Here we are, new parents of the most beautiful, precious, funny, yummy, perfect baby ever and it's hard to remember what it was like not knowing Stella. Do we sound like every other new parent? I still cannot believe that she is coming up on the three month mark already. March 5th feels in many ways like just a few days ago. Her birthday is and will always be one of the most incredible days of our lives.
Thursday morning I awoke to a few strong Braxton Hicks contractions, but wasn't startled because I had been having them on and off for a few days. I got up and began to get ready noticing that they continued about every 10 minutes. I had passing thoughts that today could be the day, but didn't want to get hopes up so I didn't dwell on them for too long. Just in case, though I thought it would be a good idea to take a shower and get ready for my day. In the shower is when I began getting stronger contractions than I had before. With these I had to lean against the wall for balance as I waited for them to pass. I quickly got ready and headed downstairs with my notebook, pillow, and herbal eye pillow to have Seth begin recording time and length of contractions. We were both a little giddy, but still didn't want to get our hopes up. We watched sports center together (that was the day that Terrel Owens was released from the Cowboys) and I began to get increasingly irritated with noisy commercials. The sham-wow guy came on and I all but yelled at Seth to turn off the TV as a new and increasingly strong contraction was beginning. A few minutes later we had a visitor. It was Rosie Whitelock coming over from her Bible study to let us know jokingly that today would be a convenient day for us to have Stella because she was going to be out of town for the weekend. Seth told her that I was having some contractions and she came in to check on me. Both of us were still pretty unsure if I was in real labor. We had heard so many stories of couples driving to Gunnison and then turning right back around due to false labor. We didn't want to have to do that. Rosie watched as I concentrated through a 30 second contraction, by now they were 5 minutes apart consistently, and she very calmly suggested that we call the doctor just to confirm that we shouldn't come in yet. Later, Rosie told us that she was trying very hard to stay calm because having had 4 kids of her own she knew what real labor looked like and I was definitely experiencing real labor. She wasn't too thrilled about the idea of delivering Stella on the way to the hospital. Dr. Niccoli conformed Rosie's very wise intuition and we began the scramble of grabbing overnight bags, cell phones, and the car seat. Rosie rode with me and Seth in the car and David followed. Barreling down 149 at an average of 80 mph, Rosie continued to record my contractions and distract both of us with funny stories. I laughed between contractions. As we reached Blue Mesa, the contractions shortened to 2 minutes apart. That is when Seth kicked it into high gear, passing semis and running red lights. I was lying back in the seat with my herbal "eye pillow" on my face when this was happening, which saved me from the white knuckled stress that Rosie was experiencing in the back seat as Seth made record time to the hospital.
We arrived at Gunnison Valley Hospital at 1pm and checked in with the nurses at the ER desk. They asked if they could help us and I just smiled and said "I'm here to have a baby." The OB nurses told me I was way too happy, so I must not be that far into labor yet. To their surprise, I was already dilated to a 5. After getting to the hospital and out of the car, the contractions slowed down a bit and allowed me to walk the halls in my awkward, pink hospital gown. I held tight to Seth as we walked and talked and stopped to breathe through intensifying contractions. My Bradley Method coach and incredibly faithful friend, Jess made it to the hospital after getting our messages at the top of Monarch mountain. She said she skied down that mountain fasted than she ever has in her life. The next few hours are a blur of back labor, Seth faithfully massaging and not massaging as I commanded, Psalm 23 running through my mind, David's random encouragements from the hall, Jess counting down as I breathed through ever building contractions, and Rosie making us laugh between the painful moments of silence. Right before Dr. Niccoli broke my water and it was time to push, my body felt as though it could hardly take any more muscle wrenching contractions. During the last 45 minutes, my entire body shook uncontrollably as I tried to breathe and allow it to do what it needed to do. All I wanted was for Stella to come safely out and into my arms. At 5:23pm, after 4 sets of pushes, the first 2 very unproductive and the last 2 unbelievably painful, a beautiful, purple, slippery little Stella was placed on my chest as she let out her first cry. Seth stood beside me unable to hold back tears as he looked at his little girl for the first time. When they took Stella to the table to clean her up, Seth and I gazed at each other for what seemed like an hour, exchanging a look of thankfulness and unconditional love and respect.
The entire experience really can be summed up in one word, which just happens to be Stella's middle name: Grace. An incredibly enjoyable pregnancy, a quick and smooth labor, a healthy beautiful baby girl, and the beginning of an adventure that has and will only bring that much closer to the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
