One Year Ago Today

Today is such a wonderful and sad day all wrapped up in one. It is wonderful because 1 year ago today our beautiful baby girl Skye joined our family and sad because my baby girl is no longer a baby. How did time go so fast.

We have definitely had our challenges with the early Colic, 8 - 10 wakings per night until Skye was 9 months (sometimes now) but we wouldn't trade any of it for the world if that meant having our beautiful Skye.


So as I sit here and remember the day that Skye was born I figured I would let any of you that are interested get a taste of what it was like for Brad and I last April 14th, 2007.

Our story begins April 12, 2007.

I was 2 days overdue and thinking to myself I would have a belly as big as two basketballs for the rest of my life when I finally started to get contractions. I never had ( or didn't realize that I was having) Braxton Hix contractions so needless to say when I went into pre-labour and the contractions started I was not prepared at all. I was unable to sleep laying down so that night I went to sleep sitting up on the couch. I must admit I was a bit miffed that Brad could sleep undisturbed while I was on the couch sitting up all night.

April 13th, 2007

This was a Friday so of course Brad had to go to work. He found me in the morning sitting on the couch alternating between dosing and contracting and feeling quite sorry for myself . He lovingly asked me if I needed anything, gave me a kiss and left for work. I kept telling myself " Your fine, Your fine ". Well that only worked until 10:00am when I called Brad and told him to come home. I had to tell him that I wasn't having the baby but I was feeling sorry for myself and didn't want to be by myself anymore. So of course my wonderful husband came home as quick as he could ( well he did have to tell Louie who was driving him that day to slow down because he actually wanted to be around to see his baby being born) and spent the day giving me love, comfort and cleaning the house. For those of you that know Brad he just can't sit idle so if you add the thought of having a baby into the mix he was running around like a mad man.

The day passed into night and still no baby and the contractions only managed to get to about 20mins apart. We still couldn't go to the hospital. I must admit this made me sad as it seemed like forever since I was able to fully relax. Me feeling sorry for myself yet again!

As the night progressed we finally decided that it was time to go to sleep. Well Brad went to sleep I took up my usual post on the couch. I lasted until 2:00am when I had finally had enough. The contractions were 5 mins apart and I knew it was time to go. Even if it wasn't time I was going anyway.

So for those of you that have had a baby what did the fathers of your babies do when you told them it was time? Quickly grab your suitcase and hustle you to the car!

Nope - I went into the bedroom and called Brads name and said it's time. He proceeded to answer with " time for what" unfortunately my patience had run thin so I kind of of loudly (possibly yelled) back " WHAT DO YOU THINK ITS TIME FOR"!

So you would think OK he understands and he would get dressed, get me in the car and we would be on our way to the blessed hospital. Nope - I all of a sudden heard the shower running - he had actually decided to have a shower! Lucky for him I was in too much pain with the contractions to be able to go into the bathroom and hall him out by his hair.

April 14, 2007

Just as we were getting in the car Brad asked me how close the contractions were and I told him 5 mins. For some reason I didn't feel like he believed me. That was until I had 3 contractions and we weren't even half way to the hospital yet. Next thing I knew we were driving a wee bit faster.
My worst fear about going to the hospital was the thought that they might send me home if they didn't think I was far enough along. All I can remember is thinking to myself I will fight anyone to the death that tries to get me out of the hospital. I was not going home!!

The early hospital part is a bit of a blur as I had had no sleep really since Thursday and my belly kept insisting on twisting into a fiery ball of pain. All I remember is the them asking if I wanted and Epidural - the answer YES ( from both Brad and I) and then finally blessed relief when it finally kicked in.

Wow it was wonderful - I think Brad said it took 20 mins and then I was fast asleep on the bed. Finally some RELIEF!

I think I could have slept for a week but as we all know Babies eventually decide that they want to come out. After a little over 2 1/2 hours of pushing (yikes!) I was done. It was so unbelievable to see our wee little 9 pound 2 ounce baby ( OK maybe not that wee ) finally . Brad and I were in Awe. Our baby was finally here to join our family.

I don't know who cried more Brad, Skye or Me.

Fast forward

So lucky for me or should I say lucky for Brad he decided to tell me a month ago about one of his experiences of childbirth. Now the reason I said lucky for Brad is I think if he had told me this when I had just had Skye I might have not reacted quite so nicely :).

You see Brad had to help me through the contractions by counting to ten over and over again for the 2 1/2 hours while I pushed. Brad proceeded to tell me how tiring that was to do over and over and how he wished he could have had a break and had a chair to sit on. For you mothers out there you can imagine how you would have reacted if he told you that right after you had been through Pre-labour, Labour, Transition and Pushing! . Loving understanding might not have been our first emotion. However, don't worry I can laugh about this now :)

Thank you for taking the time to read our Birth Story - it was an amazing journey that resulted in such a blessed, wonderful, amazing little girl named Skye Viktoria Stevenson.