I still cannot believe this angel came into our family and burrowed right into the center of our hearts.We love her dearly and this is the story of how she came into this world.
During the early evening of August 12th I started feeling different. Granted, this pregnancy had been completely different from my son's, even in the beginning. During the later stages with my son I walked around on Halloween night feeling completely normal. It was my induction date and I knew we would be going to the hospital to have that baby, but even my body seemed to be in denial of the fact back then. Fortunately, with Everly my body knew what this was all about and this time around it was letting me know.
During the day I was tired. We ran a few errands and picked up some last minute things. Before this I had been through a few Braxton Hicks, but they were fairly minimal and far from regular. At first this new set of contractions were a minor irritation, but they quickly grew stronger and closer together. Though not completely novel, it was still a strange thing to be having consistent contractions. By the afternoon I just wanted to be off my feet, and so we were all piled in our bed upstairs watching movies and eating Pringles together. It was cozy and nice, only interrupted by contractions I tried to suffer through quietly. As the day began drew to a close I finally had to look up on my phone the point where contractions were considered serious enough to head to the hospital, something I hadn't had to even consider with my first pregnancy. Around 5 or 6 p.m. the contractions timer on my app was telling me it might be time to get this show on the road.
My parents had already been anticipating my call, and gladly said they would watch K.B. for us over night. So once I got off the phone I finished packing my hospital bag and got a day bag packed for my little boy as well. This was about when the reality of my situation began to kick in. I was going to have this baby. I was going to have this baby SOON! My big boy was going to spend the night at my parents and I was going to the hospital to have our baby girl. This hope was cinched when I had seven more contractions just on the 20 minute drive to my parents' house. We dropped off K.B., sat down and chatted for a little while getting our game plan together, and then Spencer and I headed off to the hospital.
I had already checked in at the hospital about a week before, so we were sent up to the third floor right when we arrived at about 8 p.m. And that is when the real waiting began. They were going to monitor my contractions and check my cervix before admitting me. Progress was not what they had wanted. An hour passed, and I wasn't dilating. The nurse suggested I walk around, try to stay as comfortable as possible, and she would check back in a little while. Another hour of hard contractions and pathetic late night television passed and still not the progress they needed to admit me. They were going to give me one more hour, but if still no progress they were going to send me home. I was mad, I was tired, I was dealing with serious and consistent pain, and I did not want to go home. And I did not want the nurse to tell me to just keep walking around and they would come check on me in an hour. But I did it. I did all of it. And I was sad, really sad that I might not be having this baby as soon as I had thought. Could all that pain and even the bloody show be just a false alarm? I couldn't believe it.
Finally, close to midnight, the nurse came back in. Progress was minimal. She was about to recommend we head home, but Spence told her that he was not about to pack up, get in the car, drive the 30 minutes to our house just to turn around and come right back. The nurse said she would call our Doctor and see what he advised, saying she would try to sell it as best she could. Spence said, "Please do," and I gave him the most ingratiating looks I could muster through my contractions. The nurse came back and said that our Doctor told her to admit me. I was completely and utterly relieved, and so ready to be hooked up to the epidural. I was so disappointed that my cervix was once more not dialating. All I could think about was another long, long night and long, long day in the hospital, just as it was with K.B.
They took us over to maternity, I was plugged into the IV and epidural as soon as possible. Once we were admitted, about another hour later, I was finally able to settle in. Phew! Then you cannot imagine my surprise when the nurse checked me just before heading out and I was finally dilating. Spence called the mothers and gave them the good news. The rest is a bit of a blur of a little bit of sleep with a handful of checks, but in just a couple of short hours I was at an 8, no wait, 9 and they were calling the Doctor and prepping me to push. Spence made sure the check back in with the mom's, and they were already on their way. I got to see them very briefly, before the Doctor came in. Then, I swear, my Doctor literally came through the door and the mothers went out, and it was as if I was suddenly on the clock.
The nurses had almost everything set up and ready to go, I could feel a tiny bit of pressure from the contractions and had full control of my legs. They propped me up and told me to push on the next contraction. I did. The Doctor said, "Ok, on the next contraction we are going to have a baby." I was in shock! Complete and utter shock. There was no possible way I was already going to have this baby. K.B. was almost an hour's worth of full on pushing. It couldn't happen this quickly, could it? By the time I thought all of this it was again time to push, and when they told me to, I did, with all my strength and heart. Sure enough there was a baby. A perfect, beautiful baby girl after just two pushes. They cut the cord, wiped her off, and handed her right over. She was nestling against my chest and clean up was well underway. After a minute of cuddling the nurses asked if they could clean and measure her. I told them yes and they swiped her up while the Doctor stitched in just a couple of sutures.
Before I knew it baby girl was back on my chest and the mothers were coming back in the room. It was such a whirlwind experience, so unlike K.B. and this little girl seemed to know it too. Immediately she started snorting against my skin, looking for breakfast. Spencer and the mothers were gathered close to the bed and we were all just beaming and laughing at this determined little creature who knew exactly what she wanted, and made a point of letting us know it. The snorting, we just couldn't get over the snorting. She nuzzled in and nursed for the first time, we all quieted down and just watched in awe of this little miracle.
Everly Florence Schade, born on her due date of August 13th, 2014 at 3:36 a.m. weighing 7 lb. 3 oz. and a tiny 18 inches long.
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