Life With Our Little Ladies

Friday morning started out just as I had expected. I got Abby off to school. Then, Ella and I headed over to Ms. Angela's house for the morning. The mommies caught up and discussed our Bible study, while all the littles (who aren't in school on Fridays) played with their friends. I was craving all things banana that morning and was especially excited when we got there to find Angela had unknowingly made banana chocolate chip muffins. When I walked into the house, she looked at my belly and immediately noted that she thought I was carrying much lower. I told Ange and Jen how my mom kept saying I was going to have this baby early, but it was driving me nuts because I had no way of knowing. I had to sit at the edge of the chair while we were chatting because the baby was sitting so low that if I didn't I couldn't breath. Looking back now these details make me smile.

Ella and I drove to pick up Abby at 11:45. As I sat in the pick up line, I chatted with Heather and told her all about our plans for the weekend. Joe and I were planning to spend Saturday morning at the orchard and go apple picking with the girls. Another fun detail on this side of the story.

The girls and I went home and had lunch. Then, we piled onto the couch for rest time and watched a show together. While we were sitting there, I noticed I was having some contractions. I didn't think much of it. They weren't painful, just noticeable. I decided to stay on the couch a little longer after the kids had moved on to play. All I wanted to do was sit there and concentrate. Around 3:30, I thought they were consistent enough (not strong or really frequent) to wonder if this could be something. I asked Joe if he could come home from work early to take the kids outside. I wasn't in pain, but my mind was pretty distracted. I hesitantly called my mom and Megan to tell them what I was experiencing. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I wanted to give them a heads up.

Fast forward through dinner, we get the girls to bed. Joe, Ollie and I settled in on the couch for some Shark Tank. Oliver had started acting differently a few days before this started. I remember joking to Joe on Tuesday that I wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor that night because Ollie had been following me around in a very uncharacteristic way. It seemed like he knew something. This was where he spent the evening...

At about 8:30, I confessed my latest and maybe most clear pregnancy craving (besides ice) to Joe and my sweet husband went out to get me a milkshake. Not only did he get me a milkshake, but he got me a Happy Camper milkshake filled with all kinds of S'more/graham goodness and asked them to add a banana because he knew how I had been about bananas all day. Swoon. It was a perfect last move of the evening. Not only did I go into full blown labor feeling very loved and cared for, but it filled my belly for what I would soon learn was going to be a long night without any food!

After my milkshake, I took a shower...just in case. The contractions were becoming more regular at this point, but I was hesitant to ask my mom to come because I didn't want her to drive all that way for a false alarm. With my first two girls, my labors started strong and from the very beginning the contractions were three minutes apart. This one felt so different...until I got into bed. I felt a contraction coming on and with my eyes closed asked Joe what time it was. 10:27. When I felt the next one coming on minutes later, without looking at the clock, I said "Joe, tell me it's not 10:30". He looked over at me with wide eyes. It was 10:30. He knew what that meant. My contractions were three minutes apart. It was the real deal. I waited a few more rounds to prove my theory and as I was about to get up to call my mom, my water broke. That was a first for this pregnancy too! Ollie was really nearby the whole time.

Megan came to the rescue. She was at our house by 11:00 and stayed to watch our big girls until my mom got there. My mom arrived around 2 am. I could rest easy knowing the girls were in good hands. Even knowing the girls woke up multiple times and could hardly sleep the rest of the night because they knew what was happening. So much excitement. Can you imagine how tired Grandma was after she drove through part of the night, snuggled excited and restless little girls all night and then spent the day with these big sisters the next day (a day that started at 4:30 am) while everyone anxiously awaited news? Thanks Mom! :)

By the time Joe and I got all checked into the hospital, it was around midnight. Joe took this picture when we got to our labor room. He said he wanted to document the way the room transforms throughout the process of labor and delivery. He loves the whole process and adventure of it all. I wonder how he would feel if he were the one pushing the baby out. :) I actually really appreciate that part of him. When I'm having painful contractions, I'm not the most enthusiastic adventure partner, but to be honest, my contractions were never very painful. When we decided to leave for the hospital, Joe wondered if it was too early because I was still talking through my contractions without even flinching. It was totally bearable. But, with Ella it happened fast and I wasn't taking any chances with giving birth in my living room. When we got to the hospital and they checked me, I was already 5 cm dilated.

Look at this guy...settling in for his ADVENTURE!

With Abby, I had no epidural. With Ella, I did. There is no denying how the epidural changed my labor and delivery experience for the better. A couple of hours at the hospital and the nurses started asking about my birth plan. I think they were surprised that I didn't come in demanding the epidural and that I was still pretty comfortable. But, every time they asked me, I became a little more nervous that somehow I would miss the window and have to relive all the pain I had with Abby. So, the second my pain level ramped up just a little, I called for my epidural.

Rise and shine! We got this update from home around 4:30. Girls woke up before the sun and there was no getting them back to bed. So, in true Grandma fashion, they found their bathrobes and stayed extra cozy until it was time for breakfast.

With Ella, the epidural pretty much made my baby come flying out within the hour. This time, the epidural relaxed my body so much that the contractions kind of stopped and with that so did my progress. When they came in to check me at 7 am, I was still 5 cm dilated.

We did lots of waiting, some sleeping, some TV watching. Who knew Dr. Phil and Judge Judy are on in the middle of the night! The doc came in and decided to start Pitocin to help me along. It was just what I needed. With that and the encouragement of our amazing nursing team, our baby girl was born at 10:34 am.

Meet Juliet Grace. She weighed 7 lbs. and 1 oz. and was 20.5 inches long.

There is nothing like this moment and it is just as sweet every time.

Hi Mom!

Every time I have a baby, I feel like instant BFFs with the nurses who walked with me through the whole process. We had such a great team of nurses this time. I always leave wishing we could be friends. It seems about right, doesn't it? In some ways, they know me better than my best friends because of the kind of time we spent together.

The room has transformed.

We spent the next two hours adoring this sweet little face and enjoying every minute of this time with her. I also ate like I had never seen food before. Being awake through the night and all that hard work made for one very hungry mom. I couldn't get the food in my mouth fast enough.

As we spent time with Juliet in her first hours, we couldn't help but notice parts of her sisters in her. She looks like Abby in some ways and she looks like Ella. Of course, I had to compare pictures of each of them in the hospital.

(Top left: Abby, top right: Ella, bottom left:Juliet)

When Abby was born, Joe brought me flowers and he brought his baby girl her first rose.

When Ella was born, Joe brought Abby and I flowers and Ella her first rose. (http://allaboutlittleabby.blogspot.com/2012/07/at-hospital.html)

When Juliet was born, Joe brought Abby, Ella and I flowers and Juliet got her very first rose.

It takes a special man to love this house full of girls!

The girls were so excited to come to the hospital to meet their baby sister. They had been looking forward to this day from the minute they found out there was a baby in my belly. I still remember being seven and getting the call that my baby brother was born. I had to get to the hospital. Abby and Ella had been talking to Juliet for months. Now, she was here! They couldn't get her in their arms fast enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7ZXm4yR5-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXB7S2mAgXw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gO_pzu547I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXIW31EB1s8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6093ntDZDU

Uncle Cory came to meet Juliet that afternoon. He visited in the hospital with Joe and the girls. Then, Abby and Ella went to dinner with Uncle Cory and Daddy at Chipotle. Grandma needed a nap! After dinner, Joe took the girls home to put them to bed. On a day filled with so much excitement, they needed some normalcy.

This guy adores his little nieces! He loves his sister too and knows me well that he stopped to bring me a milkshake on his way to the hospital.

While Daddy was home with the girls for bedtime, my mom and Cory came to spend some time with me at the hospital. Grandma came to meet Juliet and immediately fell in love. :) I was thankful for the chance to shower while she held the baby. Cory went to find me some good snacks and stock me up before bedtime.