It all began..

Sunday January 31st around 2 a.m... I woke up with contractions 10 minutes apart. I knew it still wasnt time to go to the hospital so I went and got on the couch and watched the clock as the contractions got closer and closer. At 430 I went to the bathroom and there was a gush of blood. So I ran in to wake my mom ( this was also the day they were flying back to GA) and she said call the hospital.. Shawn of course is running around like crazy packing things, trying to get dressed.. it was pretty comical. The nurse said to take some tylenol extra strength and wait until the contractions were 4 minutes apart. I had time enough to take a shower and for Shawn to get the tylenol before that happened so I kissed my parents bye and we headed for the hospital. They put me in a triage room and monitored me for about an hour before they said my contractions werent strong enough and I wasnt dialating. I was still at 1 cm, 60 % effaced from my 40 week appointment. So we got sent home.

Lauren met us at the house, my parents flight had already taken off and we slept through the day. All the while I was still having these contractions that supposedly "werent strong enough". Well they were right. Come Tuesday (2/1) afternoon I was dying. All I could do to get somewhat comfortable was to sit on the toilet and let me tell you the contractions were so bad I broke the toilet paper holder. We called the nurse a few times and she said to try and wait it out as long as I could because there was no room and they would have to send me to another hospital.. EVEN THOUGH I was scheduled to be induced that night. I think it was 430 when I couldnt take it any longer and I said its time to go..so off the 3 of us went and thank God they admitted me. My contractions were out of this world and I think that every nurse that came in commented on it.. like I needed the reminder. I was only 3 cm dialated and the main nurse said to try and hold out til 4 cm for the epidural because it could slow things. I think I made it to maybe 10 pm and one of the doctors came in and asked if I wanted the epidural and I got it. Let me just say, they are AMAZING. I still wasnt dialating though so they put me on the pitocin. I have no idea what time it was when the doctor came back in and said I still wasnt dialating and that they were going to try and break my water to see what happened and that if by 6 I still wasnt dialating we were going to have to do a csection. Before I tell the rest of this story when we first got to the hospital and the nurse was checking me I said I think my water just broke and she said no.. it was just the lube from them checking me and blood. SO when the doctor tried to break my water he said "I think I feel hair" my water had already broken! He gave me an internal monitor and upped the pitocin.. he was also able to stretch me from 3 cm to 5.

Somewhere around 5 am is when the back labor started. I was clicking my epidural button away trying to get some relief and if it was helping so help me God I dont think I would have been able to give birth naturally because at one point I actually told Shawn.. I cant do this. At 6 I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom..it was just an imense pressure.. so I asked the nurse to check me.. she said in an hour. WTH! At 7 she came in and checked me and hallelujah! I was 10 cm & 100 %! So I said come on! lets push.. they said wait til 8. I dont think a clock has ever moved so slowly in my life. Finally at 8:10 the nurse came in and said we were going to do a trial push because they thought that Delaney was face up and that it would be about 3hours of pushing... she came in and I pushed with everything I had. Shawn was holding one leg, and Lauren the other. The nurse kept asking if I needed a break and I said no lets keep going and I think after about 10-15 min of that she ran out and got Captain Nicaisse (my favorite provider throughout the entire pregnancy who came in special just for me :) ) Captain Nicaisse and a team of what seemed to be about 50 people came in and set up the room and then I pushed again and by 832 my perfect girl was here! As soon as she was out they put her on my stomach and Shawn cut the cord. It was the most amazing thing ever! She didnt cry at first and Capt Nicaisse said that it was because the cord was wrapped around her neck but she was fine. They suctioned her mouth and nose and then we heard the most beautiful little whimper and then finally wails!

We spent the next 2 nights in the hospital and then finally Friday we were released. Our first night home was a trying one but now she only wakes up to eat every 2-3 hours.. last night she wanted to stay awake and play though. Every day I fall more and more in love with this little girl. I truly have never seen anything more perfect. Tomorrow Shawn deploys for 7-8 months. I AM A WRECK. Im scared out of my mind and my heart aches even more for Shawn because hes just as in love with Delaney as I am and now he has to leave her. I have no idea how I am going to do this without him but just like Ive told him every deployment before this, if hes being strong Im being strong. I know in a few weeks I will find a routine and things will get smoother. I go back to school April 4 and when Delaney is 6 weeks old Im going to start going back to church. Im going with Captain Nicaisse. My parents, Shawns parents, and Cathy will all be coming up within the next few weeks & when my precious God baby Connor is born Delaney and I are flying to Texas! and in July Moms flying back up here and driving down to GA with me for a week so I will finally get to go home. Im gonna start working out again ASAP so I can get rid of this baby weight too! Still please keep our little family in your prayers!

Oh Monday we went for a weight check.. when she was born she weighed 7 lb 12 oz, when we left the hospital she was 7 lb 9 oz and as of Monday she was back to 7 lb 12 oz and the doctors were more than pleased. This child DOES love to eat! I go next week for her 2 week check up so hopefully I will be able to update some more then. We had our professional pictures taken Tuesday so I will leave you with a few of those <3