How it all went down...

We've been home with Harlowe for three weeks now, I can't believe it! It's incredibly surreal that she's a real person now, after waiting so long for her arrival. Here's how it all went down...

10/12 - 39w1d

My last day of work. Well, I didn't know it would be my last day, but I was joking around like it would be and packed up all of my stuff and told everyone that I might see them on Monday, har har. I was fully expecting to go past my due date a week later!

Chris and I headed to his parents' house for dinner with the family. Katie gave me my pre-labor pedicure, so that when everything was all disgusting everywhere else on me, at least my feet would look good! We got home around 10:30 and got into bed shortly after.

Around 11:15, I sat up and pop! My water broke. Holy crap, this was actually happening! No slow build up of contractions or anything, we were having a baby tomorrow!

10/13 - 39w2d

My contractions started on the way to the hospital. We arrived at 12:15 and it was a looooong walk (okay, waddle) from the parking garage to the birthing center. I got into a gown and waited for the show to start. I was able to breathe through my contractions in bed, and nap a little between them. Poor Chris did not nap. He should have, it was about to be the longest day of our lives!

Chris' family arrived at the hospital around 3:30, my parents got there at about 5:30. It was a party in my room! I'd been checked at 4:00, and was up to 7cm dilated from 3. The nurses were rooting for a natural birth for me since I was doing so well. Breathing was really helping!

At 7, the nurse had me do some test pushes to see if I could move Harlowe down a bit. Figuring out HOW to push correctly was a weird experience. You really feel like you're going to explode, then you push harder, and that's the right way. Not fun!

I asked for an epidural at 8. I thought I wouldn't make it at that point; my contractions were coming hard and fast and the thought of going without drugs through the birth was terrifying. My nurse informed me that I was 3rd in line for the anesthesiologist and that baby could very well be here before I got drugged up. So I decided to power through!

8:45 - time to start pushing. After an hour both using a squat bar and laying down, our sweet girl was born at 9:48. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we couldn't stop staring at her. Sleep didn't really happen until Monday night, which was really hard. But healing is going well, breastfeeding is (now) going well, and our little pumpkin is the best thing that could have happened to us!