I'm so happy. Part 3

Baby Sean surprised (and delighted) us by making his imminent entrance known even earlier than the early birth day for which I'd desired. Bryce, Deacon, and Kyle are each born in different months, but on the 23rd, 25th, and 24th days, respectively of their months. So the 22nd or 26th were my here's hoping dates; oh the poor people to whom I blabbered endlessly. Also, Sean's due date was my birthday (August 30th). So much number fun . . . if you like that kind of stuff; which I do! Once the epidural took effect it was like being in a peaceful dream. I knew it was still important for me to relax and be actively at peace, and I was flooded with happiness, knowing that my three sons were at home, sleeping, cared for by Grandpa Dan. My patient husband was also feeding me bite-sized pieces of the best two peaches I've ever eaten. I was so happy to have some girlfriends stop by and to get a card a from another that stopped by when I was sleeping. I was in an anticipation la-la land, and so happy Sean would be coming soon. I wanted the doctor to know that I was open to whatever means seemed best, and waxed on about how I had no qualms with the dreaded e-word--only to find out he wasn't a big fan . . . ha! My attentive nurse checked progress as I wanted (it turns out I'm a fan of knowing where things are at). 2cm, then an hour later around 10+ish 4cm (when my friends left they got to hear that good news . . . but thought, like me, that the baby would still be quite a while in arriving). Around 11+ish 5 cm, and then one hour later 9+cm! Amazing. And I'm going to go ahead and give a shout out to that epidural for making the addition of 4cm a complete surprise to me--I bid my time by forcing poor Phil to leave the tv on The Golden Girls while I dozed (maybe my subconscious had pity on him and progressed things along to spare him the horror). It was quite the night for laboring moms: 3 in Pullman, 3 in Moscow. Once we hit 10cm, I said that as long as the baby's vitals were good, I'd love to labor down, as I was afraid I might tire out with a long pushing session. Another lady obligingly birthed before me, so everyone was glad I was going second. (And here's a little plug for how amazing technology and teeny advancements make things: those hospital nausea bags, now how great would those be to have at home for the kids and car.) Sean was doing great, and by 1:46ish I was pushing. After a bit I put on an oxygen mask, and I loved having it help me focus my breathing, plus I am huge fan of white noise (fan in my room--even in the middle of winter, oh I love it). Sean was born at 2:53 am, with the last 20 minutes being more intense pushing. Amusingly the pushing was most intense for my husband, as I was actually comparing it to the workout sessions that Annie gave me at North Idaho Athletic Center last summer. After one particular set of pushes, Dr. Minudri, told me how great and effective those pushes had been. I took off my oxygen mask to tell him, that I'd been picturing Annie coaching me through lunges! (She's so good.) Phil said that it seemed like he could see the head for those last twenty minutes before it was through . . . I had no idea. When the head did pop, all three: nurse, doctor, husband said, "Lauren! Look, there's the head!" I opened my eyes (I usually closed them in between pushing) and peered, only to see my oxygen bag . . . oh it looked like I'd birthed a jellyfish, so funny. And the thing was, I had developed such a fondness for my new friend oxygen-mask that it didn't even occur to me to move it. Sean appeared in all his floppy-fish green-purple glory. He had a cone head to rival my baby-conehead. He looked huge and tiny all at once. I had told Acacia that I actually wanted to have him all dolled up before I held him--I didn't want to hold him for a bit and then have him taken away, I wanted to know all was well, once I held him so I could just snuggle down. This turned out to be good, since he needed more tlc. He presented face-up and his cord had been looped around his neck; although he cried it was pitiful, and then his heat needed some ampping up. Phil and Sean scooting off the nursery to receive all the incubator's benefits . . . and I got the good news that there was nary a tear. And then I was so glad that all my favorite people were actually out of the room as I was again thankful for the nausea bags. When my cute little bundle returned in Phil's arms, all was well, and I was (so I thought) looking so good and idealistic--in reality, my hair looked like a bride of Frankenstein wig. Sean was ready to get to know me, and I was excited to see who this little person looked like: survey says, we have no idea! We held him for a long time, and spent some guessing how much he weighed. Acacia explained to me how to bathe him, and how to do this and that. We were surprised when he only weighed 7 pounds and 14 ounces . . . he didn't look that big, but I had just been expected a massive toddler newborn. It was the most wonderful birth I could have imagined. Having complete trust in my husband, and our choice in doctor, and then just knowing the fantastic reputation the Gritman nurses have . . . well, we got there excited without anxiety. Knowing we're not all cookie-cutter people, and different options are good for different people has kept me from thinking that everyone should book Acacia and bribe her into being their labor nurse. I plan to pay millions for her next time! God is so good. We never thought we could get pregnant (and let me tell you, that is a hard conversation to broach with your boyfriend, "so we've been dating long enough but not too long that the time has come to tell you, that I probably can never conceive". Thankfully for me Phil took me). God's story of our children was wildly unconventional. We're thankful for Bryce, Deacon, Kyle, and now little Sean. And my goodness, it feels so good to not be pregnant. In the midst of the pushing, in between pushes, I did whip off my oxygen mask to beam at Phil, "I'm so happy!" It was the best.