.k.: Pete's birth

Pete, I was once again, overdue. Sure, only by a day, but once you get to your due date, anything over is miserable. The Saturday night before you were born was miserable. I was up and down all night long in the bathroom. I was up before 6, put on my make up and did my hair as usual, but had no intentions of going to church because of the night before. Then, I lost my mucous plug. Claire was up at about a quarter to seven, and we sat in the rocking chair at MooMoo's house, just rocking together for a while. Seven was when the first contraction happened. At seven thirty, I told MooMoo that it was time for a baby to be born. I woke up Daddy about 7 minutes later. Both MooMoo and Daddy decided they needed to shower before we left. I told them it was fine, but to make it quick. I called our midwife, Candy, and let her know that I was in labor and expected to leave the house within the hour. Within 10 minutes, I was at a point where I could no longer talk through contractions and was really ready to leave. Uncle Kyle and Aunt Abby were home, Papa was doing his chores. They knew they could take the big kids to church.

We made it to Candy's house and I just started walking around the room. I wasn't really in the mood to have my progress checked because I was afraid I'd be disappointed with how far along I *wasn't*. Eventually, I moved my pacing to the bathroom, where I made laps around the scale. Eventually, I had to pause during contractions and just lean over. Candy and Carrie asked me to come to the bedroom, if I could. They were afraid that I'd have you over the tile in the bathroom and that your little noggin would hit the floor. In the bedroom, the contractions got harder, I shushed your MooMoo, and I was at a point of just being DONE. Carrie suggested that because I felt only a small urge to push - and not a big one - that maybe my water was blocking your way. So, I laid down.

Sure enough, she was right. She said I was fully dilated and completely effaced - she could break my water and you could be born! That's what we did. A few contractions later, you were born at 11:23 am...and you tried to breathe immediately, taking in a bit of amniotic fluid. For the next few minutes, there was relief that you were born, but you wouldn't cry. We could see you breathing, but you weren't making any noise. Eventually, after suctioning you clean again, we got you crying. The next hour was spent cluster nursing and attempting to get your temperature up.

And so, we went home to MooMoo and Papa's house to meet your siblings.