Just like every night before, I woke at 4 a.m. to use the restroom.  It wasn’t the first time I woke up that night and I sure knew it wasn’t going to be the last.  Thirty seven weeks pregnant and this babe was cozied right up with my bladder.  I laid back in bed and thought I would get comfortable.  As I was laying there to go back to sleep, I felt what could have been a mild contraction.  Waving it off, I continued to try to go back to sleep.  After all, contractions had started a few days before and then ceased to exist.  About 5 minutes passed and I was still trying to find that perfect position that would send me into the deep coma that I needed before the day began again.  There it was again.  Another contraction.

I sat up, thinking is it happening?  With Elijah I was induced, so I really had no real idea what these things were suppose to feel like naturally.  I grabbed my phone and began to time them.  A half hour passed and just about every 5 minutes a wave of tightness would come.  I remembered the 511 rule.  Contractions every 5 minutes, lasting about a minute, for an hour, indeed was a sign that labor was happening.  I listened to Brad’s soft breathing as I continued to keep track on my phone.  At 5 a.m. he began to stir and asked me what I was doing.  Still in his sleepy state, I told him, I think I’m in labor.  He quickly awoke.  Asking me questions and getting all excited.  He called his mom, knowing she was getting ready for work.  Giving her the heads up that it may be time.  He then phoned his boss saying that he might not be in.  I was nervous.  I didn’t want to false alarm anyone.  Especially since everyone had a 3 hour drive.  He jumped in the shower and I called my Mom in Texas.  She was puzzled at why I was calling at 4 a.m. Central time.  Next on the list was my sister Nicole, whom was going to photograph the birth.  Lastly, our wonderful friend Johanna came to be with Elijah while he was still sleeping.  We didn’t want to wake him up and had a plan in place just in case this sort of thing happened.

After talking to everyone, including our doctor, she told us to go ahead and head into the hospital.  Soon after Johanna arrived, she sent us off, and Brad’s parents and Nicole were on the way.  We were excited, knowing that we were going to soon meet our babe.  When we arrived to the hospital I expected to be checked into a room, instead they put us in triage on labor and delivery.  Since my water hadn’t broken yet they wanted to monitor my contractions.  I already knew I was 3 cm dilated, and according to them it hadn’t changed.  My contractions were steadily coming in at 5 minutes apart.  Then my worst fear happened.  They began to separate and move further apart.  After 2 hours of observation there was no change.  They sent us home.  I was frustrated.  By this time Brad’s parents and my sister were almost to Dayton.  Not to mention my Mom had bought a plane ticket from Texas.  Because I wasn’t 39 weeks they couldn’t even help my labor along.  We walked out of the hospital, my contractions still happening.

We returned home to find Nicole waiting for us, Elijah had just woken up at 9, and I found myself apologizing to everyone.  As Johanna left, my in laws arrived.  I was still contracting and was hopeful that it was going to continue.  My sister was determined that she was going to put me in labor.  Thus started the long day of a hot bath, long walks, and even eating fresh pineapple and drinking raspberry tea.  It was the most gorgeous 70 degree weather outside as I sat with contractions on the exercise ball.  They continued past lunch.  Past dinner.  Past daylight.  We settled into the living room and turned on the TV.  Date Night started and ended as I paced the hallway.  Nicole had started recording my contractions and they were 7 minutes apart, then 5, then 4, then 5 again.  By 9 p.m. I was tired and had to sit down.  The next contraction didn’t come for 10 minutes and I knew I had to start walking again.

I had already been having contractions for 17 hours and I was exhausted.  I was beginning to think that it wasn’t happening.  Nicole sent Brad to bed and I decided to lay down on the couch, hoping they wouldn’t stop.  We had been watching Crazy, Stupid, Love and I had 2 contractions which were 6-7 minutes apart.  I was in that moment where I was about to slip off into sleep and needed to get off the couch.  I kept willing in my head to sit up, and my body just didn’t want to follow suit.  I laid there one more minute.  And then I felt it.  A pop.  It was if a water balloon had hit the grass in a game of hot potato.  I gasped and Nicole jumped off the floor. What?, she said.  I think my water just broke.  She asked, Do you feel anything?  I stopped for a minute.  Yep!  She raced to the linens closet in the hall to grab a towel, yelling to Brad that he had to get out of bed.  Her water just broke!  I didn’t move a muscle.  I was laying on our brand new couches and refused to get them dirty.  Towels came to my rescue as Brad raced downstairs to get his Mom, who was already asleep!

I immediately called my doctor to let her know my water broke and I was on my way to the hospital.  Soon after, I was gripping anything in sight to keep myself standing, as the contractions came on a lot stronger.  The strongest they had been all day.  I walked into Bubby’s room and kissed his head, telling him I loved him, then made my way out to the car.  We raced on towards the hospital, ironically following a police car onto the highway.  Brad kept the speed until he pulled off and then it was pedal to the floor.  Every bump in the road left from winter was irritating as my contractions came on faster.  The 25 minute drive began to feel like eternity, and then finally I was at the emergency room entrance with a wheelchair.  Exhausted from the day I remember riding upstairs and getting checked in.  A million questions being thrown at me through the contractions, and even having to sign paperwork amongst the pain.

It was 10:30 and through everything that happened I was only 4 cm dilated.  From the time I left the hospital that morning, to that night, after having contractions all day, I was only a 4!  I remember feeling so tired, so frustrated, and not sure if I could go on.  Writhing back in forth in my bed, I was determined to have this baby natural again.  Pushing away all pain medication.  I quickly went to a 5-6 and approximately an hour after I had arrived I began to contemplate an epidural.  My contractions were coming on so strong, so fast, that my happy place I had with Elijah never came.  I overheard Brad and his mom talking about the epidural.  Contemplating the thought of peace.  I spoke up, I am seriously contemplating it right now.  Brad looked at the nurse, and the nurse said back to him, If she is going to get it, it has to be now!  I told him I would think about it, a contraction came, and he asked again.  I nodded my head, feeling defeated that I was going to ‘give up’ on going natural again.

Before I knew it, they were there, and I was being asked to be perfectly still in the most pain I’ve ever been through in my entire life.  Absolutely terrified of needles, they asked me if I remembered everything about the epidural from the classes we had taken 2 years prior.  I muttered, I don’t care, just tell me what to do, and do it!  I couldn’t wait one more minute of holding still, curled up in a ball.  Just give me relief.  That’s all I wanted.  I must have went through 10-15 contractions before the whole process was complete.  I never anticipated it would have taken that long.  I hated every minute of the burning sensation, the sting, and being held in the most uncomfortable position as it happened.  But it was done.

I laid back down and they checked me again.  I was a 7-8 and my doctor still hadn’t arrived.  I remember the nurse saying, Call Dr. Kathy to make sure she is on her way!  In my head I was thinking, this baby better not come till she gets here.  Now that my body was finding peace, I could have waited as long as I needed to.  I was 9cm dilated when Dr. Kathy strolled in at 12:28 a.m.  She asked me how I was feeling, and I responded with, I’m ready to have a baby.  I was ready to push, now at 10cm, she got ready!  I pushed through two sets of contractions and at 12:35 a.m. I had my baby!

It’s a GIRL!!  I remember in unison with my mother-in-law shouting, yayy!!  I knew it was a girl, but I just didn’t want to get my hopes up.  After Brad cut her cord, they laid her up on my chest and the tears began to flow.  Sweet, sweet tears.  Tears of victory.  Tears of happiness.  I looked at Brad and said, We have a little girl.   And he stared back at me.  So proud.  I kept touching her hair, her face, her hands, her toes.  I couldn’t believe she was here.  They weighed her in at 5 lbs. 6 oz. and I thought for sure the scale was broken.  Such a tiny peanut of perfection.

We were all exhausted.  After some time with her, I passed her off to Brad, who held his little girl for the first time.  The wonder in his eyes was more than I could have hoped for.  We began to spread the news to family, and I called my Mom in Texas.  I quickly began to cry as I announced that she had a new grand-daughter.  I was shaking from head to toe as the adrenaline rush was trying to leave my body.  I could barely talk and told her I would see her the next day.  After all the calls had been made, I urged Nicole, and Chris to go home and get some sleep.  We finally got settled into our room at 4 a.m. and thus began the new life being parents to our daughter, Ayla Merced.

If you made it this far, give yourselves a pat on the back!  I couldn’t thank my sister, Nicole, enough for making these lasting memories for us.  I am so honored to have her in my life as a sister, an aunt, and a role model for myself and my kids.  She has been one of my very best friends, and I am so blessed for her to have witnessed and photographed both of my babies birth.  A huge thanks to Johanna, a sweet friend, who at a moment’s notice at 5 a.m. came to sit at our house, so we didn’t have to take Eli to the hospital with us.  Chris + Roger {my in laws} for coming to be with Elijah and keeping him company all day, and for helping me through labor.  And of course my husband, who was my constant support through my labor all day, in the car, and through the decision of the epidural.  I’m so thankful to have given you two beautiful babies, and even more grateful that you get to be their daddy!  XOXO

..I HAVE A GIRL..

love, echo

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echoes of love