To my girl...

Dear Alivia,

I can hardly believe that it's been two weeks since you joined our family!  Time is already going so fast and even through the tiredness, I'm enjoying every minute of being your Mommy! 

Today I thought I'd write you this letter and tell you about the day you came into this world.  It was such a special day and one that the Lord had His hand on the entire time.  I continue to be in awe of the way He answered all of me and your Daddy's prayers and the prayers of all of our sweet friends and family!

Monday, April 12, 2010 started off at the usual time when your sisters woke me up around 7:15.  They are always immediately ready for breakfast as soon as they wake up, so I got right out of bed and headed to the kitchen.  Just as soon as I got to the kitchen, I started feeling a contraction.  This had been nothing new to me since I'd been having several contractions here and there for the last few weeks.  But...this time was different.  Several more contractions kept coming fairly quickly after the previous ones and at that moment, I started to realize that this was real labor. 

I went to my room to wake up your Daddy who was still in bed asleep.  He had the day off because of the rain, which I don't believe was a coincidence at all.  I had been worried for the last few weeks about when I'd go into labor and where your Daddy would be when I needed him.  Turns out, the Lord worked that one out for me, didn't he? :)

I told your Daddy about how I was having contractions and they were coming pretty fast.  He immediately got out of bed and we talked about what we were going to do.  Our thought was that since you were our 3rd, things might go pretty fast and we wanted to be sure to have someone available to watch your sisters when I was in labor.  Daddy immediately called his Mom, your Grandma Sylvia, and asked if she could watch your sisters.  She said yes and in the meantime, I started to get all of us girls showered and ready for the day.  By then the contractions had slowed down a bit but continued coming.  Before I knew it, Grandma was here to get your sisters.  We said goodbye and your sisters excitedly headed off for a day with Grandma!

As it turned out, I actually had a doctor's appointment that morning to check and see how you were doing.  The appointment was scheduled for 11:30 am, so after your sisters left, your Daddy and I went for a walk around the neighborhood until it was time for my appoinment.  All the while, the contractions kept coming.

When we got to the dr's office, I explained that I had been having contractions that whole morning.  The doctor decided to check me and see if I had dilated, and to our surprise, we found that I hadn't even dilated at all!  Talk about a bummer!  The doctor told me that it would really just be a waiting game and you could come that same night, in a few days, or even a week!  You can imagine how upset I was to hear that!  At that point, all I wanted to do was see your little face already!  I left the dr's office bummed and with an appointment card in my hand for my next visit.

After leaving the dr's office, the contractions seemed to slow down.  I started to think that I was going crazy!  Daddy could tell I was pretty upset and asked me if he could at least take me somewhere to go have some lunch.  For some reason, I just didn't feel like eating, but I ended up having him take me to a really yummy pizza place we like so that we could get a homemade roll.  I ate that on the way home and decided to take a nap since I was pretty tired.

During my nap, I wasn't able to get much rest.  I found myself moaning and waking up with each contraction that kept coming.  Your Daddy was so sweet and just took care of me and made sure that I got some rest!  When I woke up, we decided to go for another walk since by then the contractions had slowed down even more and we thought it would help to get things going again.

While on the walk, the contractions started coming fast again.  I was so confused about what was going on with the contractions.  What happened to them following a regular pattern of getting stronger, closer and more frequent?  I didn't really know what to think but I prayed and asked the Lord if he could just give me a sign so I'd know when to go to the hospital.  I thought to myself, for sure there was no possible way that things could continue on like that for a few more days.  Something had to happen that day!

After our walk, I sat down to watch some TV and tried not to worry about what was next.  After sitting a while, the contractions slowed down again and your Daddy and I decided to call your Grandma and have her bring back your sisters.  By then it was already 6:00 pm.  Grandma brought your sisters home and before we knew it, it was dinner time.  Your Daddy decided to run to Taco Bell since it was fast and easy.  In the meantime, I sat there on a blanket on the floor so I could be comfortable during the contractions.

As soon as Daddy got home, he got your sisters and Grandma all settled at the table to eat.  I continued sitting there on the living room floor since I didn't really feel much like eating and while everyone was getting settled to eat, guess what happened?  My water broke!!!  I called over to your Daddy who was in the kitchen and told him what had just happened.  We were both shocked since that had never happened to me before with either of your sisters.  Daddy came right over and helped me get up to get changed.  We agreed right then that it was time to head to the hospital.  We got the sign we'd prayed for!!!  The time was 7:30 p.m.

Driving to the hospital, I was super nervous but excited that the time had come.  On the way there, I talked to your Auntie Yvonne on the phone and she agreed she'd meet us there at the hospital.  Your Daddy and I also prayed for favor and a smooth delivery when we got there.  The hospital is about ten minutes away from here, so we got there pretty quickly.  We got checked in fast but there was a wait to get wheeled up to Labor and Delivery because there was also another gal there who was also in labor who needed to get taken up too.  During that wait, the contractions began to come fast and VERY strong.  It took a lot of effort to get through each contraction but with your Auntie and Daddy's help, I made it through.

They eventually got us wheeled up to the third floor and they had me sitting there by the nurses desk trying to figure out where to put me.  I looked at the clock and it was 7:50. 

Things went VERY quickly after that.  My weight was taken, and I was wheeled over the Postpartum section.  I'm not sure why they did that, but looking back, I'm thinking they weren't expecting me to be so far along since I wasn't screaming or out of control.  I overheard something about being short on beds, so maybe that was another reason why they did that.  Anyhow...after wheeling me to the Postpartum side, they did a quick check and found that I was already 8 centimeters and they realized they had to get me back to the Delivery side and fast.

The rest went faster than I can explain in words.  I was wheeled in the bed from the Postpartum side to Labor and Delivery and in that time, I began to feel a strong urge to push.  I started sweating and I told everyone around me that I HAD to push!  The nurses told me to take short breaths and your Auntie Yvonne and Daddy were right there telling me it would be okay and reminded me to breathe.  I did my best to not push but there was no stopping you!  You were ready to come into the world!  All at once, it was a flurry to get my moved over the the other bed there in the Delivery room, and the nurses called for my doctor to come quickly.  It was totally God again because wouldn't you know it, my doctor was already there in the hospital!  All I can remember next is being surrounded by several nurses and then my doctor came in.  I told them again, that I HAD to push and just then as my doctor was about to help me deliver you, he was called away to the girl next door to us who was just about to deliver too!!!  Talk about crazy, huh?  I did all I could to not push in the meantime, but I couldn't help it anymore.  You were coming!  With the next contraction, I couldn't stop it anymore and I began to push without even realizing it.  The nurses surrounded me and prepared to deliver you, but in the next instant my doctor came in, they prepped him and he told me that with the next push, you'd be out!

It was like a scene out of a movie, with people all around us and the doctor scrambling to prepare to deliver you and with that next push, you were born!  I could hardly believe it, my girl!  You were here!!!  Only 45 minutes after checking into the hospital, you made your grand entrance into the world at 8:35 p.m. weighing 7 lbs 15 oz! 

Two weeks later, I am still in awe of the way you came into the world!  The Lord really blessed us and took care of every detail that day.  He is good!!!

I love you so much my sweet girl and I feel so blessed to be your Mommy!

Love,
Mommy