Delivery Day ~ One Week Away

Well, the hospital just called to get me pre-registered.  I'm scheduled to be induced in one week.  I'm pretty excited that the light at the end of the tunnel finally feels like it's close.  My day of deliverance is nigh.  It's a good feeling.  Of our 8 kids, I've been induced for 5 and had an epidural for 7.  I went all natural with Abi (below).  Felt pretty empowered after that delivery and it was a whole new experience for sure.

Here's the pregnancy history, cause we women love to talk about our labor experiences, right?

Joseph - he was due Jan 1, born Jan 9th (I was dying) ~ Corey and I were at college, it was my first pregnancy, and when I reached 36 weeks and the doctor said I was full term and could go into labor, I got my hopes up too high and was hoping I'd get to miss out on my finals at college (or atleast get a little more time to cram?) Total bummer when not only did I not get out of taking finals but I was back at the beginning of the next semester, still pregnant, to answer the foolish question "You're still pregnant?" and "When are you due?" My reply "Last week..."  ugh.  But I guess I survived it, huh.  He had muconium in his water and things were a little scary at first and they almost did an emergency C section, the nurse said "if the baby survives" once and my dr. gave her a death glare, he was cool and collected and everything turned out okay.  But I decided I did not like waiting and or going overdue, and feared that maybe that's what the timing of my deliveries would always be if I waited for things to start on their own.

Along came Melodie 11 months later ~ (Joseph and Melodie are Irish twins, both born in the year 2000, Joseph in Jan, Melodie in December, impressive, I know)  She was due December 18th, we had graduated and moved and so I was at a new doctor, Layne Smith, who is my current doctor (he's great) who had just bought the practice of a different doctor, so I was among his first patients.  When I went in for my 39 week appointment, he asked me "So, what do you like to do?  Wait to go into labor on your own?  Want to be induced on your due date?  Or want to be induced tomorrow..." and that's where he became my hero.  "TOMORROW?!?!?"  I called Corey to ask him what he thought ~ "Hey sweetie - what do you think if we have the baby tomorrow?"  There was a pause on his end of the phone and then he replied "You're pregnant?!"  Ok, nevermind asking you...  Hang up.  "Yes, Mr. Hero Doctor, tomorrow would be WONDERFUL!"  Got an epidural, things went great and I thought to myself "that's the way to do it."
And now I had the two most stinkin' cute kids ever, don't you agree?

Ethan came along in March 2002, I was induced, got the epidural, it was great.  One thing I didn't like about that one was that we had to go to the hospital across the valley, and when I was fully dialated and ready to push, we waited cause Dr. Smith was stuck in traffic.  Ethan came out with a major cone head.  It corrected itself soon enough, but I decided I didn't like having to go to a hospital far from our home.  Dumb "in-network" insurance stuff, kind of annoying.

Hyrum was due August 18th and born the 12th, he was my biggest baby at 8 lbs 10 oz and was an absolutely perfect baby and just so cute and chubby.  I was really on the ball with exercise and diet during his pregnancy and thought maybe all those protein shakes had made him so robust.

For Wesley we moved back to Provo for Corey to attend business school so I went to the same doctor that delivered Joseph.  He didn't do like to do inductions, so that was okay, I'd rather go with someone I knew, plus I trusted him cause of how he handled Joseph's delivery.  Wes was due June 23rd and he was born the 25th, just 2 days later, better than the 9 days I was expecting from Joe's birth. And now we had the five cutest kids ever!  Wesley was such a happy baby ~

Poor Melodie, will she ever have a sister?  haha.

Then Corey gradutated from school, we moved to Virginia, found out we were expecting again, and we moved to Brazil in Feb.  And as I experienced a mere 4 months living on foreign soil I turned into a stressed out woman.  I didn't exercise cause I was of the mentality that you needed a gym or atleast weights.  So I ate lots of chocolate and washed clothes by hand and we had an adventure.  But I struggled abroad.  And struggled some more after we moved back, so it wasn't the circumstances but more likely it was my thinking, I needed a serious mental shift to fix my attitude.   Anyway, we didn't have insurance when we got back, I was due September 4th, Corey was hoping it would kick in with a job he was going to start on Sept 14th and that I wouldn't go into labor until then.  So, eventhough I was back with Dr. Smith and could have been induced at 39 weeks, I stuck it out.  And was glad I didn't go til the 14th, she was born on September 3rd.  (She could have made the school year cut off had I been induced, so sad.  It's been a long year for her but she's excited to finally start school this fall). So yeah, I went all natural with Abi and didn't even get the epidural, and for the first time had lots of pain for weeks after her birth with contractions, I didn't like that, but still it I enjoyed being able to say I'd gone all natural.  Here's Abi at a week old, what a cutie.

Then Lily came in June '09, and she was sooooo little!  5 lbs 13 oz.

I couldn't believe how small she was, made me wonder if something was wrong.  Corey joked "that's what happens when you take them out of the oven too early" but she was perfect and healthy, the hospital staff said she was just small.

Then we had our adventure in Costa Rica and I had a miscarriage there.  Got pregnant with Sophia in Chile, so we didn't have insurance again, blah.  We got back from Chile in May and Sophia was born 4 months later.  I was induced, and thought to save $ maybe I'd try to skip out on the epidural again as we didn't have maternity coverage again (we don't this time either, the joys of entrepreneurship, yeah).  Around 11:00 a.m. the contractions were getting intense and I was still wondering if I wanted to go natural.  Corey's advice "You better decide quick, you're going to miss your window of opportunity..." "OK.. (wince)... I'll get it ... (breathe)..." and in came the nice anethesiologist to give my body peace around 11:30.  Ahhhh.  She was born an hour later, it all went without a hitch and she was perfect.  

So, there's a brief overview of my past Delivery Days.  We'll see what next week brings.  I always feel a little nervous about complications or something going wrong, the same way I make plans to be a widow whenever Corey travels.  But it's in the Lord's hands, whatever happens, He is in control and I trust in Him and His plan for us.  :)