As tired and as delirious as I feel right now I really want to write this post, mostly for selfish reasons. I did not record Grace's birth story, but I did David Michael's and read it about 100 times before Emma arrived. I wanted to relive the emotions, the pain, and every little step of greeting my little boy for the first time. 

This pregnancy for me was at best... miserable. I absolutely did NOT enjoy being pregnant at all this time around. I had no idea how difficult it would be with such a small toddler and a three year old! Chasing David Michael around and especially carrying him around was nearly impossible toward the end (he is a chunk at 24 lbs!). I really thought all along that Emma would be born at 38 weeks, if not before. Both Grace and David Michael came at 38 weeks and I had always heard that the more kids you had the earlier and easier it was to have them. This did not prove true for me... Emma made me wait till 39 weeks. 

I went to see my doctor for my 39 week appointment and I was only dilated 3 cm. I was really disappointed. I wanted to be further along that I was, because I had been experiencing contractions for about 2 weeks. However, throughout that day and that evening I knew that I was in labor. I even sent a text out to my family to see if anyone was available to help with the kids the next day (Thursday) because I was feelings as if she was coming soon. I continued to have contractions that day and night. I kept timing them and they would range from 4 minutes apart to hours apart, but definitely were growing in intensity. The next morning I told Michael that she was coming and I wanted to head back to the doctor to be checked again. 

Thursday morning we woke up and had a good breakfast as a family along with my awesome sisters Rebekah and Margaret who had driven through the night to come hang out with their niece and nephew. After breakfast and packing our bags, Michael and I headed to my doctor's office in Greenville. The doctor checked me to make sure I was in "true labor" and she said I was dilated between a 4-5, and she felt comfortable sending me over to the hospital. Michael and I headed straight across the street to the hospital. We were quickly checked in and hooked up to all the machines and monitors. (little did I know we should have run some errands, eaten lunch and taken our time)

Once I was on the monitor and laying in bed my contractions quickly slowed down both in time and in intensity. The only thing that kept my contractions steady was...walking and walking and walking. Michael and I began walking around noon and walked until about 7:30! There came a point where I was feeling very weak and sick! I had only eaten breakfast that morning and I was starving! I didn't want to stop walking though, because I really did not want to slow down my labor; I did not know how much longer I was going to be able to go without food. 

Finally at 7:30 my doctor came in and said that he could break my water if I would like him to? I was so grateful! I knew that if my water was broken then it would not be long. Also once my water was broken I had to stay in bed because they wanted Emma to be hooked up to the monitor. So I climbed in bed and he broke my water. I then tried to endure the contractions hoping to meet Emma soon! The contractions gradually increased in intensity and frequency until shortly before 9pm I called my nurse and told her it was time to push. One of the best parts of not having an epidural is your body really does do all the work. I really did not have to do the pushing myself, my body did it for me. A few very painful pushes later at 8:56 pm Emma Faith was handed to me! She was perfect in every way, and BIG! Throughout my pregnancy I kept saying that Emma felt bigger than my other babies and I was right, with Emma being born at 8lbs!

After I was stitched up Michael, Emma and myself were left alone to bond for a little over an hour. 

Part 2 of Emma's birth story coming soon...