She’s Here!!!

Natalie Renee made her arrival on July 4th at 1:20am.  She weighed in at 7 pounds, 7.5 ounces and 20 inches long.  The few hours leading up to her arrival, were definitely crazy, but we are so over the moon in love with out little girl that it’s already a big blur.

 

On the morning of July 3rd, we went to church, then had lunch at Panera.  We went to look at some chairs at LazyBoy and Costco, then headed home to relax before a wedding we had to attend that evening.  I had been having contractions on and off since Friday, but they were getting more intense Sunday afternoon.

We went to a wedding next door at 5pm.  During the cocktail hour (around 6:30) I noticed that my contractions were coming more frequently.  I decided to start timing them, but told Stephen we should at least stay and have dinner.  I timed my contractions through dinner and they were coming regularly every 4-5 minutes.

After we ate dinner, we decided it was time to go home, make sure we were all packed and head to the hospital.  Luckily Stephen’s mom was already at the house watching Seth while we were at the wedding.  So she just ran home and got herself a couple things and came back.

We left for the hospital and got all the way to the freeway when Cindy called and told us we left the camera at home.  So, back we went.  It took 15 minutes to get home and 15 minutes back to the freeway.  Probably not the smartest idea, but I didn’t want to have cell phone pictures of my new baby, she deserved to have her pictures taken with a real camera.

When we go to Labor and Delivery it was 12:05am.  They took me to a triage room and I was dilated to 6 with my bag of water bulging.  They asked if I wanted the epidural and of course I said yes, but the nurse was quick to warn me that there might not be enough time.

We walked over to my room, and the nurse started my IV.  I was starting to feel a lot of pressure with each contraction so they checked me again (mind you, it had only been about 10 minutes) and I was dilated to an 8.  The chances of my epidural happening were getting pretty slim. 

The doctor arrived and informed me that the anesthesiologist was at the hospital and on his way up.  I felt relieved.  Stephen had to leave the room and as soon as I sat up, it became clear that the epidural wasn’t going to happen.  The pain and pressure was so intense, there was no way I could sit there for 20-30 minutes while they did the epidural.  I sat through one contraction and couldn’t take it.  I laid back down, they checked me again and I was fully dilated and ready to push.  They gave me a quick spinal, got Stephen in the room, broke my water, and she was born 2 pushes later at 1:20 (an hour and 15 minutes after we arrived at the hospital).

I must say it was the most hectic, emotional hour of my life.  But look at my precious little doll.  I wouldn’t change that hour for anything in the world