The Second Biggest Day In Our Lives

We spent 2 wks walking the southside of Elmira trying to kickstart labor .... no doin'!  Emily wasn't comin' out till she was darn good and ready ...... strong willed from the womb!!  =)

August 16th started out as any other Saturday, I'm sure.  Although I can not tell you not what I was doing all day ....

I can tell you that at apx. 8 PM I broke one of the rods off our coat tree with the very first contraction!!  I will never forget that!  However, at the time I didn't know it was a contraction.  I thought it was constipation.  LOL

I spent that night in the recliner in the living room with pure back labor, unknowing that that was what I was going through.  Niave, I know, but this was my first experience with it so how was I to know?

Contractions were painful but spiratic so I just figured the pain would subside, as soon as I was able to go to the bathroom.  Again, feel free to LOL.  But they never went away .. from 8 PM Sat - 6 AM Sun I tried to sleep in the recliner, pains coming and going.

At 6 Don thinks it's about time to call the hospital, after he'd had a decent night's sleep in our bed. =) 

So, we called them, they said to come in and get checked out.  So, I walked myself from the car to the elevator, waited for Don and walked myself from the elevator to the nurse's station on the maternity floor.

They were certain since I could walk there was no way I was in labor, but wanted to check my progress since I was a wk. overdue anyway.  The nurse said "we'll be sending you home if you're not 4 cm dilated."

So, I prayed "dear God, let me be just 4 cm ... I'll do anything!"  And, Don being the comedian that he is and just coming back from Africa said "even go to Africa?"  And I screamed "YES! I'll even go to Africa!"

So, the nurse checked and said "we're going to transfer you to labor and delivery, you're 6 cm dilated!"

Okay, Lord .... very funny. 

So for the next 5 hrs (by this time it was around 7 am) I was in labor for Little miss Emily Rose .... by noon I was fully dialted and ready for the pushing ... YEAH ..... one small problem with that ..... she didn't wanna come out yet!  I tried pushing for 2 hrs and finally my Dr said "we're going to have to do a c-section.  Would you like an epideral or anistesia (sp wrong I'm sure)?"  My reply ... "Dr .... I've been awake for over 30 hrs, I can see her when I wake up.  KNOCK ME OUT!"  =)

I told Don before they put me under to make sure she looked like an Emily Rose before they officially named her that!!  I was adamit about that!!

No complications, Emily Rose was born via c-section at 2:38 PM on Sunday, Aug 17th, 2003 weighing in at 10lbs 11oz .... I was glad I had the c-section!!  We were elated and exhausted!