She, Teresa Kathleen, Has Arrived!!

Tuesday night, 12-16, I went to bed having semi pains. After having the false alarm on Sunday, I was ignoring them until they felt like real pains. So, they continued after we went to bed. They got stronger and stronger. So, I watched the clock and waited until I knew it was for sure until I woke Kevin up. 2am I thought I should walk around and see if they continued. Well, they went away. So I went back to bed to try and get some sleep. 4am I'm up and it's starting again. I decide to go downstairs so I don't bother Kevin as I toss and turn. The pains are getting stronger and closer together. 6am I decide to go up and wake Kevin up. I tell him this is the real deal and I hop in the shower. I figure this is the last good shower I'm going to get in a while. Nice and hot! I get done and tell Kevin to hurry up. They say the second goes quicker. He says ok, takes a shower and then proceeds to MAKE a breakfast. HELLO, I'm in labor!!! He makes a burrito and we call mom and dad and throw Mary in the car and we're off. This time it's real. I'm in pain. Kevin knows it now.

We get to the hospital about 7:30. I finally get admitted about 7:45 or so. I am having so much fun with the pain. WHERE'S MY EPIDURAL???? They say they have to take blood to make sure my blood count is ok to give it to me. Well, that took FOREVER. I'm bearing through the pains, as everyone watches me. I went in dilated at 3. About 9:30 I'm at 5-51/2. I see the epidural cart roll in. YEAH!!! Still waiting on the doc to give it to me, but the cart is there. There is hope! When she checks my dilation she says my sack is super thin and not to move, sneeze, or cough to break it. Ok, makes me feel good. I know if it breaks I have no chance of the epidural anymore. THEN, I have a contraction and the baby does not like it and kicks, and breaks the bag. OH CRAP!! THEN the doc comes in. Well, I was so persistent to get this darn drug that they gave it to me anyway. I did not do so well trying to stay in position for it, which made it hard for him. So, I don't think it ever got in right. He finally got it in and I rolled over and my body just wanted to push her out. She was on her way. The doc pushed in the drug and then Kevin said he saw her head. Well, the nurse was there, but no doc. She's yelling "DON'T PUSH". Well, I held on as well as I could. Luckily there was another doctor in the hall who heard the nurse and came in. He put on the delivery scrub and I was on my way. I don't know if the drug ever took effect, I just wanted her out. Two pushes later and she was in our world at 10:12. I was in the hospital about 2 1/2 hours before she was here. QUICK! Mary absolutely LOVES her sister. So cute!

What a different experience than Mary's delivery. I had the epidural almost the whole time with her and this one was pretty much a natural birth. It wasn't so bad. It was so super quick. No so bad. = )

My first night in the hospital sucked. I had to share a room. They were packed and there were no private rooms available. This mom was breast feeding. So every two hours there was screaming from the kid who did not want to eat. That was not such a relaxing night. I had sent Mary to the nursery so I could get a good nights rest. OH well. The next day I got a private room for the night. I got a much better nights rest. Thankfully. I was released about 1 on Friday. Friday night was not a good one either. Teresa has been such an Angel, and we brag of course. Well, last night she was up all night. She did not want to be set down. She'd fall asleep in our arms but when we put her down, she'd cry. So, I took from 10-3 and then Kevin came in and took over. Then I came back at 5. She finally gave up at 5:30 and stayed down and I got a little rest. Since then she's been back to a good little baby. So, who knows. A learning experience for all of us.

All in all it's been great. Teresa Kathleen is here and all's good!