Oh baby....

Rebecca Eileen, 11/24/2010, 8:16 pm, 7 lb, 2oz, 19 inches

She was just as fast as her brothers, considering all the precautions we took this time. I went to my OB appt Tuesday afternoon after subbing earlier in the day (crazy, I know!) and was told to expect her within 24 hours, since I was already dialated and had two contractions while I was at the appt (I thought they were BH so I hadn't been concerned until I heard the 24 hour warning). I went home, and Robert and I made arrangements to drop off the boys at a friend's home, if we needed to leave in the middle of the night on our way to the hospital. Nothing happened-had dinner together, and spent family time watching a movie. No contractions at all. On Wed, we dropped off the boys in the morning at friend's place, and went to the hospital to pre-reg at 10am. We went grocery shopping and had lunch out, still felt fine, but I had a hunch that if we went home I may not make it back in time to give birth at the hospital. We went back at 11:40am to check in (and say I was feeling contractions) but Clovis Hospital was slammed w/ women going into labor. To my surprise, I was checked and admitted, was already at a 5, and since I needed antibiotics pre-birth and had a history of rapid labors, they told me I wasn't going anywhere. We were stuck in the hallway w/ two other couples, since all the beds/rooms were taken. I think if this hadn't been baby #4, and I wasn't so relaxed all ready, that whole set up would have made me upset, but I took it w/ a grain of salt, and was just glad we weren't on the road, and the older boys were safe. I wasn't checked again until 2:30 had only progressed one more cm, and the contractions had slowed down to 10-15 min apart, and I was barely feeling any contractions, they were so light, we literally hung out and let my body do its thing until I had both doses of meds. By 6:15pm, the contractions had slowed down even more, and I was only at a 6, but I had received both doses of antibiotics that they wanted me to get before I delivered, and I was asked if I wanted any intervention, including pitocin. I opted only for my water being broken, as w/ last time it stayed intact when I was already set to have Elijah. Still felt nothing from 6:30 to 8 pm, and I was starting to wonder if anything would happen on its own w/o drugs. My body decided otherwise, and like the craziness that happened before I went from nothing to contractions back to back, and Robert had to run down the hall to get the nurse because something just didn't feel right. Sure enough I was ready to push, but they had to wait for a dr. Started pushing at 8:09, and 8:16 she was born healthy and screaming. The best part was that no one told me the gender as she came out (per my request) and I got to see her for myself who she was as she was placed on my chest. It was beyond an awesome experience, and could not have gone better. I stayed 2 nights, and came home Friday afternoon. Let the chaos of four commence ;)