Happy Birthday Sydney!

I like to think that when we celebrate our childrens' birthdays, we are also celebrating ME! I put the birth in this birthday, and don't you forget it!

So here's my part of Sydney's birth story: (warning graphic content ahead)

Hannah was getting ready to turn 3, and we were starting to wonder if there was something wrong with me. 3 years without a period is a loooong time. So I went to the OBGyn and he said that is a common side effect of Depo Provera. I had the Depo shot twice; once when Hannah was 6 weeks old, and again 3 months later. Then I started to feel wierd so I decided not to get the shot again. It took 3 years for that drug to work it's way out of my system. Bad.

A month or two after I went to the doctor, my cycles started again, and I got pregnant right away. I was sick, sick, sick. So sick I didn't leave the house except for church for over a month. So sick that on Nathan's birthday I dragged myself to Raley's and bought him mechanical pencils and a pack of hostess cupcakes. So sick that the first time I went to Target after being sick for months I was sore the next day. But, a couple months later in the pregnancy I felt great!

I was due Feb. 26th. When that day rolled around and I didn't have a baby I was mad! But the next day, Friday, I started to feel some contractions. We went to the hospital early Saturday morning (Feb.28th - it was not a leap year if you were wondering, no chance of a 29th birthday) when my contactions were 5 min. apart, but we were sent home, and the nurse mentioned that this kind of thing could go on for days... Not encouraging.

Nathan worked at that hospital - 3 days a week while going to college the other 4 days a week. He didn't really get vacation, so when I went home he went in to work. Another interesting fact is that was the same hospital where I was born!

My dad was visiting on buisness, and he and Hannah went to go pick up my mom at the Oakland airport. I was home alone without a car. In labor. I don't remember being worried about that. I took a bath. I did some laundry. I took a nap.

All day my contractions were coming and going. Nothing regular. Not at all like my labor with Hannah, which was very steady and regular.

Then, I remember laying on our hand-me-down couch and breathing through 2 really strong contractions and thinking, I NEED to go to the hospital. NOW!

So I called my neighbor and good friend, Mo. Short for Maureen. But her phone was busy. So I tried again, and it was busy again. I REALLY needed to go to the hospital. So I got up, and walked across the street, and down three houses to Mo's. Luckily she was home.

She let me get in her car, though she told me if I had the baby in her car she would kill me. And we zoomed across town to the hospital.

We walked in to register, and the check-in lady stood up, got we a wheelchair and pushed me to Labor and Delivery. She told me I had the "look" and I could finish the paperwork later. She also called Nathan and told him to get down there, quick!

When the nurse came in to check me, she said I was already dialated to a 10. And all the sudden the labor/delivery room got very exciting. Vitals checked. Equipment moved. Baby stuff set up. People running around. 3 people tried starting my IV, but they couldn't and my hand swelled up and turned purple and they decided to forget it.

My Midwife was on her way across town, and she got there about 15 minutes after I did. She didn't take the time to change clothes. As she came in the room, a nurse helped her into the front cloak thing, and Sydney was born about a second later - maybe one or two pushes.

No IV. No epidural. No stitches.

And Sydney was perfect. Beautiful and sweet.

Just after she was weighted (7 pounds 8 oz.) and measured and handed to me, my parents walked in with Hannah. They had gotten back to our house as Mo arrived home from taking me to the hospital. She told them where we were, so they decided to come check on us, thinking it would be a few hours before the baby was born. They were suprised to find that Sydney had already arrived.

Nathan's parents arrived soon after and it was like a party! What an exciting day!

Sydney is still suprising us. She is lively and beautiful. She has a sensitive heart and a big smile. She is curious and timid and brave and agile and strong and fast and fun!

Happy Birthday Sydney Rae!