Flash Back Friday! #5

A year ago from this past Wednesday, Ayla was born. I chose to do a Flash Back Friday on this event because I didn't have a blog back then. I wrote about it in my journal but I haven't really shared pictures with everyone. So her goes.

Ayla was born February 25th 2008 at 8:19pm. She weighed 6 lbs 11.8 oz. and was 19 inches long.

My labor started the day before at 7 am. At that time the labor was pretty mild. I was having contractions but wasn't sure that it was labor. It just felt like cramping but not anything big. Plus, Ayla was not due for another week so I didn't think I was in labor. Well, I went to church and lead the music in Sacrament but by the closing song, I couldn't stand up anymore. So I had my friend Brenda lead the last song.

Everyone was asking me if I was okay. I told them I was and they were all like, "Maybe you are in labor." I was like, "Nah, not yet." I went to the whole 3 hours of church and then went home. The contractions didn't seem to stop and so I called the hospital to ask what they thought and if I was in labor and if I should come in to make sure the baby was okay. They told me to. So Kurt and I headed down to the hospital.

While we were there, I wasn't dilated enough so they sent Kurt and I to walk around the hospital. The pain got more intense. When we got back to my room, they checked me again and told me that they thought that I was in the early stages of labor. They gave me some morphine and sent me home. They told me that if the contractions were still there after the morphine wore off, that I was in labor and not to come back until the contractions were a lot stronger and more consistent. So we went home.

The next day, the contractions were still there but still about the same as the night before. So I waited. My sister and mom came over to keep an eye on me. We decided to go to lunch and get me on my feet.

My mother was terrified while watching me. She kept saying, "lets take her" but I didn't want to be sent home again.

While we were at lunch at Marie Calenders, the contractions were getting pretty intense. They were bringing tears to my eyes. My mom sat a cross the table with a look of concern on her face. She looked like she could have cried herself. She kept saying, "lets go." I was like, "Not until they are consistent." Then the contractions were coming about an average of 2 to 5 minutes apart. If the table was not glued to the wall I would have smashed my poor mother with the table because I was pushing on it so hard. So we decided to go. My mom started to wave down our waitress as she was panicking. I am sure the people in the restaurant who were staring at me were thinking, "What in the world is she doing here." I know I would have been thinking that.

I look back now and laugh at how I was in labor at Marie Calenders.

Anyway, we went to the hospital and met Kurt there at 5 pm. I was far enough along to get the epidural. I hate needles but was so ready for it. It didn't bother me one bit. After getting it, Ayla was born 3 hours later. The epidural made the delivery a wonderful experience. I am grateful for modern technology.

So needless to say, I was in labor for about 37 hours.

Down below are pictures from the blessed event.

Here I am when we first were there and before I had the epidural.

I was feeling pretty tried by then and in the picture I look like I am in pain. Maybe that is because I was.

Here is the monitor of Ayla's heart.

I love this picture because this is a picture of Kurt comforting me right after they told me it was time to push. I was so scared. Thanks honey you are so sweet.

And here she is just minutes after being born.

So cute!

Here is Kurt holding her for the first time.

Aunt Marion holding her.

When they laid her on top of me and I saw her for the first time, I thought she looked exactly like her Aunt Marion. She even had red hair like her Aunt Marion.

Notice in the picture that Kurt is looking at her in the back ground. I love it.

The next 4 pictures were taken the second day we were at the hospital. It was Kurt's birthday that day.

ZZZZZ!!

Here is one with her eyes opened.

Kurt is holding her in this picture.

I love this one.

That is Kurt's arm holding her. I wish we had a better background but for safety reasons Kurt held her inches from the bed and we just draped the sheet to hide the hospital bed.

And here is Marion cuddling with her, kissing her on the head. Marion loves Ayla and Ayla loves her Aunt Marion. Marion calls her her little La, La.

I didn't think this post was going to be this long but, when I started to type it, I went into detail. I am glad I did because now I have it documented on the blog.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!