A Birth Story

Everybody's got one.

I know you've been waiting with baited breath...
For whatever reason, I do feel the need to document the occasion, as many have done before me. If only for myself. And you internet.
I will try to keep it brief.
Feel free to skip this post entirely if it's just TMI.

First of all, I was concerned about how I would know when it was time to go to the hospital. Last time my water broke, and that was a pretty good sign for me. I figured if it didn't break this time, how would I know?
Ummm...not an issue.

I'd been having crampy (crappy?) Braxton Hicks contractions all day. Lots of them. But I normally have a lot, so I wasn't overly anxious. I had a Dr.'s appt that afternoon, but with no great panic. I was 3cm's at 3pm. My Dr. (or rather her replacement as she was away on a 3 week vacation) suggested it may be early labour, but maybe she'd see me again next week.

6:50pm
Intense labour contractions start. Maybe 5-7 minutes apart. Did I mention INTENSE.
Call nice neighbour to come over to watch kids until sister can HUSTLE IT OVER ALREADY! (She kindly watched the twins with my mom while we were away)

7:00pm
Throw bags in car and race to hospital while honking and using flashers to get people out of the way. Did I mention contractions getting closer and more INTENSE?
Luckily it was not still rush hour and their wasn't too much construction on Glenmore Trail or baby would have had to been named Glenmore. After her birth place.

7:15ish (I didn't really check the time here)
Arrive at hospital. Freaking out about contractions as they are still close and INTENSE. 6-7cms.
Get checked out by maternity ward, they dawdle around a bit and move me to a delivery room, while I loudly request a freakin' epidural already.

7:16-8:12
CH and nurses try to help me while we wait for the Epidural Guy. He's on another job. I request louder. Contractions are getting closer, longer and INTENSELY PAINFUL.
Epi Guy comes and fumbles around a bit. Almost gets into fist fight with CH. Everyone is getting INTENSE.
My water breaks. Watch your shoes!
This is out of control! Epi Guy finally finishes. Thanks for nothing.
PUSHING!! I will refrain from going into too much detail here. Let's just say I was 'unprepared' emotionaly and physically for the INTENSITY of my natural birth. I had fully expected to be drugged and relaxed.
Oh yes, and the on-call Dr. arrived somewhere in there. She was lovely.

8:13
Hello Baby!
A few stitches and everyone is friends again. Except us and Epi Guy. We're not friends.

*noteworthy*
I was watching Veronica Mars when my contractions started. Just a random episode on tv. Coincidence??

Dance Hall Days

Where do grown married women with breastfeeding babies and small children go to dance?
Why, their cars of course! Bustin' a move with a little classic MJ. It doesn't get much better groove-wise.

Honestly, where should grown women who don't want to go to bars, or even dance with men go to dance??
There was a time when my very best girlfriend and I would go out every weekend to a stinky bar just to dance. We'd go early before the 'crowds' hit. We were bar nerds. Drinking water and dancing for hours.
I don't miss the bar. At all. But sometimes I miss the exhileration of dancing for hours, sweating and losing yourself in music. Dancing at home can be fun, no doubt about it, but it's not the same. You try the occasional Christmas party or wedding, but it's not the same either.

What's a suburban mom to do?

Delicious

We had one of these delivered this afternoon. Amazing! Ours came with a duck. Gack, gack!

As pretty as flowers, and more fun to eat!

Many thanks to Aunt C.

And So It Goes...

The Baby wanted all of my attention this morning. Which is difficult when you have siblings (hers, not mine). I tried to explain this to her, but she cried anyway. Maybe that's why she cried...?

And then the boys were into kissing. Me. On the mouth. Which was super cute, and just a tiny bit gross because I'm a Virgo and they were a bit slobbery. They were pretending to leave. They had their old easter buckets full of plastic balls and they would say 'Goodbye' and come over and give me a kiss and then pretend to leave...wherever they were going with their buckets full of plastic balls...
The Baby got a couple of good kisses on the head too. Kisses for all!

But now it's afternoon and I haven't had a shower yet. And I'm eating chips. Out of the big bag. Because that's how CH have decided to bring Sexy Back. One chip at a time. And reading Woman's Health.
Good health to you!!

And by the way. Where IS everyone? They better not be over at FaceBook. That two faced...book. Sure it can be fun, but I find it overwhelming. Like finding out you suddenly have fans and paparazzi and everyone wants your autograph. Everyone wants a piece of you.
I spit my gum at Facebook. Now I must go check for messages...on Facebook.

27 Months

Daddy has been busy building in the back yard.

Ok, the boys were 27 months weeks ago. But better late than not at all right? I'm not sure how I'm going to continue in this format. Add another update for the baby? Do one update a month for all of them? Not sure, but I'll figure out something. I just need it to be relatively quick and easy to do, so I will be sure to continue...


View from the big tub.

The boys have been great. Mostly. With so much going on just before the baby and certainly after, they've done very well. There has been some acting up, but who could blame them. Since this update was due so long back, maybe I'll save more details for the next one coming, and just throw out some photos.




More backyard fun.

As handsome as ever...




Lovin' their new Thomas the Train shirts!