The wait is over...

Miss Adelyn Kay is here!

I have been thinking all week to figure out what I am going to write in this blog.  I have been trying to think how I could possibly explain the day that forever changed my life or how to summarize everything I have felt over the last seven days, and I have decided I can't, but I will try really hard.  I am also going to break it up, because honestly, there is just too much to say all in one post.

Thursday, February 18th, I had a doctor's appointment.  My doctor checked my cervix and gave me the great news that I was a good 2-3 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced.  Great news for a woman who was VERY ready to have her baby.  We then did our normal amnio ultrasound and NST to check everything out.  I guess I was having some pretty good contractions then (I couldn't feel them) but I left thinking I would hold out till the weekend.

Friday, I got up ready for my last day of work.  I was STARVING, so I made myself breakfast (very unusual for a work day). I only ate a few bites before I felt completely nauseous. I was taking the dogs to my mom's for their weekly visit and I told my mom that I was feeling really horrible and didn't know how long I would last at work.  I made it through one class period.  I started having contractions and they came on pretty fast.  I started timing them towards the end of the period and they were about 5-6 minutes apart.  So, I called the office and left for home.  No worries though, my kids did not have a clue.  I hid it well :-)

Tim met me at home and I labored here for a bit on my "birthing ball" (aka exercise ball) while Tim got some food. We ended up at the hospital around 11 am and I was 5 centimeters and 80% effaced.  For the next few hours, the pains increased and it got to the point where I had not really talked to anyone for a couple of hours and I couldn't even laugh when my nurse launched some of my puke at Tim.  It was then that we decided I needed some help with the pain.  I had made it to 7 centimeters and everyone thought that was a good point for an epidural.

The epidural made the world right again,  I started talking again and caught up on some "Friends" episodes. Eventually I needed some pitocin to keep the labor going and by 8 pm (after Mom, Tim & I played Jeopardy against each other) I was fully dilated and ready to have our little girl.

I pushed for 2 hours with some good progress, but when my doctor checked in on me, she informed that she thought Adelyn was "sunny side up" (face up), which makes for a more difficult delivery.  She gave me one more hour before we would have to have a c-section.  I guess all I needed was a deadline (I have always been a procrastinator) and before an hour was up I was ready to deliver.  In the end, Adelyn came so fast that the midwife on call delivered our little bundle joy.

A lot smaller than Mommy thought I was going to be!

I am in love.

And so is Daddy.

Scripps hospitals in San Diego currently have a VERY strict visitor policy (with security guards at the door and everything).  We were only allowed 1 visitor per day, TOTAL.  My mom was our visitor for the day, so everyone else had to wait downstairs in the main lobby to hear the news.  My nurse was really great though, and after the doctors and nurses were done with me and Adelyn, we were able to have Alison, Carol, Dennis, & Colleen sneak up for a visit. 

Grandma Patty & Auntie Alison

Auntie Colleen, Grandpa Dennis, & Grandma Carolyn

Overall the day was great.  Thinking back now, I can't even remember the pain or anything negative about my experience.  Our nurses at the hospital made our stay really great and we will be forever thankful for their hospitality and patience.