Friday, April 29th, 2011
Friday is jakes day off so I had scheduled a pedicure that morning while Jake watched Piper….i was hoping that maybe If I had not had her by then that the pedi would get things moving (I guess it did ;)…while sitting and enjoying my foot massage I had my first real contraction….like not Braxton hicks….like flash back to Pipers birth…like had to squeeze the chair arm contraction…I couldn’t believe it! That was around 10:30ish….but that was it…no more followed. Jake and Piper picked me up from the salon and we headed straight to downtown OKC for the arts festival! I told Jake about the contraction and told him that I have a feeling that this might be the start of something! We decided that if it was the start of labor that walking around the arts festival would be a good distraction and maybe even help things along…. The three of us shared a steak sandwich and a cinnamon roll (YUM!) while listening to music and of course people watching! We then walked around for a while checking out the amazing art! I had what I thought was maybe a couple of more contractions during this time….but they were so faint and I was so distracted that I’m not really sure. Then it was time to head home for Pipers (and mine;) nap time. We got home and settled in bed to sleep when almost immediately….
2:02pm- laying in bed with pipe I had another “real” contraction….it was still faint….yet strong enough for me to make note of the time….for the next hour I lay in bed, not sleeping, but keeping track of what was all of a sudden “regular” contractions!!!!!! I was not keeping track of how long they lasted …but they were 7 minutes apart.
3:00pm- although piper was still napping….after an hour of contractions, I decided to come out to the living room and tell Jake that I was pretty sure this was “it”….he turned his video games off (that’s what he does during nap time ;) and started keeping track with me….
4:00pm-Piper woke up and then within like 15 minutes Jake got a call from his dad wanting Jake to go TV shopping with him and jakes sister called wanting us to go to dinner and my mom texted wanting to know “how I was feeling today”!!!! We weren’t ready to tell anyone yet…because we felt it was SO early (I mean pipers labor was 27 hours long!)...but we had to tell them something! So we put them all off and I called my midwife….i had a couple of contractions on the phone with Gail and had to stop talking during it….im pretty sure for them that’s a sign that its actually happening ….she told me that she was sending her assistant, Nikki, over….hooooray!!!!!!! For the next hour we watch Oprah (which was on the “royal wedding”) and I labor around the house….still super “easy” labor….feeling great walking around the house and just stopping and leaning over furniture during contractions..
5:00pm- Gail’s assistant, Nikki, gets to our house and she listens to the baby and checks me….I am 3 centimeters and 75% effaced…..she calls it “early labor” and even mentions that it could still fizzle out….I’m a bit disappointed….but she stays to “monitor” things before she decides for sure if Gail should come. We call all of our family to let them know that “something is happening”. Within the hour things really start to pick up…during each contraction I am having to go down to my knees and lean on a chair…each time piper would come up to me and ask if I am “k? k?” so sweet!!!
6:30pm- my in-laws come to pick up piper for dinner and say a quick hello and goodbye… (the Seaton’s and piper meet my mom for dinner)….as soon as Piper leaves, Jake set up the pool in our room and made me dinner (chicken, black beans and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla…I wanted lots of protein ) I ate it one or two bites at a time in between contractions, leaning over a chair! Nikki also decided to make a quick run out to get something to eat(and coffee) herself…..all of a sudden It was quite…just Jake and i….it was nice….i sat and rocked in our rocker and watched re-runs of the Office for about an hour….just closing my eyes and trying to make it though each contraction. By the time Nikki came back I was still rocking….by now I was starting to be VERY vocal….saying just what I did with Pipers labor…”owe owe owe OWE OWE OWE” over and over until the contraction was done.
8:00pm- Nikki encouraged me to get up from the rocker, change positions and try something new….piper wasn’t home yet and I wasn’t ready to fill up the pool (I wanted to wait till piper was home and asleep) so I decided to try the shower…..the shower felt AMAZING!!! I wanted to stay there for hours….i kept saying, ok I’ll get out after this contraction….ok after this one….ok after this one ;) I was probably in there for 20 minutes. When I got out I felt like a new person…so relaxed! So relaxed in fact that for a (short) while it really slowed my contractions down…it kinda worried me…but it was not long before they picked right back up again. Jake started making some bread in the bread maker so that we would all have yummy bread to eat after the birth.
9:00pm- By now the Seaton’s and my mom were done with dinner and headed back our way…my mom got to our house and the two of us went and “hid” in our bedroom so that Piper would not see me….Jake did “bedtime” and piper when right to sleep. I’m sure she was worn out from all the excitement! As soon as piper went to sleep I sent mom back to her hotel and within minutes Gail arrived! Ok Pipes asleep and our midwife is here….it’s time to get down to business!!
9:30pm- I am so ready to be checked and see how I have progressed! So Gail checks me…I am at 7 centimeters and 100% effaced!!! I kept saying to Gail and Nikki “I feel like I should be more miserable!” although I was in pain…I still felt strong and happy…Jake starts to fill up the pool….
10:00pm- I get in the pool….Gail, Nikki, and Jake decided to leave the room and let me “retreat”….i not a fan of being fussed over during labor….so it was nice. The pool felt great in between contractions….but as soon as one would start just could not find a good position! It was frustrating….but I stayed in the pool and gave it about 30 minutes before I started getting uncomfortable and hot!
10:30pm- I call for Jake to help me out….as I’m getting out of the pool I have go down to the floor for a contractions and my water breaks!!! I get dried off and dressed.
10:45pm- Gail checks me again…..I’m at a full 9…and really feeling the urge to push….they encourage me to try little pushes during each contraction.
11:00pm- “transition” is hitting hard! I am completely exhausted….officially feeling the “miserable” that I was looking for earlier ….and ready to be “done!”….i kept telling Gail “I am so tired…its bedtime!” ;). I am not getting any “breaks”, one contraction would start to die down then immediately another one would start! Gail assured me that meant things were getting really close! They encourage me to lay down in bed to try to rest.
11:15pm- ok the urge to push is definitely there!...still laying in bed on my side with my one leg up I start pushing hard during each contraction….i hated this position….but my contractions were back to back with hardly any break in between that I didn’t even have time to think about changing positions….finally I expressed how uncomfortable this position was so Gail encouraged me to get on my hands and knees….much better….i was pushing so hard and being so loud! It is nothing but an answer to prayer that piper slept through it all! I know God was just plugging her little ears. The next 45minutes was a lot of sweating, yelling and pushing...I could feel EVERYTHING!! As painful as it was…it was so beautiful….you have no idea unless you have been though it….you just can’t describe it…I loved being able to feel my baby inside me with every push coming out! Finally her head was out, I reached down and just caressed her gooey head and hair….it was great motivation ;)
April 30th, 2011
12:02am- she’s here!!……awww what an amazing feeling of relief, joy, and love all at once!!! I Love you little Violet June…..I will daily seek Gods guidance to be the best mommy I can be to you!!
eating yummy food at the arts festival
walking around with the future big sister
about 12 hours before Violet was born!
right after nap....early labor
showing "our" tummys :)
leaning over the furniture (the desk, bed and chairs) was pretty much what i would do at each contraction....
after my amazing shower
Gails here and Pipers asleep....thats when things really picked up
in the tub....obviously in between a contraction :)
shes here! first photo!
Nikki and Gail!
apparentlly i had time to go get an updo ;)
goodnight!!!
