2 Years, Josie May - can you believe it??

I know I won't have a chance to go online tomorrow. I could kid myself and say that I'll do it when the girls are napping or something, but I think we all know that's not going to happen. So here is my trip down memory lane in honor of Josie's second birthday, one day early. I don't think I've ever documented Josephine's birth story, so here it is, two years later:

I had been put on modified bedrest in December of 2004 when I was 31 weeks along due to pre-term labor symptoms. I was taking Terbutaline to stop contractions and it was Dr. Lille's goal to get me safely to 36 weeks before letting me go off the nasty drug that made me shaky. So I spent a long month at home, in my comfy robe, warm and snug inside while a cold winter hit outside. I stopped taking the Terb on Sunday, January 16th. At my 36 week check-up with Dr. Rolando (Dr. Lille was on vacation) on Tuesday, January 18th, I was 3 cm dilated and was 50% effaced. My blood pressure was high, and my feet and hands were very swollen. Uncomfortably swollen.

Wednesday morning, January 19th, 2005 - 36 weeks and 3 days along: Patrick left for work at 7:40 am. I stayed in bed, awake, but not ready to relocate to the couch quite yet. At 7:50, I rolled (not an easy feat!) from my left to my right side, and as I did so, I felt a strong popping sensation "down there." Sure enough - my water had broken.

I managed to get out of bed, grab the phone and make it to the bathroom. I called the labor and delivery department at Woodwinds Hospital. (A very nervous first-time mother, I had already had the number memorized for weeks.) Since I wasn't feeling a lot of movement from baby, they instructed me to come in as soon as possible. I stayed in the bathroom since I didn't know what else to do, and tried to call Pat. He didn't have the cell phone turned on. I tried to call him at work. His telephone at the time worked through his computer system, and he wasn't logged on, yet. So I kept trying, every 10 seconds, until he was finally logged in. This is how the conversation went-

Me: "My water broke."

Him: "What?? Are you sure??!"

Me: "Uh - YEAH. I already called the hospital, and we're supposed to come in asap."

Him: "Oh. OH. I'm on my way."

My bag was packed, and I just needed to throw in a couple of last-minute items. I made a piece of toast, got dressed was *trying* to get my shoes on when Pat got home. He pulled up to the front of the house, grabbed some stuff for himself for the hospital, and off we went. We were at the hospital by 9:00 am. I called my sister, she called my mom, and they made arrangements to head up to the hospital. We got checked in and I got geared up in my gown and belly band and monitors; I was checked and was dilated to 4 cm.

We worked through the contractions, I had some lunch, watched some television, and labored mostly on the labor ball and in the rocking chair. The contractions were getting stronger, and I asked to get into the tub. Before getting in, I was dilated to a 6, and decided to ask for an epidural. The nurse, Janice, ordered it and I got in the tub. While trying to relax in the warm water, I was getting more and more uncomfortable, and very very hot. I was dilated to 7 when I got out of the tub, and relief had arrived in the form of a large needle and I was ready for it. It was about 2:00 pm when I got the epidural. Patrick sat in front of me while the anesthesiologist prepped me, and the look on his face when he saw the size of the needle was one between absolute terror and total disbelief. Everything went well, and I was able to sleep for a bit and was much happier.

Dr. Rolando was called and arrived a bit before 5:00 pm and everything was ready for me to start pushing at 5:00. My sister, Pat's mom, and Pat were in the room with me. Pat's dad and my mom waited in the waiting room. Everyone helped hold my legs as I couldn't feel them or move anything on my own. I was having trouble feeling the contractions, and they weren't showing up very clearly on the monitor, so the only way I knew when to push was by the pain I was feeling in my bottom. I pushed for an hour and a half, and Josephine May Daly made her appearance into the world at 6:29 pm. She was 7 lbs. 12 oz. and 19 1/4 inches long, and the most beautiful little pink bundle I'd ever seen.

Two years later, and after what seems like a million diapers changed, tears shed, tantrums thrown, giggles giggled, books read, kisses given and songs sung, I am still in disbelief every single morning when we go in to her room to get Josie up, that we are parents. We created this beautiful little girl and have somehow, miraculously, gone from a silly, naive, newly-married couple to a family, in what felt like the blink of an eye.

Happy Birthday, Josie. Mommy and Daddy love you more than you'll ever know!