Happy Birthday Little Girl!

I cannot believe that today, Haven is ONE! This year has just flown by. When Rylee turned one, Rob and I decided that we would start trying to have another baby (don't worry Mom, that is not going to happen this time).
On March 21, 2007, I stepped out of bed and felt the most familiar feeling as gravity pulled everything, especially my chest, down. I turned to Rob, who was still in bed, and said, "Well babe, I think I am pregnant."
The ironic thing was that day I was scheduled to see my OBGYN for my annual checkup. So, I just decided that I would wait and let her tell me the official news. When I arrived in her office, my heart was racing. I knew I was pregnant, but I just needed that confirmation which I quickly received. As my doctor walked into the room, she could hardly contain herself. "Well, your pregnant!" she said. I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. For a moment I was so torn. I had wanted another baby, but then I realized that I sorta still had one...I mean, Rylee was only 18 months old. Was this a good thing?
The next week, morning, noon and evening sickness set in and lasted until I was about 20 weeks. I remember laying on the couch feeling so sick while Rylee watched recorded episodes of the Wiggles. Thank goodness for those four singing Aussies. Although, to this day, when I hear the movie, Racing to the Rainbow, a feeling of nausea begins to percolate inside of me.
Almost as soon as the morning sickness left, I developed varicose veins (and they weren't in my legs if you know what I mean.) There were days when I could barely walked as the pressure of the baby pushed down. I was miserable.
Then, since we found out the gender with Rylee, I had promised Rob that our second baby's gender would be a surprise. So I had a little trouble not knowing because I didn't know whether to call the baby a he or she and I felt really weird calling the baby an "it".
So needless to say, I had some issues...not bad ones by any means, just not fun ones. Then at 35 weeks I started having premature contractions. I spent one night in the hospital because the baby's heart rate jumped a couple of times and they wanted to monitor it. Then the following week, I went back to the hospital and was sent home two hours later.
On the morning of November 7th, I went to the doctor and discovered that I was dilated to a three. She did something (I won't go into the details) to try to get labor started and sent me home. When I got home, I started feeling terrible and began having some really weird contractions. I called Rob and asked him to come home, which he did. At 5:00 pm, in rush hour traffic, my sweet husband ushered us all safely back downtown. I cried all the way so afraid that I would be turned away again and sent home, babyless.
When I arrived in the triage, I knew that this was real. I quickly and painfully dilated to a four and was taken to delivery. My doctor was not at the hospital but was on call and the nurse told me that she was being updated on my progress. So the staff doctor came in and broke my water, I got my epidural and I was on my way.
A few hours after receiving my epidural, Rob came over to check on me and noticed that the right side of my face seemed a little puffy. I told him that my right eye was a little sore but it was probably because I was tired. He called for a nurse and we all soon discovered that the entire right side of my body was swollen. She called the doctor and he realized that he had turned the medicine up a little too much...ya think?
At around 2 in the morning, the nurse came in to check on me again. I told her that I felt like I was going to throw up. She checked me and discovered that I was fully dilated and almost ready to push...but my doctor wasn't there. She ran to call my doc while nurses came in and prepped the room. I was excited but so exhausted.
My main nurse came back in and said, no kidding, "Your doctor is on the way. Just try not to push. She really wants to deliver your baby." Meanwhile, other staff doctors came in and stood "down there" and watched, their eyes widened with each contraction. I finally told them that I was a little uncomfortable being stared at like that and they covered me...thanks.
Then an update on my doctors whereabouts..."She's almost here, she just got on the tollway." First of all the tollway is no where near the hospital and 'she just got on'??
3:35 - My doctor comes racing into the room...makeup on and hair fixed. She got her gear on and I told her,"Get your hands ready because this baby is coming out." Two pushes later, my baby was out.
"IT'S A GIRL!" Haven Carol (named after my mom) was born. She was the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen. In that moment I realized everything I had gone through was worth it and YES, this was a good thing!
To my sweet, precious Haven, I love you more than I can say. I thank God for you everyday and feel so blessed when I hear you call me, "MaMa."
...Every good a perfect gift comes from Above...James 1:17...thank you Lord, for the gift of Haven.