So I know it is 2 in the morning but I don't care because I have wanted to write the story of Katie's birth for a whole year. I didn't write it back when she was born, so I have been waiting till her birthday. And now it is still 2 weeks late. (Don't you just love Luke's blue eyes?)
Katie's due date was November 11. We were told she was a boy at 16 weeks in Vegas. Then we were told she was a girl at 21 weeks in Riverton. At 27 weeks, we got in a car accident so a third ultrasound revealed she was unharmed and was indeed a girl. I wanted her to come early and I thought it would be fun to have her birthday in October. I had been dilated to a 4 for a couple of weeks so when I woke up at 4am on Oct 28 with some very small contractions, I was excited. I went to my routine OB visit at 10 AM during which time he checked me, vigorously, cause he said it would help make the baby come. He said, "See you tonight at the hospital to have your baby!"
I didn't feel anything really until around 4pm when bigger contractions started again. This was all new to me because I never felt a thing with Gracie. I can remember one time walking fast a few days before I had Grace in Florida when I had a few contractions but they didn't hurt. With Kate last year, I just kept making dinner through the contractions and made Luke go to his church meeting at 7pm even though he didn't think he should with me in labor. He wanted to go to the hospital all night but I told him we had to keep waiting. We got in a little tiff about contact solution because he packed our bags and there was no extra to take with us. I said it was no big deal that we stop at Walmart before the hospital if he really had to have some - which he did. So we went over to Luke's parent's house and put Gracie to bed. Then we went on our way to Walmart. While there, the labor started to get a little more ouchy. Luke was panicking, but I was fine.
When we got to Riverton Hospital at 10:30PM, I was dilated to a 6 and the pain was more like I didn't want to sit down. I didn't even want to sit on the potty and pee in the cup. I was so happy though that I had made it to a 6 before going to the hospital because with Gracie, I had had my water broken and then I was screaming in pain at a 6 and got an epidural. The nurse for Katie's birth was AWESOME! She was sent from HEAVEN, literally. Like I mean, Heavenly Father knew that I wanted to do it unmedicated, so he planted that nurse for me. She came in and asked me if I wanted an epidural or what my plan were. I told her I didn't know yet. After I shared my disappointment with how things went down with the hospital staff at Gracie's birth, she told me, "IF you WANT to do it naturally, I will help you! It WON'T be fun. And it WON'T be pretty, but I know you can do do it!" Oh my goodness, I should have hugged Amber right there because she was the first person who has ever said that to me. I just looked her in the eyes and gave her a thankful, scared smile meaning, "Let's do it."
We went into the delivery room and labored there until 2AM. We were so lucky to be the only ones delivering that night but that also meant that everyone knew who was moaning and groaning through the pain. But I didn't care. Lenna and Rick got a neighbor to stay at their house with Gracie so they could be there too. I was so happy though when Amber, my awesome nurse, asked them to wait in the waiting room when the pain got worse. She knew without me even telling her that it would be too much for me while trying to labor naturally. They were always fans of anything to take away the pain so it didn't help my goal at this time. The nurse showed Luke had to apply back pressure through every contraction which I desperately needed through every contraction and it needed to be hard. I was so happy because Luke was actually exhausted in the end too and he had played a big part in Katie's birth compared to Gracie's where we sat and played cards until it was time to push. I couldn't have done it without Luke's help. However, during labor he brought up his crazy idea about how he wanted to film me in labor for a you-tube video for our new business "Track Daily Deals.com." Amber thought it would be super funny and serve as a good distraction for me and she even offered to film it. So I agreed to the filming, but not to post it online yet. Yes, yes, yes, I have posted them here for you viewing pleasure. Keep in mind that we filmed between contractions so I am faking the moaning here, but it is pretty close to what it was really like since I WAS really in labor. Go ahead and laugh it up!! It was a good distraction and we never posted them even though I agreed to if it really would help the business.
When I was finally dilated to a 9, that is when I couldn't take it any more and I was shaking and was considering an epidural. Both Luke and Amber were my heroes and kept saying I could do it and cheering me on when it was non-stop pain. I have all back labor, nothing in front, and it feels like a million little knives are being stabbed into you over and over. The best thing for it was Luke's pressure and standing up, leaning over the side of the bed. They were going to let me deliver standing up but then the baby couldn't get past one little lip so Dr. Burgett said I had to get in the bed. Then he left because he said it would take few minutes still. I thought I was going to die and was moaning so loud. I am so glad that its not recorded because it would be blackmail for sure. Just when I couldn't take it anymore and wanted to give up, my body pushed. Amber was so awesome, unlike other nurses, she told me to go ahead and push even if the Dr. wasn't there. My body pushed twice and Katie flopped out like a fish into Amber's hands. Dr. Burgett had one only glove on and was standing in the doorway at 1:52 am or something. I had so much RELIEF. NO MORE PAIN! But then the doctor said jokingly, "I guess you don't need me." I said, "I am NEVER doing that again. An EPIDURAL is much better!" Then I panicked when he asked me to push one more time for the after birth but he pulled on it as well and it came out fine. I think he stitched up one stitch while I held 7.6 lbs of Katie on my chest. She was a much nicer size to push out than 8.9 lbs of Miss Gracie. She nursed right away and she was so beautiful.
I felt AWESOME. Luke felt awesome. I was so happy that Amber got to catch the baby too because she had worked for it too. She told me she could get in trouble for encouraging babies to come out when the doctor is not there so she was lucky enough that this was her 4th baby to catch. It just felt like she loved Katie and me and Luke too. We did our 24 hour stay during which it was not as painful to sit or go to the bathroom. My body felt pretty wonderful compared to last time. I am not sure how much of it is due to no epidural and how much of it is because it was my second time so my body had already done it once and Katie was smaller. Either way, I felt like I could run a marathon.
Luke brought Gracie up to the hospital the next morning and Lenna also filmed the last part of our Track Daily Deal videos before leaving the hospital. It also meant a lot when my parents came with April and Michael to visit. It was our 6th anniversary on the 29th and I wanted Gracie to be able to go trick or treating and wear her costume, so we got some Cafe Rio and ate it at home. We also went to Kohls for my favorite thermal knit blankies and then we went to the ward trunk-or-treat. People thought I was insane or wonderwoman for doing that so soon after labor, but I felt great and I just kept Katie all covered up with a blanket. Much different than when I was still having some pain walking around a month after Gracie was born.
Katie's birth is a good time to remember - minus the pain. I loved the few months after when I pretty much just nursed and cuddled with Kate while Gracie learned to be a big sister and a helper. (Gracie managed to only did one bad thing to Katie and it was while she was being nice and trying to get her off the bed to hold her. Yes, Katie was dropped off our king bed onto the floor with a huge thud. I feel bad because I got really mad at Grace.) Katie, we are so glad to have you in our lives. We are just sorry that you were born during such a stressful and hard year and hope we didn't make you a different person by not smiling or laughing as much during your first year. Your Grammy loves you very much and got to spend some very precious time with you before she went to Heaven. You are Grammy's girl. And my girl too. You make our lives better! I love you.
r to curl her hair.
Luke and I dressed up differently for Halloween night which had the most beautiful weather. We wanted to go trick or treating but still hand out candy so Luke took our bucket around and handed it out to kids walking by us as the Joker. They were confused, haha!
another treat to put in Katie's bag. At one house, a lady was just getting home and carrying donuts. As she was unlocking her door, Gracie asked her for a donut. She got it! (Who does that sound like, Luke with no shame?) She had sticky hands the rest of the way home. Her favorite thing was getting the soda and trying to put it in her bag.
