Josie Kate’s First Blog Appearance!

Our sweet Josie was born on September 1, 2010 at 12:14 p.m.  She weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 20 inches long. 

Some people are interested in how it all went down…some people don’t like hearing that part.  Skip through the next bit if you don’t want to hear the birth story.

I was scheduled to be induced on September 1, and I was told to be at the hospital at 7am.  We got there right on time.  They got me to my room, I got the beloved hospital gown on, and then we waited, and waited, and waited.  It was kind of stressing me because I was comparing everything to when I had Abby.  It was almost 9, and they still hadn’t started my IV or broken my water, so I was thinking it was going to be far into the evening (or later) before I would even have Josie since we were starting so late.  At 9:22am they broke my water, and the harder contractions definitely started!  (Side note:  I was having contractions when they first hooked me up to the monitor without breaking my water or starting the pitocin.  I was never 100% sure I was ever having contractions—I knew I felt uncomfortable at times, but I just wasn’t really sure.  So it was nice to see that what I had been feeling were in fact contractions.)  With Abby, my epidural didn’t take greatly, and so the nurse this time suggested I get one as soon as they broke my water.  I opted to wait a bit, and I stood next to the bed just swaying—getting gravity to do its part.  After about 45 minutes, my contractions were hard enough to make me go ahead and ask for my epidural.  My body reacts interestingly once I get my epidural.  The same thing that happened with Abby, happened with Josie.  Basically, I get the epidural, and within 10 or so minutes, the baby drops quickly in the birth canal, making me progress far faster than imagined.  Right after I got my epidural this time, Josh was saying he was hungry.  The nurse told him not to take an hour and a half or anything, but if he wanted to even leave the hospital to go get some “better” food, then he could.  But then about 5 minutes later, she’s looking at the monitor saying, “Wait a minute, I think we just had some rapid descent.”  She checks me, and then told Josh, “ok go grab a very quick lunch and come back right away.  Do not leave this hospital.”  At this point, I get the oxygen mask, and they start rotating me from side to side.  Then I told her…I’m really starting to feel some pressure like I could push, I think.  She checks me again, and then in her calm voice she’s like “ok, I know you feel like you could push, but don’t.  You are complete and we need to get the Doctor in here.”  Now I’m texting Josh saying “I’m a 10, hurry up and get back here.”  As he’s running from the other side of the hospital, the alarm for the nursery area is going off, and they won’t let him in the door.  Seriously, my doctor is running in my room as I’m about to start pushing the same time my husband is running back into my room.  After that, I pushed for about 25 minutes, and there she was!  From the time I actually got the epidural to having her was a little less than an hour.  The whole experience:  2 hours and 52 minutes.  Insanity!  I would have NEVER imagined I would go that fast.

And now what most care about…pictures!

The night before she was born—oh that belly!

She’s here!!!!

So excited to meet Josie…

 

Some Mommy/Abby time!

Abby really looking her over.  I think she approves :)

My nurse, who was so super fantastic!  Loved her!  Her name is Emily.

 

My other nurse, Dee.  She’s wonderful, as well.  She’s the SAME nurse that I had for the night shift with Abby and she put Abby in the car coming home, too!

Coming home!  You can’t read it greatly, but the onesie says “Lil Sis Josie”

Once home, Abby was already excited to show Josie her paintings!

My precious girls….I adore them!!!