A Year Ago Today

A year ago today I was on my way to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning. Contractions were increasing in pain and in duration. I thought this was for real.

A year ago today I was sent home because I was only dilated 2 cm and they said come back when you're at 4 cm. Oh, ok, so am I the one to check that? They recanted and said come back when you can't walk or talk through your contractions. Ok, much easier to gage!

A year ago today Travis and I walked my neighborhood up and down for an hour until I was bending over during my 5 minutes apart contractions. During our time back at home this was also when I realized the only relief to my pain was a fist lodged into my lower back. Back labor reared its ugly head.

A year ago today I went back to the hospital after only a few hours of being away. I said this is it and I'm not going back home! They said fine. They hooked me up to an ultrasound monitor and I had to wait for a labor and delivery room for 3 hours!

A year ago today my sister and my mother-in-law joined us. My sister took pictures throughout labor and delivery, lodged her fist in my back and held my hand when Travis needed a break, and my mother-in-law was very supportive during the pushing (but that didn't come until the next day).

A year ago today a popsicle made me vomit. Thank God for the IV! Otherwise I would've be dehydrated. Ain't nobody got time for that when you're trying to push out a baby!

A year ago today I wasn't progressing from 7 cm to 10 cm quick enough. I spent 7 hours in transition (the worst of labor) and it was about half way through those 7 hours when they broke my water. Then the pain really came. My body was pushing for itself but I still had to wait another 2 hours before I reached 10 cm and they allowed me to push.

A year ago today, right before midnight, I realized our baby girl was going to share a birthday with me. She had an entire day to come, an entire day we were ready for her, an entire I was ready for her, an entire day I was in labor, but God decided to wait until my birthday to give me the best gift, our precious, adorable, beautiful, silly, playful, lovable, sweet Anna Jubilee.

Happy Birthday Eve, Anna Jubilee! Mommy and Daddy love you more than you'll ever know. Having you on my birthday was the best gift I could've ever received and this day will always be a special one. It is an honor to share this day with you, my Joy.