I started writing Cade's birth story in a Word document and my intention was to copy & paste it into the blog once I finished. However, I have become obsessed with putting every little detail into the story.....I want to make sure I account for every memory while it is still so fresh in my mind. So, I thought I'd write a shortened version here and for those of you who would like to know every detail, I'll be happy to email you the long version later.
Its hard to say when, exactly, my labor started. With Gavin and Alayna, it was so clear-cut with my water breaking and contractions starting right away. This time, my water didn't break. On Monday, May 19th, I started having contractions. They were light and pretty irregular. By that evening they were getting more regular, but still extremely mild. I thought I'd probably wake up in the middle of the night in "real" labor, however, the next morning I woke up and realized I had just gotten a wonderful night sleep (which was good and disappointing at the same time). Chad had been trying to figure out if he should go to Seattle (which had been the plan before I started having contractions) to train a new sales rep and because everything seemed to be moving so slowly, he decided to go just for the day. However, after he left, my contractions started picking up.....they became consistent at 4 to 5 minutes apart. I called Chad and he was less than an hour away. I told him I didn't think he should go to Seattle. I knew I was in early labor and he needed to come home.
Melissa came over around 10:00 and we went for two walks to get things moving a little more quickly. By 2:30 p.m., I felt like I wanted to go to the hospital. I had NOT been looking forward to the ride there and I just didn't want to progress any further until I was at the place where Cade would be born. Something interesting happened on the way to the hosital. My labor music was playing in the car and I was holding my pillow and bracing through the contractions. When we were about half-way to the hospital, I buried my face in my pillow and pictured Jesus' face. I prayed for strength and peace. My next contraction started and the weirdest thing happened. I felt the contraction....I felt the tightening and pressure, but I didn't feel any pain. I had read "Hypnobirthing" when I was pregnant with Alayna and I know the Bradley method also talks about pain-free childbirth, but I had never experienced anything like it. I stayed in my little hypnotic state all the way to the hospital.
I had been planning to use the waterbirth room for my labor, but when I got up to Labor & Delivery, I learned that it was in use. I was so relaxed and focused on my labor that I honestly didn't care at that moment. I knew the regular rooms had jacuzzi's so at least I'd be able to get into the water. They sent me to Triage to wait to be checked by my midwife. It seemed like forever that I stayed in Triage. I soon learned that the reason everything was taking so long was that they were totally booked up...there were NO labor rooms available! Someone joked about changing my name to Mary since there was no room at the inn. I was given the choice as to either delivering right there in triage (think of the little rooms you go into if you have to go to the E.R....that was about the size of the triage rooms) or delivering in the OR. Now, this VBAC mama was NOT going to deliver my baby in the OR!!! I was checked and to everyone's surprise (mine included!) I was dilated to 8!!! It was an awesome moment and we all got a little teary-eyed remembering how it took so long for me to dilate when I labored with Alayna. As my labor moved into transition, I got more and more uncomfortable. Thankfully, a L&D room opened up and I was able to move. I was SO thankful to be able to get into the tub. It was not nearly as big as the waterbirth tub, but at least it was warm water and it felt really, really good. While I was in the tub, I got to the place where I was done. I hated this. I couldn't remember why I wanted to do this without drugs. Frankly, I just didn't want to have a baby anymore. I recognized this as transition and knew I was almost there, but at the same time I was so tired and wanting this to be over. I also recognized that, like it or not, I was in this situation and the only way to get out of it would be to push this baby out! So, I got out of the tub and walked over to the bed. Now, I did not get into the bed, I just stood beside it.
Now, this is the part of the story that might be too weird and "hippie birthing" for some of you. One thing I did NOT want to do is have this baby in bed lying on my back. I've read way too much to know this is the worst, most painful position to be in. My midwives are well aware of this and were very open to birthing any way I wanted to. In preparation, we decided we'd decide on exactly what position I'd birth in "in the moment." My entire labor I didn't want to be in bed. I remember hating lying down when I was laboring with Alayna and even getting into bed just to be checked was almost excruciating. Standing felt so much better. So, we decided that I'd have this baby standing up. I didn't know exactly how this was going to work and I also wondered if my legs would give out while I was pushing. Well, that didn't happen, but pushing was the most intense thing I've ever experienced. Way more intense than pushing with Alayna. It felt like I was pushing forever, but I now realize that I pushed for a much shorter time than before. Then, all of a sudden, my midwife insisted that I get up onto the bed. This was quite awkward as Cade's head was crowning, but I could tell by the tone of her voice that I'd better do it quickly. With every bit of strength I had left, I leapt onto the bed and before I knew it, Cade was out.
I kept asking what was happening and at first he wasn't crying. Everyone kept saying he'll be ok, but I was pretty scared there for a moment. Then, we all breathed a sigh of relief as he let out a huge cry. In fact, he kept crying and I realized he was going to be just fine. I later found out that his shoulder had gotten stuck and they needed me to quickly change position to free him.
This should be the end of the story, but unfortunately its not. Once things calmed down, the midwife who delivered Cade (Linda Glenn, for those of you who know her) gave me some bad news. Apparently, my blood pressure had spiked during my labor so they ran some blood tests after I delivered and found that I had developed pre-eclampsia, an illness that they test for regularly during pregnancy. It is usually found during pregnancy and I've never even been borderline at risk for it. Linda was incredibly surprised that I got it, especially since this was my third child and I've never had it before with either of my pregnancies. So, this meant I had to go on a medicine that was going to make me feel drugged and out-of-it for the next 24 hours. It also meant that I would have to stay 24 more hours after that to be monitored. P.E. can potentially be very serious leading to seizures and kidney failure. Thankfully, the medicine worked and I was discharged on Friday morning.
Overall, I sum up the experience as a beautiful serene natural labor that I will remember and cherish always, a pretty traumatic delivery and a crummy initial postpartum. Ten days have passed now and Cade and I are both doing great! I am learning new things about him every day and I love watching his little personality develop right before my eyes. Gavin loves him and Alayna can't keep her hands off of him...she's like a little mother as she cares for him, gives him kisses and constantly wants to touch him. I finally feel like our family is complete.
So how's that for the
short version?
We decided to take advantage of a day with no rain to paint our house today. We put new siding on our house last summer and it really needed to be painted by this year. We planned to do it sometime this summer and before we knew it, summer was over! It really turned out to be a fun project.....labor intensive, yes, but fun. Gavin loved helping and the kids from next door came over to help as well.
Everyone working hard!
Cade, our foreman, did his job well as supervisor!
Of course, 20 minutes into the project, it became "boring" for the kids and Chad did most of the work finishing the job!
The finished product! We still have some trimwork to do, but the main painting job is finished....yay! So, what did I do during all of this? I painted a little during Alayna's nap, but between managing Alayna (who was inside playing, snacking and watching Scooby Doo) and nursing Cade, I didn't spend as much time helping as I would have liked to.
For a few peaceful minutes, I actually enjoyed cleaning up in the kitchen while Gavin and Alayna watched a movie (Cade was asleep). Then I started thinking, "wait a minute....its a little TOO quiet." I rounded the corner to see Alayna covered in a brownish-red.....something. It only took a minute to figure out what it was! I'm bummed that the picture is so dark. I guess I was so overwhelmed by the mess and although I remembered to actually take a picture, I wasn't so concerned about lighting.
Sorry for the lack of pictures for the last couple of weeks. These are the most recent pics I have at the moment. I will be sure to take more soon!
Thanks, Mom, for the super cute (yes, she made it!) nightgown for Alayna! 
Gavin had his birthday at Chuck E Cheese's Pizza this year. It was his first "friend" party and he felt so grown up to be able to have three of his friends from preschool attend. Of course, Mom and Dad had some "friends" as well and with their kids, we had quite the group!
Gavin and Isaiah
It looks like a mini skirt, but its actually Cade's newborn-size overalls. 
Alayna in her red, white and blue
Melissa invited us over for a backyard BBQ with a few other friends. Here, Melissa's friend Megan plays with the kids (Odessa, to the far left, is Megan's daughter) on the trampoline.
Karen, this pics for you!
Its been neat to observe the kids as they interact with their new brother.
There are lots of silly moments!
Cade wearing a special outfit from Grammy!
Proud Grandpa
I'm awake now!
Where did all these people come from?
Ok, this is seriously not comfortable. Where's my mom?
There she is!
Dad, Mom and the kids before church this morning
My cousin, Adrienne, and I this afternoon belly-to-belly at IKEA. She and her husband, Seth, came to Portland from Walla Walla (about a 4 hour drive) to pick up some cabinets for their new kitchen remodel. As you can see Adrienne is also pregnant (6 months), but barely looks it compared to my hugeness.....and no, I'm NOT having twins!
