And then there were 4, the birth of Rowen Francis

Rowen turned one month on June 15th, sometimes it feels like I was just finding out I was pregnant and sometimes it feels like he has been here forever. So what has the last month been like for us? What has it been like going from one to two? Let me recap starting with May 14th, 2010, the day things were about to change....

I went to work on May 14th feeling like crap. I should have just stayed home but I wanted to save up every last possible vacation day for my maternity leave. It was about 80 degrees that day but I was freezing. I was so cold I had a coat on and the heat on in my car. This was my first cue that something was really not right. Labor? No. The flu? Maybe. I went about my day, had a blended sonic float (mmmm....) as my "last meal" and by 1pm couldn't take it anymore and went home from work. When I got home I took my temp- 102.8. This is when I started to get scared. If you know us and know what happened with Noah's birth then you can understand why I was trying not to panic. I called the doctor's who told me to go to hospital. I picked Noah up at daycare, my husband left work and we got to the birth center around 5:30 pm. By then my fever was gone (thanks to tylenol) but I had started throwing up ( had I ever stopped???). The shocker when my doctor had me admitted. Honestly, I thought I would get a check up and continue on with my friday night. Not so much. I hadn't even packed a bag, hell I didn't even have underwear on since I had puked right before we left, peed my pants, changed quickly and forgot the panties ( how is that for too much information!) Of course I started crying. I did not want to be stuck in a hospital away from my Noah....first lesson in parenthood of two, juggling the needs of all parties! Jesse and Noah left around 7pm and I started ( unbeknownst to me)my last night as a mother of one...

I was stuck to an I.V and on a fetal monitor so let's just say I was not comfortable. I watched Forest Gump, some Primetime, texted my friends, ate a banana, you know- all the things one does when alone in a hot, uncomfortable hospital bed. Around 2am I started having contractions. The nurse estimated I'd have the baby "soon"- but not that weekend. As the night went on they started getting stronger and by 5am I was pretty sure I was in labor. The doctor came in and checked me. Yup, in labor. 5cm dilated to be exact. I called my poor husband who was awoken up to the glorious " we are having a baby today dear" . If anyone knows my husband who was in denial for about 9 months or so you know nervous does not even cut it when describing his reaction. Phone calls continued to my doula and my mother...who did not take me seriously and ended up meeting Jesse at the hospital to get Noah at about 7ish- yes she stopped and got gas....and coffee......and took a nice long shower....don't rush or anything.

My labor with Rowen was near perfect. Sure it was painful. But having a doula helped immensely. Oh and it also helped that I was only in the really painful active labor for about 1.5 hours. And not to brag but I pushed him out in 9 minutes. Water broken, check. Baby in under 10 minutes, check. One happy mama, check. Daddy only had to witness labor for about an hour- score for daddy! The whole thing could not have worked out better because let me tell you if I had not been admitted for that fever I would have questioned my labor until about 6:00 and would have barely made it to the hospital!

Not to dredge up "Noah's Story" but having this fast labor and delivery prevented my anxiety from getting the best of me, a huge blessing. Rowen was born at 8am weighing just under 8 pounds and 21.5 inches long. Not bad for almost 2 weeks early! Of course there needed to be some drama, there was meconium in his fluid when my water broke, but he was healthy and pink and had no issues. I can not even begin to describe how happy and relieved we were ( are), this is what we hoped.and prayed. and wished for all of those months and the moment could not have been better. I was so relieved to have Rowen in my arms safe and sound that I just wanted out of the hospital. After some begging, a few blood tests and promises to call if he or I needed anything- they discharged me a mere 24 hours after having a baby.

and that is when life as we knew it changed. and a new and wonderful life began....