Birth Day

Well I love to hear baby's birth stories and of course want to remember our special story with our boy. So here it goes!!! :)

Thursday May 5th I had some strong contractions at dinner. I decided to ignore them because as many of you know I have been having contractions for a few weeks and having them go nowhere. Later that evening I realized they were coming every 10 minutes and some where quite strong. I tried to get some sleep in case this was the "real deal" but they were strong enough I couldn't sleep through them. I thought about waking Dan up, but I knew 10 minutes where too far apart. Finally morning came and I told Dan what had happened. I ate some breakfast and the contractions completely stopped. I was SO FRUSTRATED! NOT AGAIN!!!!!!! I tried to enjoy my morning with Saffryn but honestly I was so crabby it was rubbing off on her. Poor baby girl. Well after naptime the contractions came back again every 10 minutes. Dan got home a little early and we decided to go for a walk and see if we could get these contractions really going. So Saffryn, Dan and I went to the Nature Park and walked around. In basically no time my contractions started coming every 2-3 minutes and were pretty strong. I wasn't convinced that it was time to go to the hospital just yet because I was so afraid they were just going to stop again.

So instead we went to Papa and Gigi's and had some dinner. My contractions kept on coming every 2-3 minutes and my appetite wasn't very strong. Hmm...maybe we should head to the hospital. I still wasn't too sure because I thought I would be in more pain. The contractions were strong but not painful. Dan's parents graciously offered to watch Saffryn for us so we could go. It was such a relief to have them help us!

We got to the hospital and it is SO not like the movies...hahah. I walked in and they said, "How can I help you." I calmly said, "I think I might be in labor." She said, "ok fill out this paper work and someone will be with you."....SO WIERD! Dan and I were laughing so much about that. We got back into the room and they checked my blood pressure, urine, temp and dilation. I was dilated to a 3 and about 60-70% effaced. They hooked me up to the monitors to watch contractions and the baby's heart beat. This was around 8pm.

About an hour and a half later the nurse came back and checked me. I was at 4 and 70-80% effaced. Yahoo...progress! Contractions were steady but she said she wanted to see me in more pain...(great...LOL). So another hour they watched me. During that hour the contractions got much stronger. I had to start breathing through them and thinking about what I was doing. She came back to check me about 11 and I was a 5 and 80% effaced. We were staying!!!

After that I really felt like I was in labor. Dan was wonderful. He was a great coach helping me breath through contractions. He walked with me, helped me while I was in the tub and was SO GREAT! A couple hours of this and they checked me again. Stil a 5. I could tell my contractions were slowing down and I really wrestled with what to do: epidural or no epidural. Honestly I was doing fine with the contractions and Dan was really awesome and helpful but we were both getting tired. I thought maybe if I got the epidural my labor would speed up like it did with Saffryn. So at 2 a.m I got the epidural. They ended up giving me too much numbing medicine and I was really uncomfortable. I was numb to my neck...yuck! Contractions continued to stay slow and I didn't make much progress...ok NO PROGRESS for a few more hourse. They checked me at 4 and I was still a 5...maybe a 6...no wait stil just a 5.

At 4 my water broke. I was hopeful that this would speed up my labor. It didn't seem to do to much. Contractions are still really slow. At this point in the night it is fair to say I am very discouraged. I am tired, really uncomfortable because I am SO numb. She checks me at 5 and still a 5. No progress in 6ish hours. At 6 a.m she checks me and I am now a 7...awesome! At 7 she checks me and I am a 9. ALRIGHT! They get the Dr. oncall on the phone and tell him he needs to get to my room. About 10 minutes later I am telling them, "I feel a lot of pressure, check me." ITS TIME!!!! I wait a couple of contractions for the Dr. to come and as soon as he walks in he says start pushing! I wait for the contraction push a couple of times and he is almost out. One more contraction and he is OUT!!!! 7:37 am our most wonderful son is born! Welcome Pierce James Mahoney! 8lbs 2oz and 20 inches long! PERFECTION!!! Dan and I were both emotional when he came out. I don't know what it is about that moment but it is so breath taking. It is overwhelming and wonderful. They gave him straight to me and I got to hold him skin on skin for an hour or so.

The rest of the morning was a blur of tests, stomach pushing (yuck), cleaning him up and nurses buzzing around the room. Finally around 11:30 they left and let us breathe. Papa, Gigi and Saffryn came to visit around 9:30 or so. Saffryn was uninterested in the baby to say the least...hahaha. She was so busy exploring the room and enjoying attention from her grandparents :)My mom came in around 1:30 and stayed with us for a few hours. It was so great to see her. She had perfect timing again!

We left the hospital Sunday morning and got to come home. We had lots of visitors and appreciated all the thoughts and prayers.

Pierce is just the sweetest. I am so crazy about him. I was worried about bonding with him and about loving more than one child. But it is the most amazing thing...IT'S EASY! He is so precious and I am so crazy about him. I once heard that your love isn't cut into 2 when you have 2 children, your heart just grows twice as big. I can tell you its true. Both of my children are amazing and special and I could not love them more. Pierce is a snuggle bunny and is already showing signs of being different than Saffryn! So fun!

We are so glad you are here baby boy. You are such a special and perfect addition to our family. Dan is awesome and I could not do it without him! Thanks for being a wonderful husband and dad! God has really blessed us!



Basically right after birth! So sweet!



Basically right after birth!

It was such a fun Mother's Day this year!!!! We love you Pierce!