Happy Birthday to My Princess

      The Year? 2010. The day? St. Patty's Day. I was 2 weeks from my due date (April 2), had already been having contractions (every 1-2 hours), and dilated to 3 for the 2 weeks prior. My doctor had ran every test possible to see if I can be induced early, and in "test terms"... I failed. ~ LOL ~
      All day on March 17th, I was in labor. Contractions every 15 minutes. Tim was at school and I couldn't wait for him to get home, cause I didn't want him to miss anything (should anything happen). So, I was so glad and relieved to pick him up from the train station that evening. But I'll tell you what.... my contractions STOPPED the second he got in the car at 5 pm. I couldn't believe it.

We went about our evening. I don't even remember what I had for dinner. I put Joey to bed and went to bed myself.  OK - so I shouldn't say bed... LOL. At month 5 of my pregnancy, I wasn't able to lay down anymore cause it was extremely uncomfortable and somewhat painful.  My bed became a couch and an ottoman. That was my sleeping arrangement, next to our bed for about 4 months. So while Tim lay comfortably in our bed.... I was in my chair. LOL.
     Although, I may not remember what I had for dinner... I do remember what movie we were watching that I fell asleep to... Shutter Island, with Leonardo DiCaprio.  I think it was about 9:30p or so that I finally fell asleep. 

***TMI:ALERT (somewhat)***

     My kitty, Pepper, was on my enormous belly and when she jumped off.... I felt a 'POP'! And then I felt like I couldn't control my bladder to get to the bathroom. I looked at Tim and said, "I think my water just broke". I don't think I ever saw a man jump so fast in my entire life!
    I'm on the phone with the Doc Service, requesting the Dr to call me! ~I thought the contractions I was having every 15-20 minutes earlier that day, were bad... I went from 15-20 minutes most of the day, to NOTHING from 5-10p, to every 5 minutes...... And they came with a Vengeance!!! ~ A Doc finally called and I explained to her, and she told me to get to the hospital.


     We lived about 15-20 minutes from the hospital. Tim got us there in 10... if that... LOL. All I know was with every bump we hit, I didn't know if I'd make it to the hospital...LOL. And let me tell you... Those contractions... WTF!?!?!?  They s*cked monkey's butt!!!
     OK, so we're in the hospital now, and I"m begging... and I mean BEGGING for an epidural. This was NOTHING like what I experienced with Joey (already had epidural when doc induced me with Joey, felt NOTHING).  I think it took about 30-45 minutes to get the epidural, but it felt like 3 hours before I got it. FINALLY, I could breathe with my contractions.  I remember it was 3 pushes with Madison, and she was out.  
    

    2:42a on March 18th, 2010

All the pain I went thru. All the sleepless nights I had. The braxton hicks I had. The high glucose or whatever. The most uncomfortable last 2 weeks of the pregnancy.... WAS ALL WORTH IT at 2:42a when Tim held her for the first time and cut the umbilical cord.