The birth story of Emalyn Grace

I know a few of you have been asking for the story of Emalyn's birth and although it's been almost 2 months since she was born (REALLY?!?!? Two months, already?!?!) I figured I'd better get that out there!

The last week of July JT and I helped out in VBS at the chapel on base. It was probably one of the hottest weeks in England to date and I was BIG and ready to meet my baby girl. I kept talking to friends and family telling them that I just felt like Emalyn would come early but everyone kept saying to me that most first time moms don't come early but I just had a feeling...but what do I know! :) I did however want her to be born in August so I would talk to her in my belly and tell her that she couldn't come until August 1st. That weekend we went to a BBQ at a friends house and they were playing volleyball. I got out there and played for a little bit. Everyone was concerned that I would go into labor and I kept telling them...That's the point! :) But nothing happened...which is good I guess cause I still had 4 days until August.

July 31st I was having a bad day...I was tired ( wasn't getting hardly any sleep) and I wanted to go walk. JT didn't want to go and that upset me so I stormed off by myself. I walked hard and fast. I felt the Braxton Hicks coming a bit stronger then normal but just blew off...I could still walk and talk and they weren't regular. So after walking for 45 minutes at 38 weeks I came home and went to bed feeling fine. Nothing different.

The next morning I woke up around 8:45 AM when JT kissed me goodbye. I rolled over to go back to sleep and just a LITTLE bit of what I thought was pee came out. I thought on geez...well it was hardly anything at all so I just kept sleeping. A little bit later I roll back over and again just a LITTLE bit came out. I thought..."man...I guess I really need to go to the bathroom". So I got up and started to waddle to the bathroom. JUST as I start to enter into the bathroom...off of the carpet...I feel a bunch of water come out. I thought...Oh my goodness...I REALLY had to go!!! A bit embarrassed and glad JT wasn't home I headed to the toilet and finish the job. When I went to stand up a whole bunch more water comes gushing out. I then start to panic and think...that's not pee...that's my water!!! So I sit back down and begin to talk to myself trying to calm myself down and try and figure out how I was going to get my phone that was by the bed without getting water all over the place. Well, after freaking out the dog and managing to get my phone without too much of a mess, I started the journey of trying to get ahold of my husband! For at least the last couple of months I had been telling JT that he needed to make sure to have his phone on him or let me know how to get ahold of him if he wasn't able to use his cell..."what if I go into labor???...but he always blew it off like it would all be okay. HA! Well I call and call and call every number I had for him and NOTHING!!! Probably 10 to 15 minutes go by of me trying to get ahold of him and getting nothing, that I begin to call the main number but putting in any random last four hoping I would get someone that works close to him...nothing...until some guy answers. Turns out this guy doesn't work in finance, doesn't work on his floor, and he even doesn't work in the same building! HA How did that happen? So after the guy thinking I was pretty crazy I finally tell him that I am pregnant and my water just broke..."WHAT?!?!? Do you need an ambulance?" I told him I was trying to get ahold of my husband but he wasn't answering and was hoping he worked near him. It worked out that he knew who JT was and knew other people that worked with him so he got ahold of them for me!

He called his office and told the lady that worked right next to JT. Once he told her what was going on she hangs up the phone on him, stands up and screams "DANA'S WATER BROKE!!! DANA'S WATER BROKE!!!" as she runs through the office to get JT. JT gets the message and runs home. Now I am the one who is calm and he is freaking out! "What do we need, what do I do, are you okay, etc?" Once I knew he was on his way home I was good. I jumped in the shower and washed off. Did my hair and make up and we were out the door.

We arrived at the hospital around 10:45 AM. They checked us in and put us in the waiting room until an actual room opened up. After waiting in there for about 2 hours they hooked me up to the pitocin to get my contractions going. I wasn't feeling any of them.

Once we got into our room things got a bit blurry as to what all happened. I just know it took a long time for me to even start getting contractions but once I did they were STRONG but I wasn't very dilated. I believe it was some time in the late evening I couldn't handle it anymore.

I was at about 5.5 CM. I didn't want to get an epidural so they gave me some kind of pain killer through my IV to easy the pain. That only lasted about 30 minutes or so. I waited a while longer, to about 11:30pm I think. I had been throwing up, sweating buckets but cold as ice, and shaking uncontrollable. I was 8 cm at this point but I wanted to quit! Throw in the towel, I am DONE! So I gave in and got the epidural. It helped a lot for awhile. I got some rest for the first time since the night before but it stopped working on my right side. They had to up my dosage and gave me a shot to help numb me faster and then I had to push!!! I couldn't even feel my legs, much less my contracts to know when to push! With the help of a nurse and JT lifting my legs I began to push! After awhile though the epidural wore off again but this time she was coming! We believe it was about 3 or so hours of actual pushing until she came at 3:02am!

Once she was out, emotions ran! JT sobbed and I couldn't keep my eyes off of her! I had tore just a bit so the doctor stitched me up while they cleaned her. Once both were done they brought her to me and placed her in my arms. I knew right then that my life was never going to be  the same again. My love for her was so big. It was overwhelming. I cried with so much joy and love for both my baby girl and my husband!

She was such a great baby. When she came out she didn't cry. She just kind of fussed a bit and looked around. Even while they cleaned her and poked her. She only cried when they gave her a bath and she got poked for the jaundice. Aww yes, the jaundice. Turned out that she had a pretty high level of jaundice. The day we were suppose to leave the doctor came in and told us about her jaundice. All I remembered her saying was "it's in the level of her getting brain damage". I heard nothing else! She had to be in the light therapy for 17 hours so that meant we had to stay another 24 hours or just about. I just cried and cried while she was in there. It broke my heart even though she was fine. Hardly ever cried.

After being in there for 17 hours she was good! We were able to go home and we were so excited to get home. Feels like just yesterday that we brought her home and it's been 2 months now. Time really does go by so fast!

Welcome home sweet Emalyn Grace!