Baby Jade (written on 6-17-12)

When I first came home from the hospital with Beck I was on an emotional high and since everything was so fresh on my mind I sat down and wrote his birth story so I could remember every detail. Well, same thing is happening right now. We just got home today, Beck is at Grandma's house and Daddy and Jade are cuddling on the couch. So here I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude for a healthy body and a beautiful baby.

First off. I can't believe our bodies can do what they do. Create a human. It's amazing.

But here is the story of our little Jade. On tuesday the 12th, I went to my normal check-up (6 days before my original due date) and the doctor told me that I was at a 4 and 70% effaced. I didn't really think too much of it because I was at a 4 and 90% effaced for 2 weeks with Beck. But nonetheless I was glad to hear that I was making progress. The next couple of days I was contracting a ton and they were getting way more intense. On friday, I walked and walked and walked. I went up and down steps, did the curb walk, waddled and danced around. Pehrson and I decided to go to the Venice Canals to do some more walking. Then we went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. After dinner the contractions were getting worse and I could tell that she was getting lower. I was contracting every 5 minutes or so, some taking my breath away. I decided to call my mom and have her come stay with Beck while we go to the hospital. I continued to walk around the city while I was waiting for my mom to come and I had a constant contraction the whole time. I knew it was a good decision to go to the hospital.

We got there and a nurse came to check me out. She said I was dilated to about a 3-4 and 70% effaced. I said to myself "THERE IS NO WAY!!!" I knew my body was more ready than that. I asked her if I could talk to a doctor. Pehrson and I kept going back and forth deciding if we should go back home or stay. Finally the doctor came in and he thought it was a good idea for me to stay since I was contracting regularly and making progress. I asked him if he could break my water to get things going faster. He said, no problem. He broke it and then the real party started.

It was about 1 am when he broke it. I layed on the bed and took each contraction one at a time. Everytime a contraction came I would just think about Beck or something that made me happy. And that helped for a while but then they started to get closer together and way more intense. My body would start to shake and I didn't think I could handle it. I told Pehrson to go tell the nurse I wanted the epidural. The doctor came in and I wanted her to check and see if I had made any progress. If I had then don't give me the epidural and lets start pushing but if I still have a ways to go I did not want to be in this much pain anymore. She checked me and said that I was at a 10! "BEST NEWS EVER!" I went from a 4-10 in about 4 1/2 hours. She wanted me to wait for the baby to drop just a little bit more and said that she would come back in about 45 minutes to start pushing.

Around 6:00 am I could tell that the baby was getting lower and it was getting harder for me to hold her in. The pushing sensation was in full force. I told the nurse and she checked me out. And when a contraction came she told me to push. Right when I started to push she said, "wait stop! don't push" she ran and got the doctor. The baby was right there! The doctor came in and suited up. It felt like she was taking forever to get all her equipment and gloves on. She told me not to push. My entire body was flexed trying to keep this little girl inside of me. It was torture! The doctor said, "okay, i'm ready when you are!" Finally! So we waited a second for the next contraction and she said okay push, I pushed and the doctor said, "wow you aren't kidding! She is right there!" She said, "slow and steady...slow and steady...slow..." and out came the head. And then the body. It was SO fast!

She came out, Pehrson cut the cord we heard a sweet little cry and I got to hold my little girl and look right into her eyes. It was truly love at first sight. Like I never knew life without her.

She came out much more pasty than Beck. I remember Beck being more slimmy but she was really white. They wiped her off and did a few things to her while I was getting stitched up. Which was the worst part of all. I riped in the same spot I did before and she started stitching me up and I yelled and said I could feel it! She said she was almost done, but everytime she put the needle in my skin I wanted to scream, I was holding onto P so hard in tears. I don't know if maybe I didn't see her numb me because I was destracted by this beautiful little girl or what but I felt everything and she was not being soft. She numbed me up afterwards and everything was fine, but I wish I didn't remember that part so vividly.

Family came to visit.

We got some cuddle time in.

And Beck and Jade were reunited! This moment will always bring tears to my eyes. It was the sweetest moment I have ever witnessed. Pure joy! Beck totally knew her and was just so happy...the pictures say it all!

 We dressed her up and left the hospital the next day.  

We love our little girl so much and can't stop staring at her. So glad she made it here safely (AND 2 days EARLY!!!!) I thought for sure that I would be late again. But that just goes to show that they come when they are ready.

Welcome Home Jade Arlene  Hawkley.

                                             Stats: 8 lbs 8.5 oz

         20 inches
       6:23 am

       6/16/12

     We Love You!