It was right around dinner time, and I was running around like crazy. I had laundry going, which meant hurrying up and downstairs to the laundry room about every half hour. Dinner was on the stove, Jane was in the bath because she'd wet her pants, and Livia had her very first homework assignment, and was following me around the house so I could help her with it. I had had tons of irregular contractions in the weeks leading up to my due date, so it took me some time to realize that all the pains I was feeling as I scurried around were coming in regular intervals. In fact, it wasn't until we all sat down to dinner that I had time to really think about them and notice that they were contractions. I had tried calling Chase earlier, just because things were so hectic and I would have loved his help, and now I tried a few more times, but to no avail. Finally he texted me that he was in a meeting and had left his phone at his desk. Luckily some kind soul heard it ring a bunch of times and brought it to him. So I very politely insisted that he come home. Now.
Meanwhile I'm still doing laundry, still helping the kids with dinner, and still haven't had a moment to time my contractions. Once Chase came home I sat down and, while folding the mountain of laundry on the couch, began timing things. 5 minutes apart. After an hour at that pace I decided that it would probably be a good idea to find a place for Livia and Jane to stay the night. It seemed to take forever to put the last minute things into our bags, tidy up the house, and get the girls ready for bed. But finally, they were settled at a neighbor's house and we were on our way to the hospital.
Early on in the labor process. You can tell, because I look way too happy.
Chase did some last minute cramming on how to be a labor coach.
We were officially admitted at 11:00 pm, and settled in for a long night of labor. By 3:00 in the morning I was exhausted, and though I was coping fairly well through the contractions, I had no more desire to cope and requested an epidural. I finally got one around 4:00 a.m., and had one blissful hour of sleep. Then they woke me up to check my progress, and before too long it was time to push. After only 9 minutes of pushing, Grace Darlene Baldwin was born at precisely 6:30 a.m., coming in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches long.
The girls were so excited to meet her, and have been positively doting on her ever since.
Family of five!
I feel so blessed that everything went smoothly and without complication. I'm grateful she was born on the 3rd, as I was scheduled to have a c-section on the 4th. I'm so glad she is healthy, and that both of our blood sugar readings are now normal. And overall I am filled with so much joy to have this new little person, this precious spirit, in our family for time and all eternity.
We love you, Gracie!
Here she is, all dressed up to come home from the hospital.
They always look so ridiculously small in their car seat!
Home
And we thought it was hard to get a good family picture before!
I love newborns. And I got the sleepiest, sweetest newborn of all!
And finally, here's a slideshow the hospital photographer put together of Grace. (Hopefully the link works)
