Details and pictures

So tomorrow Grace will be two weeks old. I can't believe how much she's changed! Damon, a good friend of ours gave us some excellent advice - he told us to video tape something at least once a week because they change so fast. We've been following his advice.

About the labor:

I had been staying with my parents while Trey was at a major trade show in Las Vegas. I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced from Friday-Tuesday and the doctor did not anticipate any changes. I was not having contractions and was not in any major pain, but was having some lower back pain. Thursday the 13th I was getting very depressed. I was tired of being on bedrest and missed Trey terribly. I slept most of the day and was still exhausted that night, so I went to bed early. I woke up around one when I felt and heard something inside of me shift. I started writing down the times I felt discomfort. I think I was trying to convince myself that the pains weren't contractions. At two, I decided it was time to wake Mom and Dad. Mom looked at my time sheet and told me to call the doctor. II told the doctor on call that my contractions were 8-10 minutes apart and she told me I could come on in if I'd feel more comfortable. I called Trey to let him know I was on the way. He was going to catch the first flight out. We left the house in Dripping Springs a little after 3AM, The ride to the hospital was an adventure. My contractions became more frequent and my the tone of my voice and the noises I was apparently making scared my mother greatly. We arrived at the hospital around 3:30AM and my water broke as I entered the delivery room. The nurse told me I was 10 cm and suddenly began shouting orders to find a doctor in the hospital because she didn't think mine would make it in time. This is where my memories get a bit blurry.

I remember looking down to see the doctor, who never said a peep by the way. The nurses were trying to give me instructions on how to push and when, and how to breathe. Because I was on bedrest, I couldn't go to the childbirth classes I had signed up for. The nurses were a great help! I remember waving at my doctor when she finally arrived and gripping the side of the bed and shaking during a few contractions, but that's about it. The rest of the labor I learned about by watching the video my mom shot and by what she told me.

Grace got stuck and her heart rate dropped. Things got pretty critical very fast. Nurses from the PICU came into the room just in case. I actually had a nurse kneeling on the bed pushing on my belly to help Grace out. Grace was born at 4:14AM. I called Trey soon after and said, "Congratulations, you're a daddy!" He was absolutely heart-broken that he had missed the delivery, and even more anxious to get to Austin. He arrived at the hospital around one that afternoon.