I got up from the bed, and realized that my water had broke. Boy did it break! Like a giant water balloon bursting in my lap. I went to the bathroom, and Grace begins asking questions.
"Mommy are you OK? Do you have diarrhea?"
I laugh and calmly tell her it is time. Helen Kate would be here soon. Grace begins crying, and through her tears, she smiles.
"Mommy, I don't know why I am crying. I am so happy."
Anna is sound asleep in her room. I call my mom, and ask her to come over and watch the girls. Andy and I get ready to go to the hospital.
As we leave, I am absolutely in awe. I can't believe it is finally time. I didn't think Helen Kate was ever going to make her debut. My thoughts are racing and I am rambling to Andy...maybe she will be shortly. A quick and pain free delivery is my prayer.
We make the 2 minute drive to the hospital; I can't shut up. I am so excited, that I can barely walk into the hospital. My knees are knocking, my legs are like jello, and my water is flowing like a faucet. I can't help but giggle. Helen Kate is coming.
It was about 11:30pm when we get settled in to the L&D room, the contractions begin. Slow and steady. I would remind myself to breathe. I was dilated to 1-2cm. I knew this was going to be a long night. But who knows, maybe I can do it without the drugs.
Mom got the hospital just beforw midnight. She was a little groggy...ok, she was totally out of it. She had settled in for a long winter's nap and we woke her up with the news, "it's time". I am not even sure how Mom made it to the hospital. So, Mom tells the nurse to make her a pot of coffee...it was game time. She couldn't miss it.
As the night progressed, so did my labor. The more I dilated the more intense the contractions became. I prayed constantly for strength. Mom was praying, and Andy was shivering on the little makeshift sleeper seat. Not only was I in pain, I was burning up. The A/C was pushed to it's limits, and Andy and mom were trying to find something to buddle up in as they took turns staying by the bedside.
I handled the contractions pretty well at the beginning. I knew that as soon as one would start that it would end shortly, and I would get a pain free window soon. So it made it bearable. Until the point where there wasn't a break from one contraction to the other. During each contraction, either be asking God for strenght to endure or speaking encouragement to myself.
"You can do this. You don't need an epidural. It's not that bad, just breathe. Helen Kate is coming. Each contraction brings you closer to Helen Kate. Come on, breathe."
By early morning, I had had enough. I decided I would ask for an epidural. I had dilated to 6cm and couldn't take it anymore. I was so conflicted and scared. The anesthesiologist came in asked me to lean forward, and try not to move.
I was terrified about getting an epidural. But as soon as the epidural was in and the meds started flowing, the pain subsided instantly!
I was like, "WOW, why didn't I ask for this sooner?"
My doctor came in to see how the labor was progressing and decided to start me on pitocin. In two hours, it was time to push.
9 minutes later at 5:30am, Helen Kate had arrived. When I laid eyes on her, I knew I had seen Heaven. I was in absolute awe of her. God had given us another beautiful little girl to complete our family.
It really doesn't seem like a year ago that our little Heart Break Kid was born. I can see it like it was yesterday. Helen Kate made her debut on a Thursday, June 5th at 5:30am weighing in a 8lbs 7 ozs and 21.5 inches.
