For the Good: Happy BIRTHday Olive Elizabeth!

On Friday, July 20, 2012 Greg and I went to my 39 week appointment. I was 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant. My doctor met us in the hall and before we even went in the room she asked if I wanted her to strip my membranes...I said of course...and actually I wanted her to strip the fire out of my membranes. She let me change and returned a few minutes later. She told me that I asked for it. It wasn't painful, but as soon as I stood up to walk out I could feel a lot of pressure, and I had to walk slowly. I was already at 4cm, 80% effaced, and at +1 station.
I told Greg I felt like I needed to go home right away. He convinced me to eat a biscuit and we headed home. I started having more painful Braxton Hicks contractions which reminded me of when I went into labor with Sam. I continued through the day having irregular contractions...at first I thought that I would being going into labor very soon, but by the afternoon I was convinced that I wouldn't be having this baby that day or the next.
The kids had spent the night with my parents, so we went to pick them up and eat supper. I felt uncomfortable during supper, but nothing where I felt like we needed to head to the hospital. My Mom and Greg were convinced that we'd be having this baby that night...I wasn't convinced.
When we came home I felt pretty tired, so I got ready for bed and fell asleep at 9pm...about 10:45pm I felt two painful punches from the baby on my bladder and then my water broke. I went to the bathroom to make sure that it was my water...sure enough it was. I yelled for Greg and told him. He called my doctor, and she said for us to meet her in Labor and Delivery. I immediately started shaking all over and about five minutes later my contractions started coming every two minutes. We woke up the kids and told them to put on their Big Sister and Big Brother shirts that we were going to the hospital to have the baby. I like having my contacts in and had them in when Lily and Sam were both born; however, the contractions were coming so fast that I didn't even think about putting my contacts in.
My Dad came over to pick up the kids...I couldn't even talk to him so I just went down to the van. Greg told him to lock up and we left. It started storming, so the ride to the hospital was crazy. I pretty much had my eyes closed the entire time since I was getting through contractions. We got to the hospital, parked, and headed inside...I had to stop and lean against a car through a contraction on the way through the parking lot. I went straight for a wheelchair and Greg pushed me on to Labor and Delivery.
My doctor met us when we got off the elevator and took us back to our room. I changed and they wanted me to be in the bed for a few minutes to be monitored. (according to Greg's phone he called his Dad around 11:36pm or so to tell him we were at the hospital) The doctor checked me and I was between 5-6 cm. The contractions started coming one right on top of the other and it was too hard to answer questions or sign paperwork. Our doctor was just the best...she did lots of our paperwork on the computer, dimmed the lights, and stayed right with us the entire time.
It didn't seem like it was too long before the doctor told me to push if I felt like I needed to...she checked me again and said I was at 8...no 9...no complete. I rolled to my right side and hugged Greg around his waist. I started pushing, and our baby was born after about three good and painful pushes. Our doctor said, "I know what you have!" and handed our baby to us...we were overjoyed and saw that we had a daughter, Olive Elizabeth. She was just perfect...6 lbs 15 oz and 20 inches long born at 12:41am on Saturday, July 21, 2012. We were able to just enjoy her for a while...we asked them to wipe her down and put her Olive onesie on her.
After I was cleaned up and the room was cleaned up, Greg went out to the waiting room to get Lily and Sam and bring them to see their sister. The kids walked in the room and Lily said, "It's a boy, isn't it...is it a boy?". I told them to unwrap the baby and see. I helped them unswaddle Olive to reveal her monogrammed onesie. Lily looked and said, "Olive...OLIVE...it's a GIRL!!!!!". Sam looked a little disappointed and said, "a girl...awwww" (like oh no, I wanted a boy). They both hopped in bed with me to hold their sister. It was so sweet!!!!!! Sam said he felt like we were all here...like our family was complete...Lily agreed...and so did Greg and I.
Sam wanted to be the one to go tell the grandparents that we had a little girl, so he went with Greg back to the waiting room while Lily stayed up in my bed with Olive and me. The grandparents came in and were just tickled to death with their new granddaughter.
The was the best birth experience ever...the hospital and staff were great and we had the absolute best doctor!

The family in the waiting room. The kids each had a gift bag from the baby with lots of fun snacks, drinks, and a new DS game to have while they waited.