Finally a Family of Four

Ooof.
I just wanted to start with that.
So I just wanted to start off with my labor. When and how it began. So anyone reading this, please be advised, not for the faint of heart ;]
Tuesday, the night before my induction was intense. It was like the biggest Christmas Eve night EVER. Ian and I could barely sleep. We kept tossing and turning and just talking to each other about what tomorrow is going to be like!
The next morning was surreal. Ian had his nervous game face on. When he gets nervous he gets sarcastic and funny. Everything was a joke and he had the cutest nervous laughter ever. We stopped by Captain Parker's on our way to the Hospital, the Chef there had a good luck present for Ian. A nice cigar! I thought that was very nice of him. Anyways...
We got to the hospital around 9:30am. I went over my birth plan with the nurse. She was one of those nurses. The "yah", "uh-huh", "whatever" kind. It was quite annoying. I had a plan in my head and I was going to do it the best of my ability regardless of how SHE felt about it. Doctor Elmer was on duty that day which was exciting because he is my actual doctor. And there was also a midwife on duty as well, Jeanette.
So Doctor Elmer checked me and I was 3cm dilated and still a little over 80% effaced. Great news! 3cm dilated means they could break my water. So Doctor Elmer did. Contractions started pretty much right away. They weren't crazy by any means. Just some pressure and tightness. Doctor Elmer had said he would come in and check my vitals and see if there was anything on the monitor showing my progression through contractions at 11:30 am.
Unfortunately nothing really was showing up on the contraction sheets so I agreed to start pitocin. Now this nurse, the one from before, she wanted to administer the IV herself. I remembered from Cassidy that this nurse really blows at doing this, but I didn't say anything. Stupid. I definitely should of. She stuck me a solid five times in and out, through my vein AGAIN. My arm swelled up like a balloon (or I should say an even bigger balloon), and she had to take it out. I thought I was going to pass out. My blood pressure dropped, I got nauseous and starting to sweat. I remember Kelly saying "she is really pale" but I really wasn't too much there at that moment. I just remember thinking do NOT pass out, that would really suck. Think about Zoey. Luckily I did not pass out. Everyone in that room was pissed. Kelly, Ian, me and my Mom. We really aren't the best group to collectively piss off. So she got in a IV administrator. A person who does that all day and is VERY good at it. She was shocked that nurse couldn't get my vein correctly. She said I had a couple of and I quote "fabulous" veins. She did it in about 15 seconds no lie. Okay, so now I am on pitocin. Started at noon, 2 mils to begin.
I went up in increments of 2 mils every hour or so. The highest amount you can get is 20mils and I stopped at 8mils. They hooked me up to a special machine so I could walk around. I walked and walked and walked the halls. My mom and Ian were there to support me, push against my back when the pain came and just help me get through the power surges (contractions). I started my relaxation breathing right away. In for four counts, out for eight. In for four, out for eight. As soon as I felt like I didn't want to see anyone and wanted to just "turn in" I went back to my room and sat on the ball. I did more of my relaxation breathing and wah breathing. Ian and my mom took turns sitting behind me putting pressure against my back and just letting me be there to lean on them when I needed too. I asked everyone to leave besides just me and Ian and we were rocking on the ball and at that moment I knew I wanted an epidural. I was done. This pain was INTENSE. I told Ian to get my mom because I knew she would tell me no to the pain medication. I turned on my hypnosis Cd and then it hit me. I NEED TO PUSH.
The nurse Barbara, checked me. Just about 10cm. I looked at the clock. It is 3:25. I went from 3cm to 10cm in a little over 3 hours. I was SHOCKED and scared. Crap. Definitely no epidural. Okay Samantha, time to bare down.
The midwife came in and said I could push when I felt like I needed too. I tried to just relax. Let my body do what it naturally wanted to do. I was laying on back and I was SO uncomfortable. My hernia was killing me and I felt like my back was going to break in half. I felt weak. I could barely could find energy in me to push. It just wasn't working. So I took action. I said I wanted to stand up. Do this squatting. Let gravity help me. I certainly needed it. So they got the bar set up and immediately I felt the difference. It was easier, much easier. Now don't take the "easier" as less painful, because although my back felt so much better, the pressure was even more now. I pushed for a little over an hour before she was delivered. At the end it got crazy. Literally 5 minutes before she was born I accidentally ripped my IV out. Blood went flying EVERYWHERE. Her head had crowned and this time I touched her. I could feel her hair, her eyes, her nose she was almost here and my legs were giving out. I got scared. I was afraid they were going to give out and her head was right there. The midwife noticed my legs getting weak and we had to take action. I somehow managed enough adrenaline to lift myself up and lay on my back with the help of my support, Barbara, Ian and my mom. Once I was on my back again, I had one last push and she came sliding out, all 9 lbs 4.3 ozs, 21" long and a big ole 14" head of hers.
She coughed. That was it. Her face looked blue. But within a few seconds she was crying. Loudly. Her color came in and she was kicking her arms and legs around. She went right up to my chest and we did skin to skin for the first hour and she latched immediately. The midwife kept the umbilical cord attached to get the last of the nutrients and then Ian cut it. There she was. Staring at me. My baby Zoey. She finally was here. And she was beautiful. I was in love and in pain, lots of pain.
There was lots of blood. I could tell my mom looked concerned and I could feel the blood coming out. I knew it was a lot. I started getting concerned too. I had torn. Badly. Level 3 out of 4. And let me tell you, THAT hurt. The midwife wanted to wait til Doctor Elmer came back to repair it. No pain medication or numbing anything for an HOUR. Yep, HOUR. Holy Hell people...I just pushed out the biggest baby EVER! Give me something now please? Elmer came in and stitched me up and I was done. Or so I thought.
After you have a baby your uterus still contracts to stop the bleeding. Your first baby these are slight cramps, barely anything. But your second and following children, GOOD LORD. It was like contractions all over again. Man did they hurt. Finally today, two days later they are manageable.
But after all of that, Zoey Leigh was here. And everything was worth her. My first labor with Cassidy was 15 hrs and 45mins. This labor was 4 hours and 33 minutes. I still can't believe it. That was so quick!

Zoey is amazing. She is all muscle. Cassidy was rolls on top of rolls. Not Zoey. She barely has any. Its all just muscle. And she is a chow hound. If she isn't sleeping she is eating. And she is just a champ at it! Cassidy met her that night. She was adorable with her. She already has this protectiveness over Zoey. She just wants to be close to her, holding her, touching her and watching who ever has her. Make sure nothing happens to her baby sister. She loves her. So much.
Not to mention Zoey looks like a minature Cassidy. It is so crazy!

Zoey on left, Cassidy on right!

Everyone is happy, healthy and more in love with eachother than we have been before. Ian is so in love with his daughters, as sisters they are already forming such a bond and me. I am just as happy as I could ever be. I have a great little family.

Our family is finally our family of four.