In Conclusion

Brooklyn comforting me during my contractions by snuggling in my lap, which she doesn't usually do.

So, to bring closure to this pregnancy journey, I continued to labor throughout the day on Saturday, December 6th. My contractions got more intense and longer, but were still far apart, about 15-20 minutes apart for the entire day, until early evening, when finally they became about 5 minutes apart. After almost throwing up, K and I decided it was time to head to the hospital. Triage checked me out, I was admitted. I opted for an epidural - after 2 days of laboring, I was exhausted and in a lot of pain, particularly in my back; despite my best efforts to relax completely during contractions, I realized late in the game that what I was doing instead was contracting all the muscles in my back to get through the contractions. After 2 days of doing this, my back was completely shot. They broke my water in the middle of the night and saw a bit of meconium (baby poo), which is common with babies who go a little over term - just means that extra attention in suctioning at birth is required to make sure the baby doesn't inhale any of the waste. By late morning, I stayed dilated at 7 cm (which also happened to my Mom), and I was given a 2 hour window to see if I would progress. In the end, our son was delivered by C-Section (like his Mom). K watched the entire procedure, he knows me inside and out, literally. It was completely surreal, and I had always been sure that I would break down and cry once the baby was delivered, after watching all those birthing shows, but it was just so wild, and I was so exhausted and a little out of it, I didn't cry. I just got very still and quiet - it was quiet awe and ecstasy. K and the baby went up to the nursery, I was wheeled back to my room, where I fell asleep until my son was brought back to me. And in that room, my husband, my son and I spent our first three days as a family! The hospital was great, all the nurses were very attentive, and the food wasn't bad, and I felt pampered, and the room was big and cozy, and there was a TV. Frankly, I was a little afraid to come home, because I knew the pampering would be over, and it would be time to step it up. But home we are, and it is nice to have our son home. And Brooklyn has really taken to our baby boy - as soon as she met him, she licked the back of his head! Any time he cries, she runs over to him, and just wants to lick him, his hands, his feet. She's a real sweetheart. And he's a real sweetheart. Our house is full of love!