One Year Ago...

One year ago I was sitting in a meeting with a coworker planning for the coming school year. I was glad to be off my feet as I was feeling awful and ready to deliver the baby growing inside me. I remember my principal joined us at the end of the school day and I made a list of all the things she wanted me to be sure to do before the baby was born. I stuck my list on my plan book and left it on my desk and headed home. I was too tired to attempt the tasks that evening, but I knew I needed to get started early the next morning. I never made it home that night. I picked up my 3 year old at daycare and noted some weak contractions coming on. As we drove home together, I tried to time the contractions. Logan was filled with questions as always, and the conversation was a pleasant distraction.

As we approached the halfway point I noticed the contractions were only 5 minutes apart. Because we planned on delivering the baby in the same city where I worked, I saw no sense in driving all the way home only to turn around once we got there. My first son was born very quickly and the thought of driving 30 minutes with this baby coming even faster haunted me. So I stopped at my in laws house to continue timing contractions. Sure enough the contractions continued and were only 2-3 minutes apart. They weren’t extremely painful, but I was uncomfortable. When my husband arrived at his parents’ house we called the doctor who told us to come in to the hospital.

Our labor was uneventful for some time, but we were making some progress, so they told me to go ahead and stay, I would be having a baby that night. The doctor was in around midnight, and still no baby, so he broke my water hoping to get things started. I only agreed to this if he would give me an epidural. I knew how painful things might get once my water was broken. I was right. Things got a lot worse before the anesthesiologist was able to arrive. I was very anxious to see him! Ironically, it turns out I was friends with his wife. We taught Jazzercise together! Once he took care of me, things went smoothly. I tried to rest a few hours and my husband did the same.

Finally around 6 am the nurse came to check on me and told me I was only dilated to an 8, but we were getting close! Within 30 seconds I told her I was getting very uncomfortable and I felt like the baby was coming now. She assured me we still had time, but there are some things you just know. Reluctantly she checked me again, and lo and behold, I was a ten and it was time to go. She immediately kicked it into high gear. Within seconds we had 3 nurses in the room setting up for the birth. They called the doctor and awoke him from his sleep and he was on his way. It was close to the end of his shift so I’m sure he was hoping we could have waited until 7:00! Waiting for the doctor arrived seemed like the longest 10 minutes of my life. Once the doctor got there it was only a few good pushes before we finally had our little girl, Chelsea Faye.

Introducing Chelsea Faye, born January 10, 2006, 6:39am, 8 lbs. 20 1/2 inches.



This was the first picture taken of our little girl. Who knew it would be telling of what was ahead of us. Thankfully her heart condition wasn't serious and is closing quickly!