We found out we were pregnant on January 15th, and our lives were forever changed. I took a pregnancy test, just to see and not thinking I really was. It took about 15 seconds for the test to read "Pregnant". Jared was out of town, and I started freaking out because I had taken the test without him there. It was about 9:00 in the morning, and he wasn't going to be home until mid-afternoon. I didn't think I could wait that long, so I took a picture and sent it to him in a text. He was at a pre-cook, and stepped away to call me immediately. I could hear the excitement in his voice when he asked "Does that say what I think it does?". I started crying and could barely say YES!! The next 9 months were a complete whirlwind. We found out we were having a little girl, and needless to say, I was a little sad! I had wanted a boy so bad because the thought of a little me running around terrified me. Jared was so excited because he wanted a daddy's girl. And a daddy's girl, she is!
My first 2 trimesters were really easy. I lost 10 pounds in the first trimester - not sure how because I wasn't sick and I ate like a horse. The third was not as easy. I had horrible back spasms the entire trimester, and made sitting, standing and walking just miserable. I was carrying her so deep, that she was practically sitting on my spine. Thankfully, I hadn't gained much weight. I can't imagine what pain I would've been in if I had gotten any bigger!! On September 15, we went in for our 39 week appointment. Dr. Blair asked his usual questions - how are you feeling, any swelling, are you still feeling her move around a lot? My answer to the last question had him concerned. She was always very active during the day, and in the days leading up to our appointment, she hadn't been moving much. It was less frequent and a lot slower. He put me on the fetal monitor to track the fluctuations in her heart rate for about 45 minuted. I had to lay on my back, then on my side, then drink cold water. Nothing was making her heart rate fluctuate. Dr. Blair decided that he didn't like what he wasn't seeing, and that he wanted me in the hospital at 6:00 that night. I had about 6 hours to prepare myself for a baby I thought was coming in the next week. I had so many plans for the weekend!! It was our last free weekend as a couple, baby free. I was going to clean the house, go grocery shopping, and just RELAX! Having a baby was not on the agenda. God had different plans though....
I was induced Friday morning at 7:00 and the back labor began. By 10:00, I still had not dilated much - from a 1 to a 1.5. I was told that my doctor would break my water around 1:00, and I was praying it would break before then! Prayers were answered, and my water broke at 1:00 on the dot. I thought I was having contractions before....boy, was I wrong! I wanted to go as long as I could before getting an epidural, and I only made it an hour and a half. At 2:30, I was asking for the good stuff. Because of the back labor, they had to give me a muscle relaxer just to give me the epidural! Once that kicked in, I was feeling no pain. Seriously, I don't know why anyone would want to feel that pain. To each his own, I guess! The nurses kept asking me if I was feeling anything because the monitor was showing that my contractions were really intense, and at one point, too close together. I, of course, couldn't feel a thing, and they backed the pitocin off a little to slow down the contractions. At 4:00, the nurse checked me and I had FINALLY dilated to a 4. At this point, most of the family had left to go run errands and stretch their legs since they'd been there all day. Around 5:00, Jared went to go stretch his legs, as well. Poor guy hadn't left my side yet!! Shortly after, the nurse came in to check me again and put an internal monitor on the baby as the monitor wasn't picking up her heart rate consistently. She checked me, and got this "uh oh" look on her face. I asked what was wrong, and she said (and I quote), "I can't find your cervix". I said "what do you mean, you can't find it? It was there an hour ago!! I NEED that!". She proceeded to tell me that I was fully dilated! I couldn't believe I'd gone from a 4 to a 10 in under an hour. I texted Jared to tell him the news, and he pretty much ran back to the room. The nurse told me that I needed to labor down for an hour since the baby hadn't completely dropped yet, and that I would start pushing at 6:00. When the time came, the family was kicked out and it was just Jared, the nurse and I. I pushed for a little bit, but because I had no feeling from the waist down, they were having to watch the monitor to tell me when I was having a contraction to tell me when to push. Well, that wasn't working so well because it wasn't picking up all my contractions. I kept feeling a burning in my tailbone on the left side, and come to find out, that was my contractions! So, every time my left butt cheek started hurting, I pushed!! Worked like a charm :) After about 25-30 minutes of pushing, the nurse told me to do "half" pushes, that she had to run and get the doctor because the baby was coming! A couple minutes later, Dr. Blair came strolling in (in no hurry) and checked me to see where I was at. He immediately told me to stop pushing!! Like that was going to happen. He started scrambling to put his scrubs on, and there was a rush of nurses in the room. The baby was crowning, and no one was ready!! I pushed 5-6 more times, and she was here!! Brinlee Faith Morris was born September 16, 2011 at 6:43 p.m. She was 7 pounds, 12 ounces and 20 inches long. She was (and still is) the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I am one proud mama!!
What a great idea !! Love the 'feet' picture !! Thanks for keeping us caught up and sharing all the day to day happenings of Miss Brinlee !!
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