Tobin's Birth Story - Part Two

Part One is here.

Saturday, February 4^th

After a very emotional Friday and a nearly sleepless evening that followed due to restlessness on my part about being induced, I woke exhausted and was a general mess. I had never been so tired. I had never been so plain worn out – emotionally and physically. I didn’t know what to think anymore and to be honest – I was tired of thinking about it all. As I’ve documented plenty on this blog of mine, I tend to over-think whenever given the chance…and oh how I had overthought the entire process of being induced, my pending labor experience, and just how our baby boy would be brought into the world. And seriously, thank goodness for a husband who really stepped in big-time and was able to pull me back to reality.  How he did it, I don’t know, but after a big cry and letting me verbalize all my worries, I was better. Still apprehensive, sure! But I was back on track. 

That night we promised each other to take full advantage of our last Saturday as just a couple sans kids…and it was the kind of night we love. The one where, had I not been pregnant, I would have likely wound up drinking one too many drinks in the safety of my own home. Which, if you ever really want to see me cut loose, let me play yahtzee and drink wine in my own home. It’s sure to get me wasted. SO random, yes. But apparently the homebody in me prefers getting crazy in the comfort of my own home;) So, that’s exactly what we did. Without the alcohol, obviously!

Rusted Root blasted from the speakers, I showed off a couple HAWT dance moves, and we played some serious yahtzee. And there was tons of laughter. Margot got in on the action and Raleigh sat there like the general lump he is – a cute lump – but a lump all the same. It was perfect and exactly what the doctor ordered. I went to bed happy and content. 

Sunday, February 5^th

I woke up feeling the most energized I had in a long, long, long time. In fact, I remember the first thing I said to Ty that morning being – “I feel like a new person!” In the last 24 hours I had come full circle. Feelings of exhaustion and anxiety from the day before were replaced with a sense of calm and excitement for the next morning – there was something SO amazing about knowing that our time to meet our baby was imminent. The guessing was gone, and we would be on our way the following morning to start the process that would introduce us to our son.

Ty woke just as energized as I did – he was just as excited that it was REALLY all going to happen now. After a leisurely morning we put our energy to use and with our big cups of coffee we went about packing up the rest of the labor bag and hospital bag, loading the extra pillows in the car for what would be an early start the next morning! 

Feeling like we had reached a good stopping point – we couldn’t pack everything in the car at that second – we had planned to work out. And by work out – I mean I was going to go on one last walk around my “loop.” The “loop” was about a 3-3.5 mile walk down to the lake by our house and back, and I can’t tell you how many times this pregnant lady took that walk. It was a total source of comfort, stress relief, and exercise all rolled into one. So it seemed appropriate that I go one last time.

My mom was planning to meet me at noon, so at 11:45 I went upstairs to get on my shoes. Yes, at this point it could take 15 minutes to get my shoes on! Just kidding… I gave myself the extra time, because I would have to go to the bathroom like 7 times to make sure I could make it that whole distance without peeing myself. That’s the honest truth:)

I remember sitting down on the bed, winded from the simple task of walking up our stairs, and bending over to put on my shoes…and then IT happened. All of a sudden I couldn’t breathe – a tidal wave of pain rocked over my body. I thought I had possibly moved too fast in trying to put on my shoes, so I threw myself back on the bed thinking I had strained something…only that didn’t help, the pain was still there! So with one shoe on, I did the only logical thing there was to do…I ran myself to the bathroom. And that’s where Ty found me – with one shoe on, sitting there with a confused look on my face. He did the obvious and asked me what I was doing. To which I replied, “I don’t know…I think I may have had a serious contraction, but then I thought I was going to crap my pants!” 

At this point since I felt fine, we just were hopeful that if it had been a contraction – that would mean things were moving along and that it would only improve our chances of a successful induction the next morning. But as we waited for my parents to show up, one more happened…now our hearts were racing a little bit – but there was NO WAY this was happening, right? I remember telling Ty – DO NOT GET EXCITED like a million times, when really I was just telling myself those words since Ty is by far the calmer of us two. I also made him promise to not say a word to either of my parents, because I didn’t need them to get excited either. 

My parents showed up and as Ty went to leave with my Dad to the gym, my Mom and I turned down the road to begin my “loop.” Little did I know what that loop had in store…