4th Time's the Charm

One year ago today, March 26th, I went into labor, on my own, 3 weeks early, with Kate.

One year ago today, it was a really nice day outside, and I can remember the girls doing sidewalk chalk outside so I had to walk around a lot. I remember feeling really tired and out of breath, but couldn't figure out why I felt so flushed. Towards the end of day, I was really getting hot flashes and feeling super flushed. I called Mom who said she could come and sit with the girls if I wanted to just go get checked. Earlier that week I had had a dr. appointment .... the dr. said there was no way I would go into labor while she was gone (she had to go to a conference and would be gone 1 week)

So I called the hospital and of course, they said come in just to be checked. So Mom and George came over, and I remember feeling really bad and thinking it was such a waste because we would probably only be a couple hours. But, I took the packed hospital bag just in case (which most thought I was crazy for having already packed) and we were off.

One year ago today I walked into the hospital with 3 kids at home, and a huge belly. We were put into a room to be checked, and I kept having hot flashes. Of course, my other 3 labors had been induced, so I didn't know what it felt like to go into labor on my own. The nurse said I was 1 cm dilated. She told us to walk around for an hour and come back. So Matt and I walked around the whole hospital, with me in that gown and tennis shoes, and I saw all the things he was working on at work. It wasn't too bad .... the contractions didn't hurt, they just made me hot and my heart beat feel fast. When we got back to that little room, the nurse couldn't feel my cervix ... she said it was up too high. (in my mind I thought, "well .... let's go home") Another nurse came in, found my cervix right away, and said I was already 4 cm dilated .... in one hour. I was completely shocked! They said, "let's get you a room .... looks like you're staying." I thought they were lying. I kept thinking they were going to send me home.

One year ago today, I was shocked and awed that I had gone into labor on my own. I called Mom and George and told them I couldn't believe it. They would have to spend the night. My other labors had been short .... 5, 6, and 8 hours. With this one, it wasn't going to be short. It just kept going and going. In the end, it must have been 16 hours or more. Matt was really tired. So was I. It felt really long.

One year ago today I still didn't believe I would get to stay. I kept thinking at any moment I would be sent home ... until after they broke my water ... then I guess I believed I would have to stay. It was just so surreal ... I guess having a baby is like that. This labor lasted long enough that I was super hungry, the nurses had changed shifts several times, and it was now the next day .... March 27th.

One year ago tomorrow our sweet Kate Ella was born after a long surprise labor, no pain and agony, until they gave me pitocin to speed things up, then major pain and agony, a half working epidural, 2 different dr.s neither of which were my dr., and only a few good pushes. She came out and my world changed. I was now the mother of 4 daughters.

How did I get to be so blessed? 4 sweet girls. Kate looked just like the others, but she had lots of dark hair. She was the sweetest, but aren't they all?

One year ago today started the labor that changed my life forever. I was no longer a mother of 3 .... now I was a mother of 4. It was really exciting, and over too quickly. Before I knew it, I was out of the hospital with this new baby. It really was surreal.

So today, it's not Kate's birthday, but today is the day that was a special blessing ... I got to have this sweet girl ... early ... my body just did it on it's own .... to me, that was a blessing. It was a little treat. I look back on this day, a year ago, with fondness (even thought it WAS labor). My sweet Kate has made this year a special one!