The Birth and the Whirlwind

 By Wednesday April 3 I had given up on ever having the baby.  Obviously if she hadn't come early, and hadn't come by her due date, she was never going to come.  So I planned a potluck playdate at my house and figured that I was either going to have a baby, or an excellent pity party that day.
   About 9am I was getting the car rug out of the toy room and dragging it to the living room when I suddenly felt like I'd just peed my pants.  "Seriously" I thought "I know my body is sort of falling apart but has it gotten so bad that I just completely lost all bladder control?!"  I was on my way downstairs to change when it happened again, and then there was a big RUSH and I realized that this might not just be an incontinence issue.  So I canceled playgroup and called Tyler to let him know that today was the day, but not to leave work just yet because I wanted to labor at home as long as possible.
 

  Well, it's pretty hard to go for a walk, or really do anything at all when every few minutes there is a gush of water soaking through your pants.  So I called the nurse, told her my water had broken and asked if I really had to go to the hospital right away or could I stay home for a bit.  She told me to GET THERE  NOW, but I stalled.  Well, by the time we'd gotten Grandma home, and settled the kids, eaten lunch and gathered our things it was about 1pm.  When we arrived we were very expected.  Apparently there were no other laboring mother's that day, and they had been waiting on me for hours- thinking that I'd had the baby on the side of the road or something.  I got quite the lecture from my labor nurse about risk of infection and needing to get the baby out ASAP, plus all the scary reminders about risk of uterine rupture from attempting another VBAC.  So she strapped on those monitors, and there I sat for hours. 

 When I became pregnant I told Tyler he needed to buy me some sort of "labor day" gift because after 9 months of pregnancy and a day of giving birth, I deserved something fun (other than a baby).  So he really went ALL out and got me an Ipad!  In between contractions I fiddled around and bought Apps and talked to Tyler and it was great.  We even watched Jeopardy.  I was dilated to a 3 when I arrived and by 6pm I hadn't dilated past a 4.  They had me on a very low dose of pitocin, and insisted on putting in an epidural (and testing it with a low dose of the medicine) in case of complications with the VBAC.  

 Well about 6:30 is when the contractions start to hurt and I got really nauseous and shakey. I thought "If this is me, on an epidural, at a 4- there is no way I'm going to survive labor laying down with out medicine." So I pushed the button, and about 3 seconds later the Anesthesiologist (who looked and acted just like the actor Jeffery Tambor- (George Bluth from Arrested Development) and therefore made me love him) showed up and gave me a booster.  About 2 minutes after my legs went completely numb from the high dose of pain meds, the nurse came in and said the doctor was going to come talk to me about options- because my labor wasn't progressing.  During this speech (which I swear Gloom and Doom nurse was taking in the direction of c-section) I started to feel my contractions a LOT lower and NOT in my belly anymore.  I mentioned this to Doomy who checked me and announced in the last 30 minutes I'd dilated from a 4 to a 10 and was ready!  So she ran out to tell the doctor to hurry up.  He showed up, and because there was a lot of meconium in my water, said I needed to push her out fast.  So 2 contractions and 5 minutes later at 7:23 pm Quinn arrived!  Even though they had to wisk her away from me, the NICU nurses got her all squared away and after a few minutes they put her on my chest and we got to snuggle for the next hour- the only thing I had set my heart on this whole pregnancy- finally being able to hold my baby within minutes of delivery.  Unfortunately after I was all stitched up I started to shake and quake and couldn't stop.  It was actually pretty violent and scary and by far the worst part of the whole thing.  I could not stop shaking and it was terrifying.  Tyler gave me a blessing and I was able to calm down, and then they brought me an Apple and Croissant sandwich and I ate and held my baby and smiled.

 The next 2 days were great.  It was like a spa.  I got to eat whatever and whenever I wanted.  I didn't have to worry about my other kids because Grandma's, Aunt and Cousin were helping out at home, and I got to watch whatever I wanted on TV and take naps (like that was really possible though) without worry about kids running in or any responsibilities.  Tyler was working his long 12 hour days plus commute, and so we didn't see much of him at all after delivery for those 2 days until we got home.  My Mom had driven up from Montana to help take care of me and the girls, and she came to pick me up from the hospital.  Quinn had a questionable Biliruben score and so we were told to bring her back the next day for another test and keep her in the sun as much as possible.

Quinn with her Paternal Grandma Brady and Great Grandma Jake!

 We arrived home just in time for Conference festivities!  Friday night was a family reunion of sorts with almost all my family showing up to see my Mom/ the baby.  It was fun, but a bit overwhelming for the first hour home from the hospital.

  Saturday we watched Conference and that evening all the girls came over while the boys were at Priesthood session.  Once again lots of fun, and bit overwhelming.  I think I ended up running away to the basement while everyone else took care of my other kids.  Sunday was more Conference, but Grandma Asay took Alex to watch it at my brother's house and Grandma Brady took Heidi on an afternoon outing to see her Great Grandma and the cats- so I got a nap and some alone time.

 When Monday hit and it was just the girls and me and my Mom, we finally it our stride.  It was fun to have the occasional visitor, and try to figure out how this new life was going to work!  I'll admit that Sunday night/Monday and Tuesday was when the baby blues really hit.  I cried, I freaked out a bit, but it wasn't that bad at all compared to my first baby and it went away quickly.  I made sure to avoid all music, TV shows and movies- With Alex I watched 'Planet Earth' during the blues, and it completely ruined the show.  We have the DVD's but I can't listen to the soundtrack or narrators voice with out a fist of anxiety grabbing my heart and a slow creeping depression descend over my brain.  They have sat unwatched for 5 years on the shelf.

 Wednesday the sun decided to shine and we got out of the house!  Quinn took her first trip to Target and we all saw the Traverse Mountain Outlet Mall for the first time, then we visited Danielle and Bridger for a bit.  That night we played dress up and discovered that the Build A Bear clothes fit newborns quite perfectly

 Alex and Heidi are loving Quinn more and more each day which warms my heart.

 The rest of the week was full of fun.  We had a tea party, took pictures of the baby, read stories, painted pictures and ate wonderful food.

 Quinn did lots of sleeping, I turned my back for a few minutes and found that Heidi had decorated her sister.

She got her first bath, in a beautiful flower with lots of bystanders vying for the perfect view point.

And even in the drafty kitchen, that sweet baby didn't make a single peep!  The first of my kids not to cry through their first bath!

 The greatest part of the whole thing was having Grandma around for a whole week!  The girls LOVED it.  Heidi was stuck to her like glue and wanted to be with Grandma every minute of the day.  It was just wonderful having her here with us and we were all SO sad when it was time for her to leave.  She cooked and cleaned, put the kids to bed every night, fed them in the morning, played with them on demand and still had time to hold the baby and cater to my whims.  These Brady girls all love her SO much!  Thanks Mom for the wonderful week and all the amazing service!