Three years ago today, Second Daughter was born. Happy Birthday Sweet Cheeks. This girl has been nothing but love + laughter since the day she was born. Oh, and lots of kisses on those scrumptious cheeks.I remember today three years ago so very clearly. It was a busy day. One week and one day before my due date. I had kicked into nesting overdrive. There was much to do before this bundle arrived including a fundraiser or two for a high school lacrosse team, finalizing plans for a trip the team I was taking the team on a month later, on top of the normal housecleaning and pre-baby preparations. I didn't have time to have a baby yet. I was more likely to accomplish all that was needed with the baby still inside.
The night before I was having lots of contractions, which is not abnormal for me. I start contracting at about 20 weeks and continue right until delivery. That night was a church activity that I was involved in planning. I had spent most of that day cooking, baking, and getting things ready for the activity. My contractions were strong and frequent. I was a week early, but thought the contractions were close enough to go to the hospital. I dropped First Daughter off at a friend's house and drove myself to the hospital. Sure enough, I was contracting every 3-5 minutes, but I wasn't in a lot of pain and I wasn't progressing. Because I wasn't 39 weeks yet (I was 38 weeks and 6 days) they could not induce me. They sent me home. They told me to come back when the contractions were so strong I couldn't walk or talk. The contractions calmed and I headed over to my previous engagement at church.The next moring, I felt normal. No abnormal contractions. No discomfort. No pain. Of course this is all relative because nobody feels normal, comfortable, or painless when they are 39 weeks pregnant.
I spent the day baking like a crazy woman. There was a big bake sale for the lacrosse team that evening. The team would be coming to my house at 5:30. I baked all morning. Around noon I started feeling strong contractions again. Husband came home around 3:00 (I think) and the contractions were even stronger. It became harder for me to concentrate on anything except breathing. I kept trying to calm myself down. I wanted to just get through the meeting with the team before I rushed to the hospital. I was convinced the contractions would go away and they would just send me home again. I didn't want to cancel the meeting because of a false alarm. But the contractions didn't go away. They got stronger.
At 5:00 I decided it was time to go to the hospital, even though I could walk and talk. It's a good thing we did too because when I got there I was already dilated to a 6. One hour later I got my epidural (which, by the way, is hard to do when you're having huge contractions). Immediately after I got the epidural I was dilated to a 9+! The nurses were trying to slow things down as much as possible to wait for the doctor and to get antibiotics in me (I was strep B positive). They needed at least 4 hours. She was born in 3 1/2.
The doctor came at about 9:00 pm. I pushed once. I pushed twice. I turned to Husband and said, "I can't believe I'm having a baby right now." At 9:12 pm Second Daughter was born. She was 8 lb. 6 oz., chubby, beautiful, and perfect. I never imagined I could love another baby as much as the first. I was wrong.
Happy Birthday Little Middle. You bring so much happiness into my life and our family. You are kind, thoughtful, and tender hearted. Your sweet smile and goofy faces make me smile. Your wit keeps us all laughing constantly. We love you so much and are so glad you are in our family. Right smack in the middle.
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