I was starving!and I really wanted some good seafood!
We finally made it to the car, Jake and I both were cracking up. We were excited, we were nervous, we were frustrated...and it just all came out in huge laughing bursts. I was POURING rain, and I had this huge fear of giving birth in the car..so I was constantly telling him to hurry up! but then I'd tell him to slow down because it was raining..I was such a mess! He kept asking if I wanted to stop at a fast food place & get something to eat, but I kept refusing because I was so afraid I was going to have Abby in the car! (& I wish I could explain the amount of regret of NOT getting that delicious fast food, when the nurse told me I couldn't eat after I got there...I could of punched her) We made it to the hospital & got to park right out front in the "labor and delivery" parking lot..I kept making Jake check the back of my pants because my water was STILL breaking..I was like people are going to think I'm peeing my pants!!!
Once we got up to the labor & delivery unit...I was starting to have some really bad back pain, and the secretary was such a bitch. She moved so slow. Didn't smile once. I was seriously so close from snatching all the paper work out of her hands & doing it myself..I could of done it faster and better! In my head I was like can you NOT see that I am a lady in LABOR hunched over at your desk with my hand on my aching back BEGGING YOU with my eyes to hurry the fuck up!? I was seriously pissed.
But that didn't last long, we finally got to our room & I loved our nurse. She asked me to change into a gown, she hooked me up to the fetal monitor, and said "alrighty sweetie, your doctor is his way up" & Even though he wasn't "my" doctor, I was happy to see him when he got there..who ever he was. He checked my cervix to see how far dilated I was, and I was disappointed when he said I was still only 2cm. They did a test to see if it was really my water that broke (duh people! couldn't understand why no one believed me!) and when they confirmed that it was..the doc checked my contractions & said that I was contracting regularly and strongly, so they were going to wait it out & see if I could dilate more on my own. A couple hours went by, the nurse checked me again..and I was at 4cm! Woo hoo! I was sooo excited! She said that I could get my epidural at this time if I wanted it, so I agreed..but I still don't really know why, my contractions didn't even really hurt me that bad.
The epidural was seriously the worst part of my labor. They made every one leave the room, and as soon as Jake left..I wanted to cry, and I got a contraction out of no where that felt like someone just stabbed me with 6000 knifes. The epidural hurt 500 times worse. & Once it was in, it didn't even work right. My right side was completely numb..and the other side I felt everything. My whole left side was like restless for 2 hours..I couldn't stop squirming and whining, it felt like horrible growing pains on the whole left side of my body..it was miserable. I finally convinced someone to fix it, and who ever that lady was...she was my angel. She fixed whatever was wrong & all was well from then on out :)
Another 3 hours had gone by, and I hadn't dilated anymore. They gave me some pitocin to help me dilate more, but it didn't help. The rest of the night was a blur. All my family & close friends stayed all night long, and I remember laughing at all them & being so jealous when they ate Wendy's. Jake was cracking me up all night, I was reading some parts of "The Pact"..the remainder of my labor (thankfully!) was very calm, relaxed, and enjoyable. Yes..I just say that my labor was enjoyable!
Finally around 5am, I was in the room with Jake's mom & Sam. Out of no where - I felt like I was going to puke. I got the chills, I started shivering & my teeth were chattering, they said my face went white & I was like um, I think I'm going to puke. Jake's mom handed me a barf bucket & Sam went to get the nurse. The nurse came in & said that it could be a sign that I was ready to push, so she wanted to check me to see how far dilated I was. Right away she said Oh yeah, your ready to push! I freaked. We all freaked, every one was so excited!
Everyone said good luck & left the room. It was Jake, me, my mom, and the nurse. They wheeled in the little baby warmer and started getting everything ready for her. It was so surreal. I couldn't tell when I needed to push because my epidural was so strong, so she had to watch the chart and tell me when to start pushing.
I pushed for about 10 minutes, then the doctor came. Pushed for another 10 minutes and...
She was here! Born at 5:26am, weighing in at 7lbs 1oz, 19inches long.
It was so surreal. Thats really the only way I knew how to explain it. The first thing I said was oh my god look at her! she's so tiny! she looks just like you babe!
The nurse kept telling me to rub her back, but I couldn't even pay attention to her..I was so caught up with this baby all I did was cry and stare at her and kiss her face.
The pulled her off to the warmer, and Jake was like "she's so cute! and it's not even just because she's mine..she's really cute!!" I looked over at her in the warmer & saw her bright eyes looking around the room & was like "she really is beautiful! look at her!" and Jake was like "can you believe we made her? I made her! She came from me!" He was so excited. I was so..in my own little world. It was magical. My mom just kept kissing me & hugging Jake and telling us thank you for letting her be apart of this..it was so beautiful.
Sweet baby, Daddy and I have no idea where the past year has gone. Your changing & growing & learning new things every day. You are a true blessing to us, and we thank the heavens above for you ever single day. You are just the most perfect little miracle I've ever experienced. I can't wait to be your Mama forever, and spend many many many many many more special birthdays with you. I will always remember the night at Harbor Hospital where you forever changed my whole world and made me see raw, pure, and true love. We love you big girl!
