Hattie Jane

 Our little Hattie Jane finally came on June 11 at 2:58pm.  She was 6lbs 15oz and 18 1/2 inches long.  We were starting to wonder if she would ever come!  Although her due date was not until June 13th we were scheduled to be induced on the 8th.  They told us we would need to call on that day to make sure there was a bed available, we knew that since both Gracie and Lydia were induced labors.  We talked  a little about how terrible it would be if we called and they made us wait a few hours before going in and how utterly disappointing it would be if they made us wait until the next day.  Well sure enough we got up, got ready and called and they were full!  "Call back in 4 hours" was what they told us...4 hours uhg! 4 hours finally came and we called again...still full!  Call back in 2 hours...at this point I was preparing myself to not go in that day and just getting used to the idea of going in the next day.  After 2 hours we called back and they scheduled us, not for the next day or the day after that but the day after that!!!  I couldn't believe that after making all the arrangments (Jake taking time off work, Grandma here to watch the girls...) that we had to wait 3 extra days, which in pregnancy days is really more like 30 days!

Saturday finally came and we were elated when they actually called us and asked us to come an hour earlier than we were scheduled.  We got there at 11 got all checked and explained to the nurse that I wanted my epidural before they broke my water (I go Quick once my water breaks so I've figured out after doing this 3 times to tell them what I want right off the bat!)  She told me that would be fine and that my Dr. would be in in a few hours to break my water.   It sounded like a plan!  Well my Dr. decided to show up to deliver someone else's baby after I had been there all of about 20 min.  They hadn't even started the pitocin and the nurse came in and said "It's time to get that epidural, your doctor wants to break your water now!"  I have never gotten an epidural before I even started contractions, it was all a little weird, but nice!  I'm usually getting the epidural in between contractions so it was great to not have to deal with the pain of labor on top of getting giant needle in my back!  So Epidural, break water, then start pitocin...it's never been in that order before!  I didn't feel any of the contractions although from the mountains on the monitor I knew they were there...this was awesome!  However, after about an hour I suddenly could feel them...oh could I feel them!!  I got an extra dose of medicine that left me COMPLETELY numb and unable to even wiggle a toe.  The nurse checked me, laughed and said "whoa, I've got to call the doctor your baby is coming NOW"  it took the doctor what felt like forever to get there.  The babies heart rate started to drop.  The Nurse kept telling us it was just because she was in the birth canal and she wanted to come out but I'd be lying if I wasn't panicing a little.  Jake and I kept staring at the heart monitors, a heart rate that was once 130 was now only 79...was the nurse positive this was normal?!?  Just about when I was about to tell Jake to just go a head and deliver this baby the doctor ran in the door huffing and puffing because he had run from the parking lot and up 4 flights of stairs...it did make me feel good that he was trying to hurry!  He got his gown and some gloves and told me to go ahead and push.  I leaned forward to push and Hattie was ready to be out she came right out without even a push!  The doctor seem quite shocked and kept telling all the nurses, "did you see that, she's  a face baby, a brow baby!"  I still don't quite understand what that meant but she was apparently turned to the side in a way that most people wouldn't even be able to deliver.  They were so shocked that she came out that way and that she came out so easily that way! I didn't know whether to be offended or proud that I had just delivered an impossible baby so easily...what can I say, these wide hips are good for something!!!  

It was so special to finally see Hattie.  Jake and I both just laughed because she looked so much like one of our babies...not like any of them individually but like all of them at the same time.  We also both felt so strongly that we just knew her, she was so familiar to us both.  We are so grateful that she is here and healthy!

We love you Hattie Jane!!!