This is the mommy version of this story, there are three others that can be told... Daddy's, Grandma's and Aunt Jenni's all may be a little different, like any story, but here is mine.
I had a busy day, my mom and I took my kids up to play with their cousin Emeri and swim in the pool at Jenni's apartments. I had been having regular contractions all day long, but that wasn't anything new, I had been having them for weeks. I did have my mom drive home, just in case something changed quickly, but nothing did. On the way home we stopped at the pet shop and looked at the animals for a few minutes and headed for home. I was a bit worn out so I sat down for a few minutes and noticed that the contractions were staying pretty steady no matter what I did. That was a good sign that things were progressing, but I am able to make it through pretty much all of labor without much pain or anxiety, cause I took some awesome hypnobirthing classes when I was pregnant with Sam and learned how to relax and let my body do the work.
Well after cooking chili for dinner, Matt helped the kids get ready for bed and I read to them. I did mention to Matt that we should probably go in soon, but I had been to the hospital earlier that week and got sent home and didn't want a repeat of that so I wanted to hang out a bit longer and make sure things progressed still. Well after I sat down on the couch next to Matt things started to get more intense as far as strength of contractions, but they spread out a bit so I thought things might die down, like they had a few times before, and go away. But little did I know, or remember at least, that they call this the "rest and be thankful" stage where you get a bit of a break right before the baby comes...I wish I would have known that a week ago!
My water broke around 8:45 pm and Matt called my mom to come over right away so that someone would be here for the other kids that were sound asleep. I rushed back to the bathroom to clean up a bit and put something on to catch the fluid on the way to the hospital, while Matt packed up the car. My sister Jenni and her daughter Emeri happened to be at my mom's when the call came so they came over too to give support on my way out. I even was laughing and playing with Emeri in between contractions :) I headed out to the car a few minutes later and on the way there things got a bit more intense, which usually doesn't happen until the very end, like last 15 min of delivery for me, but I was just focused on trying not to yell too loud and wake up the kids, which I was failing at the being quiet bit, but they stayed asleep anyway.
As I got to the car I had a contraction, and there was no denying it, he was coming right then! I felt his head start to come out and I yelled bloody murder "He's coming now! His head is between my legs!" (My sister told me later that she didn't know anyone could yell that loud, and if you know my family, that is REALLY saying something. ) My mom called 911 right away and no one could remember the address to the house LOL, I was trying to tell it as I made my way into the house :) Matt and Jenni got me laid down a couple of steps back into the house on the wood floor in the kitchen. They pulled my underwear off (I was wearing a dress) and the baby swooshed out seconds later. Matt caught him, with only a tiny bump on the wood... :) and they turned him to the side to get the fluid out and he started crying right away.
The paramedics came soon after and helped us to make sure baby and mommy were both OK. They gave me a shot of some pain meds so that I could move to get on the gurney as my nerve in my back was shooting pain at this point, and both of us got some oxygen as a precautionary measure. Baby even got an 8 or 9 (the EMT couldn't make up her mind) on his apgar test. We rode to the hospital and we both still checked out great. We had our shortest hospital stay of about 30 hours and we were headed home.
I've had a lot of people ask me if I was scared, and the answer is NO! At the time there was no time to be scared, he was coming and I had three people there to support me. And now thinking about it, it's still not scary... because if it was going to happen it was the perfect way for it to happen, Baby and I were both fine, Matt was there to deliver his baby (how many dad's names are the attendant on the birth certificate?!?!) My mom and sister were there to call 911, support me, do all the running to get things, and watch my other kids. AND my other kids slept through it all. It couldn't have been a better situation. I know Heavenly Father was looking out for all of us, and now Christian has a super cool birth story!
Christian minutes old. Still at the house.
Me in the ambulance.
Christian and Emeri together from the moment of birth.
Our new bigger family.
Look at all the hands on this poor kid already :)
Jenni couldn't contain her excitement!
It's amazing how each kids reaction to meeting their new brother reflects their personality.
I love this picture!
Sam had to have her hair done extra cute for the first time her brother would see her.
On our way home... thanks Kathy for the BYU garb!
Andrew starts Kindergarten this year... I will miss him!
Ethan is so big! He's going into 1st great this year
giving us some attitude!
So tiny and so sweet!
I think this might be my favorite, you can see right into his heart through these innocent, beautiful eyes.
BIG yawn!
So snuggley
naked baby on the furniture... watch out :)
He is such a happy baby... you can see it shine through him all the time!
