Ronan's Birth Story, Part 1

I've been wanting to write this post for a very long time.  I've also been extremely sleep deprived... like only 7 hours of sleep in a 72 hour period which is no good for anyone involved.  My body has officially been conditioned that a 90 minute cat nap is actually acceptable amount of rest, at a time.  Now that I've gotten about five hours of sleep, I feel like I can conquer the world.  Or maybe just this post.  I know I should be sleeping as I watch my newest little angel sleep (so far he's going on four hours of uninterrupted sleep) but I can't wait any longer to write this, and I am secretly hoping my typing wakes him up so I can nurse!  He has been an awesome sleeper since my milk came in :)

You know I've been miserable this whole pregnancy.  I had this Mommy sense that Ronan (and I quote myself) "...was going to make his appearance early, I just knew it!"

Well, "early" came and went...  

..."on time," also came and went...  

"Over due" came and I was not a happy camper. 

 My mother in law on the other hand predicted he would wait until October... evil woman, wishing that on me!  Well she won and I don't think she's evil.  She is very wise and most likely should have bought a lottery ticket on her way home from the hospital because she predicted it to the day.  It wasn't so much the pregnancy that was so miserable but all of my health issues that came from the woodworks and did not disappear until the day before labor.  I went back and forth between going into labor on my own and being induced.  I am glad things worked out the way that they did and I can honestly say (now that it's over) it was worth the wait.  Things did not go how I had planned them but the important things that I had wanted, did happen and I couldn't have planned it better myself.  Heavenly Father always knows best.

I have been thinking I was in labor since the middle of September... I thought for sure I was in labor when I started having frequent contractions the weekend of the 21st.  But I wasn't :( Mitch's mom was off work that week so if it didn't happen then, I had to keep him in there until potentially October since she wouldn't have any time off and I REALLY wanted a smooth transition for my girl.  I continued to eat all the foods and go to all the restaurants I could possibly think of, that I wouldn't be able to eat at after the baby came due to the fact I stay at home for six weeks to protect the babies from getting sick.  I don't want anymore sickness for a LONG time.  Anyways, my due date was Friday, Septemeber 28th.  That day, came and went with no baby.  Bummer.  So I decided that Saturday I was going to do everything I could to induce labor.  Prior to my due date, Mitch had two really big tests so I couldn't go into labor before Thursday so I didn't want to actively pursue the whole inducing thing.  So after my due date, all bets were off.  I took the opportunity to spend a family day together where we just did what we wanted to do and spend special time with Bella since Saturday is really the only day Mitch has free.  We decided to go to the zoo because Bella LOVES the zoo and grandma has the super zoo pass that lets you ride unlimited rides, etc which meant it was free for us, exactly in our budget!  And I could walk around to hopefully induce labor!

40 WEEKS 2 DAYS

So we went to the zoo and let her do whatever she wanted.  We rode the trains and fed the giraffes.  She only likes to feed the baby giraffes because the big ones are "scawwy" so we let het feed the giraffes until her heart was content!  It was so sweet to see her facial expression each time she fed the baby giraffe, each time her face would just light up and she would get so excited.  It never got old for her!  We decided to give the other people a chance and so we washed our hands and moved on.  

Checking out the giraffes

"Helping" Mommy feed the giraffes

Maybe I'm too animated when I try to emphasize fun instead of fear...

We stopped to see the alligator, which Mitch and I have decided is stuffed, because it wasn't breathing that we could see and it's always in the same position.  Does anyone work at the zoo that can confirm or deny this claim... because I'm pretty sure it's false advertising if it's a stuffed animal.  Alive or not, we sang the little monkey song we learned at Music Makers and Bella was just beside herself to be singing the song about the alligators and seeing a (potentially live) alligator at the same time.  Then she wanted to see the (fake) cow where she milked the cow to her heart was content (or another kid came up) and we again washed our hands... I think she enjoys washing her hands just as much as she enjoys getting them dirty.  By this point, I'm starting to feel some contractions and I'm just kind of uncomfortable so we head to the carousel.  Bella loves the carousel. Daddy then took over where she rode three different times before requesting Mommy go with her.  I wonder if it was really her request or request planted by Daddy to avoid getting sick.  Either way, I was more than happy to be with my  little girl.  She wanted me to get on the pony next to her but since it was a Saturday, the carousel was packed and I had to stand beside her, which she equally enjoyed.  Could you imagine me, in all my over due glory, getting up on a carousel?  I could not.


At this point I was getting really tired and uncomfortable and we were all getting hungry.  We decided we'd go see a few more animals and then head to Sandy's because their hot dogs with sauerkraut, chili, onions, and Texas Pete were a preggo fav.  On our way to see the bears, which Bella is very fascinated with, there were little kids getting their faces painted.  Since this was our last hoorah, we decided we'd let her get her face painted.  It was worth every bit of  the $10.70 it cost, even if it only lasted to the Gorilla exhibit before being smeared.  She loved it.  She chose to be Bella the butterfly and there is not a more prettier butterfly than I could imagine.  She did so well!  I could not believe how well she listened to directions and let someone paint her face.  She really loved it!  We left shortly after and headed to Sandy's where Mitch's sister and her family met us for icecream.  Bella LOVES her Aunt "Jessix" and Uncle Josh with Devan and Riley.  These are the kind people that would take her if I went into labor before Mitch's mom could take off work.  She has so much fun at their house and they are always so good to Bella so I was not worried about her care while I was in labor.

She was awesome!

Bella the Butterfly

Sandy's Famous Hot Dogs

These munchkins had a blast and the grown ups had fun talking amidst keeping all of our kids together and Sandy's intact.  I'm so glad that they are back from China!  It's been such a blessing to have them here!  We came home and Bella was passed out.  Mitch needed to study so I decided I was going to get my feet massaged at the mall where they do Chinese reflexology (it's really awesome)  hoping again to induce labor.  It may seem weird to do this since its located smack dab in one of the busiest parts of the mall.  It's just an open area where they have chairs set up, and people are walking all around you, but I was pregnant and large and could care less if the very president was there, I closed my eyes and let my feet get massaged.  He did a really good job of working on the areas that would help start labor.  I'd been having contractions since the zoo ranging from 10-6 minutes apart, but I would really only start timing them if they became uncomfortable.  After the mall I just gave up.  I stopped by Jimmy John's, courtesy of my father in law, and we all ate sandwhiches for dinner.  I was packing a bag for Bella in case I went into labor that night and tried to explain to her what was happening.  About nine or so, my contractions seemed to be more frequent and uncomfortable so I started timing them.  They were 3 minutes apart!  Whoops, so I called Jessica and she was here in record time to pick up Bella and we were on our way to the hospital.  I was surprisingly calm.  I thought I would be balling to leave my little girl, but she was excited to have a slumber party with Devan and Riley and I knew she was in good hands.

You can read all about that here.  So long story short, I was not in labor.  But it was late and Bella was asleep so Jess said to just go home and we could pick Bella up in the morning.  I was starving and heavily medicated, so we stopped by McDonald's and came home.  We tried to induce labor the same way we got pregnant... and I was heavily medicated so it was interesting.  It did not put me in labor.  We both slept really well that night. We went to pick up Bella on Sunday after getting some much needed rest.  I had a few painful contractions that morning, but I always do.  So when we got up and moving.  I went upstairs to bounce on the exercise ball because I was convinced that Ronan would come on Sunday.  And then we went to Jessica's, we wound up staying longer than expected and having lunch with them.  Then it was time for church and we were going to head home, but Bella cried to go to church with Devan and Riley.  They were gracious enough to let us borrow some church clothes for Bella and Mitch...and the men went to church with the babies while Jessica and I decided to power walk in the neighborhood.   Can I just tell you how awesome my sister in law is?   We just walked and talked while I drank Mountain Dew to dehydrate myself so contractions would start to kick in.  Well contractions started but didn't stick around and I knew that I wasn't going into labor that night.  We picked up Bella from church and Mitch and I headed to see my mom and then see my Daddy who was in town.  Yet another reason I really wanted to have him on Sunday.  I called the OB on call at the hospital because she was a nice woman and hoped she would take pity on me for being so miserable and go ahead and induce me.  Well its a strict policy that they will not induce on the weekends or at night.  She was very sympathetic to my plight and listened with real concern.  She checked the schedule and informed me that they were full on Monday but would be able to induce me on Tuesday, at the earliest.   I was pretty emotional at this point,  I was overdue and miserable and felt like no one would help me.

There is a long running joke about me being pregnant and Krispy Kreme hot doughnuts.  When Bella was born, I had one hellacious and heavily medicated labor (I realize this only after experiencing labor without all the extra meds) And so while I was in and out of my sleep with Bella, I would apologize for sleeping and say "All I want is a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut" and go back to sleep.  I got to sleep through my labor with Bella.  So my Daddy got two dozen glazed doughnuts and brought them to me that night!  So here I am with Baby #2 and he refuses to come out.  I'm crying and upset and what would make me feel better?  Krispy Kreme, of course!  So my Daddy takes me to Krispy Kreme. And if matters couldn't get worse, the hot sign was not on!  How could this be happening?  I walk in and start to complain to Mitch when I see the rotator belt moving the hot golden rings of deliciousness my way!  Not only that, but either the lady couldn't count or she knew a miserable pregnant woman when she saw one, because she gave us about 6 extra doughnuts in our box of two dozen.  I even got a hot chocolate.  Which brought up another funny story that added to my happiness.  One time, while my Dad was visiting and we had gone to get Thai food with him and my grandparents, we decided to get Krispy Kreme doughnuts afterwards.  It really was being a glutton for punishment.  But my grandma and grandaddy had gotten hot chocolate.  My grandma was about to take a sip of her hot chocolate, and I warned her to wait because it was scalding hot!  No sooner did I get those words out of my mouth, do I look over to see my Grandaddy with his mouth wide open, tongue hanging out and panting like a dog.  Yep, he had taken a swig and had burnt his whole mouth down to his esophagus.  We laughed and laughed and laughed, it was just perfect timing and his facial expression was priceless.  The hot chocolate brought back that memory and there was some happiness in my day.


When we got home that night, I was sorely disappointed that I was not in labor. I was frustrated and angry and just not in a happy place.  I had tried everything I could do to have this baby, and all to no avail.  Even the thought of waiting two extra days was unbearable.  I had been in severe pain for over two months, and I wasn't sleeping and I was just over the whole experience.  I went into check on Bella since I was awake anyways and took this picture of her sleeping.  She was sound asleep after a fun filled day.  Little did I know this would be her last night as an only child.  It was all I could do not to pick her up and carry her into our room.  I knew soon she would wake on her own and crawl into our bed anyways.

My sleeping princess

It was that night I finally stopped reading things on my phone, since I couldn't sleep and broke down in one of my more heartfelt prayers. I apologized for being so stubborn, for not praying sooner, for trying to take matter into my own hands that I had no control over.  I asked for forgiveness for not praying sooner and expressed my deep sorrow and misery with this pregnancy.  I literally gave up and gave into God's will.  I felt a peace, and shortly after, Bella crawled into our bed and I slept for four hours.

...to be continued...