And now there are three(and one is a girl!)

So it is 10:45 on July 4th and this time last week we were sitting in our hospital room waiting for them to bring Langston to the room for the first time.  I can't believe a week has gone by already.  I wish I would have gotten a post up sooner, but I wanted to stay in order so I had to update a few other posts first.  So, let me fill you in on how things played out last weekend.

I can actually start with Saturday because that night I started having more regular contractions around 5:00.  Nick had gone to a basketball game so I just started timing them.  They were anything from 5-9 minutes apart and not super strong so I just kept doing things.  When he got home around 9:30 I thought we would take a walk.  Some were closer now, so I really thought it may be the night and I put together a bag for the boys in case.  We loaded the boys in the stroller and went to walk around the neighborhood.  When we were walking they were coming almost 2min apart exactly.  This got me excited, but I knew I needed to stop and rest again and time them to see if they stayed close.  I really was unfamiliar with this part of labor because my water has broken with the boys both times and that is when I went in.  So I laid down for around 2 hours and they went back to 6-8 min apart.  Finally I told Nick we should just go to sleep and if they were going to come they would wake me up.  And did they, NO.  I woke up the next morning feeling hardly anything.  I took about an hour walk while everyone was still asleep and probably only felt one or two.  All day that was the case so I didn't think much about it.  That night my sister and brother were at our house watching shows and I started to feel contractions again.  This time I was standing up watching some tv and doing some dishes and they were about 3 min. apart consistently.  I should have laid down again, but I was anxious.  After about an hour, we asked James if he would stay at the house while we went into the hospital.  We planned on walking the parking lot there in case they got closer before deciding to check things out.  We got to the hospital around 12 and walked for about an hour.  The same thing seemed to be the case though.  On our drive in when I had been sitting they had slowed way down, but when we were walking they were 2-3 min apart.  Finally around 1:00 am Monday morning I decided to go in to the building and just see what was going on.  Sure enough they practically stopped while they monitored me so we decided to go home.  We rolled into bed around 2:45 am.  Well 4:15 am and I wake up pretty sure my water had broken again.  I had been asleep for an hour and a half.  Now the ironic thing here is that not only has my water broken with all three kids(which doesn't happen often), but all three have been an early Monday morning.  I went to the bathroom and then walked around a bit to make sure,  Yep, I could tell.  I wasn't feeling contractions yet, so I told Nick we would sleep for about an hour more and then go in once the main doors at the hospital opened.  My brother had been asleep when we got home, so he had decided to just stay over.  This worked out great since we were able to just leave again.  We arrived at the hospital around 7:00am.  I probably should have stayed home longer and just got contractions going there, but once you know things are happening you get anxious and just want to see how far along you are and how things are going.  It was funny because our nurse from earlier came down to check me in and I told her I knew I was staying this time.

Now with the boys I had a number of people in my room for my labor so I like to let people know early in case they want to come.  I know I think it is beautiful to see a baby being born and I don't mind if others want to be a part of my delivery.  I texted a few friends, but a knew most were working at this time.  One of my good friends, Amanda, asked if she could come though.  She has been at the hospital with both boys, although for Easton she had to leave early and missed his birth.  I was glad to have her come if she was able to work it out because I knew I would be walking a lot.  My contractions were still very inconsistent even though my water had broken and I knew they need to start coming on stronger.  After getting my antibiotic because I tested positive for Strep B Nick and I started walking.  When Amanda arrived she took over.  The halls on the maternity floor get old really fast.  Around noon we came back to the room and the nurse checked me.  I had progresses about a centimeter which was good, but I still needed contractions to pick up.  While she checked me though I did lose some more water and I think things got stirred up a bit. because during the next hour as I got more antibiotic I started to feel the contractions more regularly.  By time we started to walk again around 1:30 pm.  They were becoming painful and could be timed better.  Amanda was great because she just kept me going trying to got things moving as quick as possible.  After and hour I was getting tired because the contractions were now painful and quicker so we went back to the room.  I had progressed to 6 cm and I still hadn't gotten an epidural.  This was a first for me because usually I am throwing up by now because of the pain.  I think since the contractions started so much slower this time it was allowing me to handle it better.  Even though I didn't know if I would go the whole way, I thought I could keep trying.  The next 2 1/2 hours became intense.  Amanda was behind me massaging my  back and Nick was in front where I could squeeze his hand.  I don't know what I would have done without both of them. Finally around 5:00 I decided to get an epidural.  I had thought maybe this time would go faster and I would be fine, but I realized I was starting to tense up too much and was hitting a wall.  Although I know I could have made it, there were things I loved about my last two deliveries I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy if I kept going at this point.  I love being able have people in the room for the birth and talking with them and just anticipating getting ready to push the baby out.  I also like having the energy to push quickly.  Both of these things I would have struggled with without an epidural.  I am so glad Amanda helped me get as far as I did though.  Even though it was painful, I wouldn't trade the process.  I think it helped me to get to the point I was at because then I progressed really quick right after the epidural.  By about 7:10 I was ready to push.  By this time there was a room full because many of my friends had come by after work.  Any boys went out to the hall(except Nick) and any girls who wanted to stay did.  I think my mom, Gretchen, Michele, Pam, Emily Ryan, Amanda Seymore, and Nick were all present as Langston Hildegarte Wade arrived at 7:26 pm Monday June 27th.  After that it was chaos.  But coming from a big family I like that.  Some of my small group came in, along with many other family members and a few other close friends.  Rebecca, my sister'in'law, brought the boys in to meet their baby sister.  They were hesitant at first, especially because they saw me and thought something was wrong.  They eventually warmed up.  It was great.  I have said this before and I will say it again.  Even with the pain, anxiety, and all the other emotions that go along with labor, it is my favorite part of pregnancy.  I love the days my kids were born.  I even miss them when it is over.  As the people trickled out, I nursed Langston and the nurses got ready to take her to the nursery for a checkup.  Nick and I said goodbye to the boys and got ready to spend the next two days getting to know our new little one.  It had been an awesome day.

Just checked in

Before the contractions were that bad

Amanda and me in between contractions

During a contraction

Finally I was pushing

May I present Langston (she is still a girl)

Have you ever seen a placenta?  Now you have.

First diaper put on was by dad

I love my doctor, Dr. Brown

Proud daddy and his kids

They love their sister

A few of my small group members

Izzy had to be there.  She had been at Easton's birth as well(not it in the room though)

Our family