So, I awoke around 4:30 am Thursday morning and took my fifth? sixth? seventh trip to the bathroom. (But, who's counting). I'd been having some mild contractions for most of the afternoon/evening Wednesday night (as I had been for the past month or so.) and figured it was just still jealousy pangs. (Who in their right mind is jealous of being induced?) Anyway, so I headed back to bed, and awoke about ten minutes later to head back to the restroom again. About 45 minutes (and ten more trips) later, I thought maybe, just maybe I was in labor.
I woke Joey up to tell him that I "thought" I might be in labor. I walked from our bedroom around the corner to the dining room and by the time I got back (in 15 seconds) Joey was fully dressed and sitting on the couch putting on his shoes. This may not seem funny to some of you, but for those of you who know my husband know that sleep is what he does best. I always wake him up in stages (and generally thirty minutes before he actually needs to wake up), just to ensure we get where we're headed on time.
I took yet another trip to the bathroom and by this time, the contractions had started to intensify. Joey came to the bathroom door and asked if this was "really it", and if it was "one pain or alot of pains." I told him (through clenched teeth) to go back to bed and I'd wake him later if I needed him.
About five minutes later, I finally realized that my water had broken. And, yes this is my THIRD child, but my water has never broken on its own before, so I'm sticking to the rationalization that every child and every labor is different and NOT that I'm a complete moron!
So, I let Shelby outside to use the bathroom, got the boys clothes laid out and THEN woke Joey up again. He came sprinting out of the room saying, "What do I do? What do I do?" I said, "I let Shelby out.. . . " He said, "Right, go let Shelby out." I said, "No, Joey. I just let Shelby out, you go upstairs and send the boys down so I can get them dressed." Keep in mind, that he had only gone to sleep at 3:00 am, so he was only going on about two hours of sleep.
The boys came down and I got them dressed, Joey put Shelby back in her crate and we headed out. I called my Mom from the car and told her to send my Dad to pick up the boys in Nahunta at the red light (remember that!). I then realized that Crystal was this very day at the hospital getting induced, so I texted her, "You're not going to believe this. . . . ."
So, we're driving down Central Avenue and Joey is going like 70 miles an hour and hitting every little dip. The boys thought it was fantastic! He flew into Griffins on two wheels and pumped gas, all the while with this crazy look on his face (plus, he was talking to himself, though I couldn't hear what he was actually saying.)
So, we're almost to Nahunta and he says he's just going to go straight through and let the boys go to the hospital with us. I calmly said, "NO, drop them with Dad." I'm thinking if I'm in this much pain now, by the time we get to Brunswick, it's gonna be ten times worse. They don't need to be exposed to me crying like a baby while I'm waiting on that epidural! :) So, he says, "Where?" I said, "At the red light." He said, "So, you just want me to stop in the middle of the highway and put them out." (He was crazed!!) So, I call my Dad to ask him exactly where he would be parked. Nahunta is so big and all, we didn't want to accidentally go to the wrong red light! :)
We did get the boys safely dropped off and we headed out again. This time going at least 90 mph with our flashers on. We passed three cops and not one of them even attempted to pull us over! By the time we reached the truck stop, Joey was mumbling loudly, "I can't deliver this baby!" I was thinking, "I BETTER make it in time for that epidural."
So, after a few shouts and motions towards other drivers and a ran red light later, we safely made it to the hospital. I had called ahead of time, so they had a wheelchair waiting for me. I was wheeled in and met Dr. Mitchell at the nurses station. I got changed into the fabulous and always stylish hospital gown and they started my IV. It was 7:35 am. The anesthesiologist was in my room by 8:15 delivering my epidural. They were FANTASTIC! Crazy fast, just like I needed!
So, both mine and Joey's parents got to the hospital and my contractions were getting really. . .intense. (That's a nice calm word to describe them.) :) Joey went out to the waiting room to check on the boys (who were with their grandpas and NOT alone!), at 9:29, I was feeling ALOT of pressure and I texted him "I think you might should come on back." I know this exact time because I still have the text on my phone. He came back and it was about time to start pushing.
Joey's mom asked if I wanted them (her and my mom) to leave. Joey said "Yeah", without much hesitation. So they left. . . .or pretended to leave anyway. As soon as they stepped behind the curtain in front of the door, Joey said, "Heather, look under the curtain." I looked to see both pairs of feet and I said, "Yeah, they think they're being slick." I THOUGHT that I whispered it, but apparently not. I heard Kathy whisper something and they slid their feet out of sight.. . . but the door never opened. Crazy grandmas.
So, three minutes and two pushes later, at 9:39 am, Miss Brodie Layre Allen made her debut into the world. At 6lb 14oz and 20 inches long, she was our heaviest child to date.
She got her first shampoo and style almost immediately.
Stole her daddy's heart from the moment she got here.
Bae's first look at his sister.
Brek sporting his big brother shirt (courtesy of www.thequitecutecompany.com!)
Ganny, Gigi, Caity, Ashlyn & Aunt Ashley with Brodie.
Me and Brodie. (Goodness, you'd think I'd have found the time to run a comb through my hair!)
By the way, got a text around 4:00 that Miss Mia Kate Bates was born at 3:34 pm weighing 7lb 15oz and 19 1/4in long. So, we've dubbed Brodie and Mia Kate "birthday sisters!"
