Eight years ago we had one of the biggest life changing moments ever.
We had a kid!
It is funny to think how naïve we both were of what was ahead of us. We had NO idea. :)
Our life pre-kids seems like a distant dream that lasted only about 3 seconds, I think.
A life of peaceful, calm grocery trips, eating dinner out WHENEVER, and convos on the weekend that went something like this…
“What do you wanna do today?”
“I dunno. What do you wanna do?”
Now, eight years later our grocery trips are more like a military op, and our weekends are usually a choice between way too many obligations as well as items on a growing to do list.
But I wouldn’t trade the three little crazies.
I don’t think I’ve ever shared Haylee’s birth story, so in honor of her being so incredibly old, here’s the deets…
My labor started on Thursday, May 29th … the day before my DUE DATE… around 6:30 in the morning. I woke up to my FIRST contractions ever. Just like the good {albeit naïve} girl that I am, we headed to the hospital right away, after timing them for an hour.
We excitedly called the family to share the news that this was it, BUT were only at the hospital for 2 or 3 hours before the dreaded walk of shame… getting sent home! Oh, the horror!
I was only a dilated about 1.5 centimeters, though I suspect the midwife only added the “.5” so as to not devastate me. I remember her remarking on how “nice” I looked referencing the fact that I had taken the time to shower, fix my hair and even put make up on. I guess those weren’t signs of active labor to her. :)
We went home and did a lot of walking and even went shopping to spend some gift certificates we had gotten the day before. I just did a quick duck between the racks when a painful contraction would come.
We also weirdly did some “curb walking” at a graveyard near our house which brought contractions sharp and really close together, but when I would stop, they would taper off.
For some retarded first time parent reason, we felt the need to time contractions all. day. long. Which for us, meant we were timing contractions every 5-10 minutes for about eighteen hours straight. And there were no fancy smancy iphone contraction apps back then. :) This was strictly via the old fashioned stopwatch.
They had told me not to eat anything really heavy, but as the day progressed I was starving! I’m talking STARVING, people. We picked up some Japanese take out, and I remember having to force myself to NOT scarf it DOWN.
They had instructed us not to come back to the hospital until the contractions were lasting a minute long, were 2 minutes apart and were so painful you were doubled over unable to speak through them.
Around 11 pm I was soooo exhausted from contracting all day but still had not reached the goals they had given us. I was so discouraged and didn’t know how I could go much longer. I definitely didn’t think I would be able to getting any rest that night.
My Knight in Shining Armor called the hospital and asked what we could do. They told us we could come in if we wanted.
And we wanted.
We finally got {back} to the hospital around 12:45 am. I was in a lot of pain and was so very tired after regular contractions since 6:30 that morning.
Once we got there, the contractions stayed pretty regular, and I was dilated to 3 centimeters. Just in case you’re doing the math, yes, it took me about 18 hours to progress a measly 1.5 centimeters.
Around 3:30 am, I was 5 centimeters and was ready for the blessed epidural.
I know that choosing a med free birth is quite the hot topic, but I honestly DON’T KNOW how I could have physically done it at that point WITHOUT some relief. At 3:30 I had been in labor for 21 hours.
{Many kudos to the moms I know who have gone that long and still were able to deliver med free. I don’t know how you did it!}
Thanks to the magic epidural I was home free. I really didn’t even feel the contractions and was actually able to sleep for about 2 hours!
Sweet Mercy.
When I woke up, I was AMAZINGLY 8 centimeters. How’s that for some easy labor??
After about another two hours, it was time. I was ready for the big moment… ready to push!
I only pushed for about 5-10 minutes. I was SHOCKED at how effortless the pushing part was. I remember the doctor taking forever to come after they had the room prepped and ready to go. There had been a shift change at 8 o’clock, so the new doctor had just come on duty. The nurse repeatedly had to go out in the hall to try to persuade him to come in.
As life would have it, he was one of my least favorite doctors, but he only was there for the last 30 minutes and honestly at that point I really didn’t care a whole lot.
Once the doctor decided to come in and grace us with his presence… after 26 long, exhausting hours of labor, our Haylee was finally here… ON her due date!
When he held her up, I just couldn’t believe this beautiful baby was ours… part me, part Chris. A MIRACLE we were entrusted with to care for and love…
There is really nothing like it is there? Witnessing the miracle of birth for the first time is truly a moment like none other. It is hard to imagine how someone could experience that and still doubt the existence of God.
How ELSE can you possibly explain a tiny, living, perfect person with you and your partner’s traits and genes staring up at you with huge eyes just seconds after being born?
Haylee Elaine
6lbs 13 oz
20.5 inches long
She was beautiful and perfect, and we couldn’t believe she was ours.
EIGHT years later, we love our Haylee-Girl so much! She is such a sweet one, affectionate, and always eager to please and make others happy. She inherited my conscience, I think, and is concerned with things like reading the rules at the play place {often to her brother} as well as the TV age suggestion.
Unfortunately Wade seems to be following in hubby’s footsteps.
{Whimpering}
She is such a big help to me… she shares in the “work” of so many things. She picks up around the house, fixes cereal & drinks & snacks {among other things} for her and Wade, fixes bottles, and even changes diapers. My little “assistant” has helped me keep what’s left of my sanity this crazy year. :)
She loves reading, playing outside with the neighbors, jumping on the trampoline, riding her bike… sans training wheels, watching the Disney channel, playing on the computer, writing her own songs as well as singing her heart out, sending email via her own email address, and all things art related.
It is hard to believe she could really be this old. EIGHT years is just a breath away from the dreaded drama of a teenage girl, isn’t it?
Did I mention time has just flashed by…
Happy EIGHTH Birthday, Haylee!
♥
