Tuesday's Posting

I had plans to update my blog on Tuesday-really I did. I took pictures of the early snow fall we were getting and pictures of the apples the girls and I used to make a pie which was also our homeschooling math for the day. What better way to introduce measurements than with cups of apples, teaspoons of cinnamon, and sugar? Anyway I had a burst of energy Tuesday morning and also gave the dog a bath, scrubbed down the tub, and did some vacuuming before heading off to the library and later the sitter's house to drop the girl's off for my doctor's appointment at 2:30. My plan was to sit down and post the pictures when we got home. Well, instead this is how the rest of my day came about. Right before we left home I had one or two contractions. While waiting to see the doctor two more. He did a pelvic exam and found that I was a good 3 1/2 centimeters dilated and my cervix was very ripe. We decided he would induce me Monday at noon if I didn't go into labor before then. Be the time he was done treating my feet for some nasty little warts I acquired this summer I had two more contractions. By the look on the nurse's face I would venture to say she was thinking he should send me straight to the hospital (I warned them that when I get to about 4 centimeters I usually progress rapidly). Anyway, my plan was to pick up a few groceries before picking up the girls and heading home. Nurse Peggy advised me to go straight home and call my husband. I told her I would think about it. So, I tried calling Ken who wasn't in the office and I couldn't reach on his cell phone. I decided "while I was thinking about it" I would head in the direction of the grocery store which is actually in the opposite direction from home by closer to the hospital. By the time I picked up my few basics I thought it would be wise to check if the sitter could keep the girls for the night and head home- just in case. They were able to stay so I dropped off their bag which thankfully I had thrown in the van before leaving just in case something would come up. In the meanwhile, Ken had gotten back to the office and returned my call. I told him that I thought we would probably be heading for the hospital that night and he should finish up at the office and go home. Somewhere around 4:30-4:45 I had 8 contractions within a 20 minute period. I called the doctor and told him we were heading for the hospital as soon as Ken gets home. I called Ken and told him that as soon as he gets home we would need to leave -and so we did. Since Ken didn't have time to get supper and I hadn't eaten either we stopped at the McDonald's drive through for his supper and a drink for me. It had been snowing a good bit all day and the roads were starting to get bad. Ken placed the order and then told the girl at the drive-up window to make it snappy because his wife is in labor. She gave a little chuckle and I said she probably doesn't believe you and promptly had another contraction (at this point they were coming about every two minutes). He told her he was serious, she quickly sped up the transaction, and as we were quickly pulling away as I heard here asking which hospital we were heading for...I was getting anxious to get to the hospital knowing how quickly I progressed with Rachel's delivery, knowing the roads were slippery and we had approximately 40 minute drive ahead of us. We came up behind a State Trooper who was following two other cars that were faithfully obeying the speed limit. We joked that it was too bad we couldn't radio ahead to the Trooper and request an escort. We also joked that we sure weren't expecting to drive through a snow storm to deliver THIS baby. The roads got even worse and we ended up passing a total of three accidents. One of which could have easily involved us by a matter of seconds. A pick-up truck coming from the opposite direction slide across our lane of traffic and into the ditch just before we got there. I was already praying that we would make it there safely and before I delivered. This made me pray even harder! We did make it safely to the hospital. I looked at the clock when we got in my room it was 6 pm. The doctor checked me I was 5 centimeters and still having regular contractions. At 7pm he broke my water and at 8:07pm little Evan was born 20 days early, weighing in at 6 lbs. 14 ounces, measuring 19 3/4 inches, and using his lungs to wail up a storm! He is a very cute little guy and doing wonderful! Hopefully I can soon get some pictures downloaded for all those anxious Aunts out there.