birth story! for those interested...

so on january 25th around 9pm...i started labor. but i didn't think it was labor. not until 3 hours later when the contractions were painful and 3-4 minutes apart. go figure. you'd think someone who's been through it before would know she's in labor...nope...it took my doctor saying to me over the phone, "well i think it sounds like you should go to the hospital...". we grabbed our bags and headed out. the car ride was pretty painful and once we got to the hospital, we ended up parking on the wrong side and had to walk around the whole side of the hospital...in the cold...in labor. (to be honest, i think it helped progress me). i get checked in, got put on the monitors, and i was already 5 cm dilated. that was a good thing, since i was going to be very sad if they were going to tell me i was still at 3. so i get moved to a room and hooked up to an iv...and the contractions started to get closer and stronger. they came in to check me and decided to break my water, which took a couple of pokes during the exam, no hook. after that the contractions got stronger, but i was still doing good. not in excruciating pain...yet. at that point i was at 6 cm dilated and 80% effaced. my nurse kept saying i was very smiley for being 6 cm. shortly after that, they gave me a little pitocin to move things along...that's when things began to speed up...quickly. now, as you know i decided i wanted to do this all natural. no epidural, no pain meds...the full childbirth experience as God designed it. so by this time i'm having to breath and manage my pain the best i can...cold rags, shoulder rubs, silence...all very helpful, but it was hurting pretty bad. this was about the time i started praying and asking God for guidance as to whether or not i should still do it natural, because the pain was pretty intense...so i waited for His answer...for like a second, and then decided on my own to throw my birth plan out the window and just ask for the epidural. well...in a VERY short amount of time following that decision, i went from 6cm to about 8cm and 100% effaced...oh, and i felt like i had to push. that was when it was made very clear that God wanted me to do it natural after all. and this was when i was told by the nurse that i was going to have the baby before the anesthesiologist would even make it there. at this point i was really feeling like i had to push and i'm being told by numerous people not to...yeah...you try holding something the size of a watermelon inside you when it's coming out. so began the crying...the "i can't..i have to push! i can't....i have to push." let me tell ya, the pain wasn't even an issue at that point, it was the sheer difficulty of their request. i felt this baby coming out of me and they were still "prepping" and telling me "don't push, just breath...". well before i knew it, i was in stirrups and being told what to do and how to breath and FINALLY they said it, "push." it was a relief for a moment...until i felt the burning and the poking and the cutting (episiotomy)...so i pushed harder. i was done with this pain, and just wanted to see my baby. i have to say, this was the most painful thing i have ever experienced in my entire life, but when that little baby boy popped out of me at 4:21am and started crying...all the pain went away. and i was happy i had done it naturally...thankful the anesthesiologist lived 30 minutes away... well...until the stitching started, that was quite painful...but it didn't last long and that was the only battle wound i incurred from this wonderful birth. so, in the end, the whole thing lasted about 7 hours total and it was worth every second. no complications, no slowing, just quick and smooth! Praise the Lord!

Jacob Elijah...7lbs 9oz...19 3/4 inches

1.26.2011

timing

for the last week or so, i have focused on nothing more than trying to put myself into labor. we walked...and walked....and walked. i drank pineapple juice, and teas. i danced. i ate spicy foods. i tried pressure points. i walked more. nothing. and then...i got frustrated. mind you...this whole time i have been hearing (and avoiding) God's gentle voice saying "Lauren...Lauren....leave it to Me."..."Lauren...allow My timing to be perfect."..."Lauren...come sit with Me and pray."...so yesterday when i sat down with my bible as i do everyday, i completely cleared my mind, and began to pray about this. i wish i had sooner...as always. ...i am so amazed at how God loves us and the mercy He shows us when we are so selfish and we lose our focus on Him. what He revealed to me is that this is all going to happen in His timing. no matter how many methods of natural labor induction i try, this baby is not going to be born until the Lord wants him to be born. it is all part of His perfect, amazing, unbelievable plan that we can't even begin to imagine. i need to trust in His promises and leave it in His hands. and relax. i just need to be still. i am in need of this time He has blessed me with...i need to take a few deep breaths and enjoy these last moments i have with my daughter and hubby before our new addition arrives. i just need to be that godly wife and mommy the Lord wants me to be to my family...the rest will fall into place.

nope...no baby yet

well...no baby yet. i'm still very much pregnant and very much ready to hold my little boy. everything is ready for him...everyone knows their roles for when the moment finally arrives...but little Jacob seems to be quite comfy in my tummy. i thought they said it's usually earlier with the second child?! haha. speculation i suppose. oh well. i've been quite uncomfortable the last few days and nesting like a crazy lady. so...maybe it will be soon!

update: as of today (January 18th) i am 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced! doctor says he thinks it will be before next week!!! so keep me and little Jacob in prayers please!

there's no such thing as too much bible study

i finally decided to start something that has been sitting around in my bible study binder for a while now...i should have started this after i received it, but hey...at least i've started it now. a while back i was given a "read through your bible in 52 weeks" plan...laid out, easy to follow...once a day type thing. so on the 1st, i hung the piece of paper on the wall, and i started on day one. well...now it is day 10 and i'm still on schedule. i am really enjoying this way of reading through my bible. the piece of paper really makes things easy with it's little check boxes for easy mark off after completion of chapters. and i see it all the time, it's hanging right there on my calendar. i'm excited to see what i will learn through this process. if i keep on track...i will be done on the 31st of December this year.


on another note, my 3 year old daughter and i started our own bible study together as well. once a day, easy to understand study geared towards 2-5 years old. this little bible study book was probably one of the coolest gifts i received for Christmas this year. my daughter is really enjoying the lessons and the crafts/games that go along with them. if you have a young daughter, i highly recommend finding a study to do together. it's a great way to teach her about God and spend some quality time together.

what does God have in store for 2011...?

i never truly felt fulfillment in something until i became a stay-at-home mom. knowing that this is what God designed me for and that He would bless me in ways unimaginable as long as i gave it my all and praised Him and thanked Him for the ability to serve my family. so...with that in mind, here is my #1 new years resolution. TO BE THE WIFE AND MOMMY THE LORD HAS CALLED ME TO BE. A GODLY LOVING MOTHER TO MY CHILDREN. AND A SUPPORTIVE LOVING WIFE THAT SERVES HER HUSBAND COMPLETELY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY. i truly believe if i can accomplish this without any doubt or laziness or selfishness getting in the way, than this next year will be the best yet!


among my other resolutions, we have, dressing more "mommy like", but on our budget its so much easier to just throw on an old college t-shirt and jeans. we'll see if this one holds. i'm also determined to keep up with my blog...at the very least on a weekly basis. another is, find a creative and smart way to make some money...i have many options, it's just a matter of choosing one and going for it. and i really want to try harder to spend less time behind the camera and more time enjoying the kodak moments...especially since i will have 2 kiddos now.

i pray this year will be better than the last, that its full of joy and peace and love and protection and comfort from up above. HaPPy NeW YeaR!

feeling impatient

as the new year approaches, so does our new baby! i'm ready to pop this little guy out and show him just how much his mommy and daddy and big sister love him. i went to the doctor a couple days ago when i was at 35 1/2 weeks, and he said i'm 1 cm dilated and he thinks the baby is about 6 lbs. so i'm close. but not that close. so it begins, we are implementing "operation i'm impatient so i'm going to start doing things to induce labor". except for caster-oil. that i will not try. we'll see if anything works for us this time around. with our daughter...we had no such luck. so, we will just have to wait and see. i'm praying that God wants little Jacob to make his appearance in the next couple weeks rather than make mommy wait until the end of January. but, if i have to...he's worth the wait.

it's over already...???

well, another Christmas has come and gone....sigh. i love the holidays. i'm always a bit sad when they are over. this was a wonderful holiday season, i must say. and Christmas was probably the best i've had in a long time. there was lots of baking, much gift giving, singing and making memories! Christmas dinner was amazing! my mother-in-law outdid herself and made beef wellington...yep. it was superb, Gordon Ramsey would be proud. and the best part was, i got to enjoy it and then sit around and relax with family the rest of the day. my hubby and i decided there would be no jumping from house to house this year. i'm too pregnant to drive around visiting all the relatives that go along with a divorced family. i loved it. this was the first time in years, and i mean, years...i've been able to stay at the same house all Christmas day. i got to experience the full enjoyment of Christmas day without being on a preplanned schedule. we spent the morning eating breakfast and opening presents (unrushed, i might add), then we cooked until the guests showed up early (as always), we sat, thanked the Lord for everything He's done for us and blessed us with then we proceeded to enjoy the feast, that was followed by the traditional sit around talking/napping, and we finished the night off by playing games until everyone had to go home...the family enjoyed frosty the cheese ball, our gingerbread houses looked amazing, and the weather finally got cold! it was a wonderful end to the year!