Madelyn's Birth Story

I'm telling this because I want to remember all the details.

All the sweet precious, but hard details of Madelyn's birth. What a sweet day it was.

It started on Saturday night. We were having dinner with a friend at our house and while I was cooking I began to feel some pains that were a little harder than the Braxton Hicks contractions that I was used to. Contractions that I could walk through but would make me take a step back and breathe. At dinner, I felt another and then another. I tried to discretely whisper to Nathan that I though this was the real deal (I was having some other signs of labor also) but who am I kidding. Me? Whisper? Yea right. Our friend heard me and the look on his face was priceless. We reassured him that labor could last a while and we would't be giving birth anytime soon.

After dinner was wrapped up and cleaned up, I went to shower. I wanted to have shaved legs if this was the real deal! Contractions continued but only every 30 minutes or so. At about 10:00 we called it a night and went to bed. I couldn't get comfortable there so to the couch I went. And I actually slept.

Sunday morning at 5:50 I woke up to the hardest contraction I had had. It was so strong that I went to wake Nathan up. I crawled into bed and we began timing them. 18 minutes apart. 15 minutes apart. 10 minutes apart. We both got up to get things ready we knew that this was it. We were going to have a baby today! It took me much longer than usual to get myself presentable-hair pulled back, teeth brushed, shoes on. By this time contractions were every 2-3 minutes.

We called my mom to come up and keep Camden so we could leave. By the time she got to out house, I wasn't able to talk through the contractions. Exciting yet exhausting. Camden woke up right before we left at about 7:30ish.

Just in case you ever wondered what a woman in labor looks like! 

We said goodbye to our family of 3. I had a moment and then composed myself enough to go have a baby! 

We loaded up in the car and headed off. Contractions in the car were unbearable. You can't exactly position yourself to handle them in such a small space. I cried most of the way. 

Once at the hospital we did the routine paperwork and I was checked in and in a room in no time. Once I was in a gown I was checked and this baby was closer than I thought! The nurse asked me if I wanted an epidural and I declined. (What was I thinking, right?!) So Nathan and I walked the room. I cried with the really bad contractions and he encouraged me to breathe. Eventually I was checked again. I was 1 centimeter from pushing! In just a matter of time, I would meet the precious child the Lord had so generously given to our family. 

Natural labor causes you to forget a lot of things when it is happening (Praise the Lord!) so I can't tell you all the details here (not that you want to know anyways). I can tell you that I begged to push and the Doc was brought in. I don't remember these things but I was quoted saying, "I'm on fire!" and "Get this baby out of me!" Laugh now. 

At 10:35, just 4.5 hours after active labor started, we welcomed our precious baby girl! 

 This 7lb. 5 oz. bundle of joy has my heart. 

We invited everyone in to come see her.

These pictures are so candid and so precious to me. 

After about an hour, I was moved to a room and thats where we spent the next 24 hours. 

We settled in and loved on our sweet girl. We passed her and passed her. She is such a doll and mild mannered. 

And while grandparents loved on Sister, 

I got to spend some quality time with my boy. 

The very next day we were headed home. Thats right people, within 26 hours of giving birth this mama was on her way home with two kids. Two! We packed our bags and poor Nathan made about 10 trips to the car and back. He was our resident pack mule. Once we were all ready I buzzed the nurses. One for me and one for the baby. I got my prescriptions and discharge orders and she got her security bracelet cut off. She could officially leave the hospital without setting off alarms! 

The kiddos were all dressed up in their first matching outfits and we were out the door! 

This family that the Lord has given to me has made me a better woman. The most amazing husband and sweetest kids. I am blessed. 

And this birth story ended as we drove away from the place that both of my kids were been born. It was also the place where Camden was brought when he was in the accident. The Lord redeemed what could have been a dreaded place to go. But instead we buckled in two precious gifts and drove off to begin our new life.