T E N W E E K S

I can not believe our Aubree Jane has already been with us for two months. It feels like just yesterday she was in my belly. In the weeks leading up to her birth I was extremely miserable. I remember everyone at work asking everyday if I was due yet or if there had been any progress, it got to a point where people were saying, "your still here!?" and it got old really fast. I was HUGE! My feet where swollen, my hands were swollen, my face was swollen, I had the waddle, and I was so over being pregnant. I tried everything to get her to come early, I walked the track almost every night, I got my ankles massaged, I jumped on the trampoline, I went to the park and got on the swings, I ate spicy food, I bounced on an exercise ball, we had sex, I took cohosh drops, and finally I tried castor oil. Two days before Aubree was born I took half the amount of castor oil that everyone said to take... when I didn't have any contractions I took the other half the next day. That day I had some good ones but they went away as soon as I went to sleep. That weekend before her birth I could of swore she was going to make her arrival. But I was frustrated because I could not tell if I was having real contractions. I was having some cramping but I just kept waiting for the pain to get much worse, and it just didn't! That weekend I called my doctor and rescheduled my  next appointment which was suppose to be Friday to Tuesday because I was dying to know if I had made any progress. I had been two centimeters and 75 percent effaced for weeks now and after trying all those things I needed to know if I had made any progress!

          So Monday came and Ben got sick with the twenty four hour stomach flu, he stayed home from work and so did I because I didn't get much sleep the night before. So we both rested most of the day Monday and felt a lot better Tuesday. Ariel was with us all that weekend and left Tuesday morning. As I got up to tell her goodbye and get ready for my doctors appointment I was having cramps but nothing like I was expecting them to be like.

They felt like period cramps, not as painful as I was expecting contractions to be like. Ben went to work on Tuesday morning and I told my boss i would be in after my doctors appointment. I arrived at the doctors office and I felt the cramps getting a little worse, I told the nurse and she smiled and said the doctor would be with me in a moment. When my doctor came in to check me I told her about the cramps and she proceeded to tell me that I was in active labor and was four centimeters dilated and 90% effaced and I needed to get to the hospital right away. She asked where my husband was because he usually goes to every appointment with me. I told her he was at work and she told me to call him right away. The nurse told me she knew today was the day for me. My doctor told me to let my family know we would probably have a baby sometime that night. I immediately text Ben, my mom and dad and Michelle to let them know I was in labor and was headed home to get my bags before heading to the hospital. Ben was all the way in Scottsdale and had to drive back to the house to shower so I decided to wait at the house for him so we could go to the hospital together. So as I waited 30 to 45 mins for him to make the drive home I did some laundry and packed his bag and finished packing mine. I paced the house and called him multiple times to tell him to hurry.

The contractions were not bad at all. I was more anxious then anything, but I was still smiling and couldn't believe we were going to have a baby in less then 24 hours. I text my boss and told her today was the day our baby was going to arrive. I can still feel the excitement as I remember these moments... When Ben got home he showered as fast as he could and we were off to the hospital!

          When we arrived we went straight to the labor and delivery room and got set up. Since I was already dilated to a four I was able to get my epidural right away, but right before she was going to give it to me, my doctor came to pop my water. It was a huge gush of water and as soon as that was gone, my contractions got more painful, but luckily i did not have to feel that for long since i got my epidural right after that. Soon I was relaxed and sleepy. My parents were on their way and Ben's family had arrived to visit a little as we waited. The next time my nurse checked me I was already dilated to a nine, I then started freaking out because my mom was not there yet! The nurse said she wouldn't check me for awhile so that my family had a little more time. I called my mom and dad and told them to step on it because i was already at a nine. They both hurried but I was stressed out that they wouldn't make it. Soon after that i got the urge to push, I told Michelle and she told me i needed to tell the nurse, so i did. I was terrified at that point and all I wanted was my mom by my side. The nurse came to check me and said i was fully dilated and ready to push. I did a few practice pushes and then my mom came running in! Soon after that my dad came in and I felt much better. I focused on pushing and after about 30 mins of pushing my sweet baby was born. I remember feeling a huge wave of relief as she was pulled out then placed on my chest. Hearing her cry and seeing her beautiful face for the first time was indescribable. I felt so much love it was as if a part of my heart was missing and was then made whole. Holding her skin to skin for the first time was heaven. Her little eyes looking up at mine melted my heart.

The room was silent for those first few moments after she was born, everyone was in awe. Ben was able to cut her cord and his parents, my parents, Sarah and my good friend Kimberly were able to be there. 

          Staying in the hospital for those two days was a blur. Visitors came and went but all I could think about was my little girl. She scared us a few times by not passing her hearing test the first time and then the nurses telling us there was blood in her stool. Thankfully she came home on the second day as healthy as can be. She has been the best baby ever. She is so calm and eats and sleeps like a champ. She has such a sweet spirit and fills our home with warmth and love. I couldn't imagine life without her and feel so blessed to be her mom. Being pregnant and giving birth to Aubree is one of the most cherished experiences I've ever had. I am so blessed to be her mom and could not be happier. I love my sweet little family!