February 2nd started like any other day...I got up and went to work. I went about my day as I usually do and felt completely fine. My thoughts were on what I still had to do that day to help prepare for the substitute to take my class in a few weeks. I called Scott at lunchtime, like always, and remember saying that I felt like Ava was kicking/moving lower in my belly that day than she usually was. Right after lunch, I took my students to their specials classes - they had music and pe, it was very exciting for most because they were beginning roller skating that day. One of my students was very nervous, so I told her I would go to pe with her and stay for a bit. That meant I had 30 minutes to quickly prepare for the following week at school. I met her in pe just like I said I would at 12:20, and sat down to wait until it was time to skate. We were there for about 2 minutes when I stood up and without warning, my water broke...in front of my class...in the gym...everywhere. Needless to say I was completely shocked. I sat back down to still have water gushing down. I caught the eye of a parent who was helping that day in pe and called her over. She went and got the school nurse. I looked around and there were about 8 or so of my students sitting near me. Their eyes looked from me to the puddle under my chair, to me again. All I could think was, "Great, they think I peed in my pants." The nurse went back and got a wheelchair and wheeled me out. I called my doctor to find out what to do. (The ladies in the office had already called Scott.) After talking with my doctor I called Scott. This is where I became a little hysterical. I was scared...I think more from the unexpectedness of it all. Scott told me later the next day that he thought that hysteria was going to be just the tip of the iceberg for how the next day would go. We both were pleasantly surprised that after that initial, brief freak out, that I remained cool and calm. I was fortunate to have the parent of one of my students there and she drove me home to meet Scott. She even took a picture for me.
We didn't end up getting to the hospital until around 2:00. My parents were already there and waiting with a wheelchair for me. Scott dropped me off, parked the car and away we went to Labor and Delivery. We got checked in and I was whisked away. I will give the next run-down pretty quickly - don't worry, it won't be too long. My doctor checked me at 2:30 and I was only dilated 1 cm. I don't think I had any contractions to that point, so we were just gonna hang out and get some pitocin started. Here is when we were just waiting for some action.
Well the action started soon after but it was still ok. I would say around 4 is when it got tough. The breathing we learned in class definitely came in handy! Scott was so amazing...the entire time. He is my calm and my strength. By around 4:45 I was ready to rip my skin off - I don't think I ever really imagined what the contractions would be like but it was not awesome. I rang the nurse button 3 times in about 15 minutes and no one was coming. I was super ready for the epidural. My doctor and the nurse came in at 5:15 to check me again. The door opened and all I said was, "Epidural." After a contraction subsided I asked about calling 3 times and no one coming - turns out the buttons I had didn't work - well that's cool. After I got the epidural it was smooth sailing - I was smiling and talking, I was a new woman. My doctor checked me again and I was at a 2. I thought for sure I was ready to go the way that felt...little did I know. The doctor said that he would come back and check me again around 7:15 when he was done with office hours. I was about a 5 and he said he would come back at 11 to see me again. So we watched the Bulls game and were awaiting the start of the Blackhawks. By then I was around a 6.5. Our nurse was fabulous and she came to check on me around 9:15 - I was a 7. She remained in the room for a bit and I told her that I felt some intense pressure. So before she was going to leave at 9:30 she checked me again, I was a 9. Doc was called and at 9:45 I was a 10 and starting to push. I pushed for a little over an hour...and let me tell you, for anyone that has ever pushed longer - I admire you. There just aren't words to describe the process - other than how very worth it all of the effort is. At 10:58 pm our lives were forever changed. I think one of the most magical sounds in the world was the sound of our baby girl, our daughter crying for the first time. In that instant we were Mommy and Daddy, blessed with this miracle. They laid her on me and I don't think I had any coherent thoughts - I remember laughing and just taking it all in, it is still such a blur. I know that I didn't get to touch or hold her right away. They took her to be cleaned up and warmed while I was finishing up and being cleaned up. I told Scott to get over by her and see her...and to take pictures to show me. The patch up process for me seemed like an eternity, all I wanted to do was hold my little girl. She was finished before I was and Scott brought her over by me. Finally, I got to hold my peanut.
Far too soon after that, they needed to take her to the nursery for more tests and to give her a bath. Scott was able to go and be with her the whole time. It made me feel so much better knowing he was with her...and he also sent me pictures as the time passed. That was great because they said it would take an hour to an hour and a half. Fortunately, we were the only ones having a baby at that time, and they were done in about an hour. That worked out well for us in being moved to our regular room because there was no one else to have to share the room with (Scott was able to sleep in the other bed instead of an awful chair.) The time when they were away at the nursery left me sitting by myself - the quiet around me echoed the quiet inside of me. I had such a peace and fullness inside. I couldn't wait for them to come back and see our family...family - that was another word that kept popping into my head. We were now a family.
I was moved into my new room while still awaiting Scott and Ava to join me. They came soon after and we began our family life together. We are so in love...so amazed...so blessed. It was quite an amazing little day. And in the spirit of Groundhog's Day, I would definitely do it all over again.
