I'll Be by Boyce Avenue on Grooveshark


Monday, October 20th rolled around and after a long weekend of intense pain and frustration, I was ready to meet Emery. Andrew and I had talked through opting to be induced and since my doctor was 100% on board, we chose to go ahead and do so. I called the doctor to approve our files being sent over to our hospital and they informed me the hospital would be calling us back Tuesday between midnight and 4am with a time to come in to begin our induction. We made sure everything was set to go, Drake was back at his mommy's and we headed to bed with our phones on obnoxiously loud so we made sure we didn't miss the call. Six am rolls around and I'm on pins and needles having no call throughout the night from the hospital. I got up and worked a bit and finally called the hospital at 11am asking for an update. They said it would be a few more hours but I would be coming in later that evening. I was so anxious anticipating when my phone would ring so I got ready, did my hair and makeup and even painted my nails and ironically, as soon as that last coat was painted, we got the call at 2:13pm saying it's time to come in!

Getting everything packed up and in the car was the most surreal feeling ever. I hugged on Brutus, shed a couple tears knowing my furbaby would have to adjust and we head out the door. Our whole drive over I was clinging to Andrew's hand and chatting his ear off about how it's finally time! It was finally happening after all these long months of carrying our sweet baby, we would be meeting her and would be able to kiss her endlessly!

We arrived at the hospital at 3:20pm and began our registration and check in right away. We were escorted to our room and got settled in at 4:35pm and met all our nurses for the evening. At 5pm I was checked and given one dose of gel to help ripen my cervix and was instructed to walk a bit after it sat for an hour. At that time, I was 3cm dilated, 90% effaced and when we came back to our room at 6:30pm I was measuring at 4cm and 100% effaced. 7:06pm is when pitocin was started and the on call doctor chose to break my water so the waiting game began! It was right around this time Andrew and I started talking about how we will soon be meeting our sweet girl - we were just so giddy! - and I kept praying she would have a safe and healthy delivery. Contractions started coming on super strong about 30 minutes after pitocin kicked in and I was a shaking mess. Apparently that happens with all the hormones coursing through your body but it was super intense while also trying to breathe through the pain.

Andrew put on The Hunger Games to keep me distracted but I couldn't take the pain after a few hours. I requested the epidural at 9:20pm and it was literally a God send. Immediately I felt relief and was back to talking to Andrew and simply enjoying those last moments together and each other. We were told to try to get some sleep which we really did try to do but with the doctors coming in every 1-2 hours to check me and have me rotate sides to help baby move down, that wasn't happening very well!

Nothing really eventful happened throughout the night, just typical progress every time I was checked, slowly moving from 5cm to 7cm and then to 9cm by 7am, October 22. At that point, we had gone through 2 shift changes and just welcomed a third and I immediately felt at peace with our new nurse. She was our age and so so personable with us so I kept thanking God for giving us someone who I really related with. We also had a student shadowing her and he was our same age as well and again, so so sweet and an amazing asset to our team. Every time they left the room, Andrew and I kept commenting how awesome they both were and how comfortable we were with them assisting us.

At 9am, our nurse came back in and started talking us through the process of what takes place when we begin to push. She was one that didn't want to begin pushing until baby was at a -2 station so it wouldn't take so much time and effort pushing (which is totally smart!) but Emery didn't want to move down much. After a few more hours of moving me around to try to encourage Emery to drop a bit, nothing changed and our nurse decided let's go ahead and push. At 2:22pm the stirrups were put in place, I had my labor playlist on loud, the lights were dimmed and we began pushing. I also requested the mirror to watch the progress which was a huge help for me! Being able to see Emery's head and her movement while I pushed was that much more incentive to give it my all because I was so ready to meet her!

At this point, the pitocin started to wear off so my contractions were few and far between (12-15 minutes apart) so we pushed for just over an hour and half when the doctor came in for delivery. There was so much movement and details happening around me and I kept holding Andrew's hand, looking at him between each push set and trying to soak in those last moments with him. He was such an amazing coach and encouraged me so well during the whole process- I couldn't have asked for anything better!

Kari Jobe- We Are began playing when the doctor took over for our nurse and I was suddenly so peaceful and calm and enjoying everything. God was so present in our room and wrapping His arms around myself and Emery- it was a feeling I'll never forget and continue to recall so vividly these short weeks later.

Not long after, the love of our lives made her appearance at 4:13pm while I'll Be by Boyce Avenue was playing. She wore a necklace but was quickly untangled, her airways were cleared and I heard that piercing cry I was so longing for. I met my sweet girl. I held her on my chest, stroking her hands with tears streaming down my face, saying "hi baby" over and over. The look on Andrew's face was pure joy. He was completely enamored with her as was I.

Andrew went with the nurses to the other end of the room to help get her cleaned up and learn all her stats. She was 6lbs 10oz of pure sugar- 21 inches long! She came out holding her head up and continues to do so now and even rolls on her sides and back with ease- she's one strong girl! I delivered my placenta and was cleaned up as well and thankfully didn't tear, get stitches or have any side effects! I felt amazing and was so happy with being able to vaginally deliver as I had so many fears of a C-section.

By 6:40pm we were settling into our postpartum room, snuggling our sweetie and welcoming Drake to meet his new sister. If my heart already hadn't exploded that day, it totally did in that moment watching him so gently with her. He was in love at first sight and kept saying she was "his baby". My heart was so full. My heart continues to be so full.

The days may be short and the nights are long but we are forever grateful for our miracle. We are so blessed to have our Emery here and healthy and can't thank God enough for expanding our family in the most perfect way. I strive to cherish these new mommy moments and new memories we're making as a family because I know it'll all fly by as it already is starting to.

Happy 2 weeks, Emery Odessa.
Don't grow up too fast, sweetpea.