I can't begin to express how delighted we are to announce we have welcomed another little girl into our family this week. We are completely overjoyed and in awe of God's goodness and kindness to us in blessing us with this life! We struggled with infertility since HG's birth in June 2013. After many trips to Orlando, FL for testing, treatments, and hormonal shot therapy we ended our care at that practice after an unsuccessful attempt in May to get pregnant with hormonal shot therapy. Marty got really good at sticking me in the stomach :) In June and July, Marty traveled a lot with summer trips so we decided to find a new infertility specialist when we moved to Richmond in August.
We finished out the summer in FL, sold our home, put all our belongings in a POD and moved our family into my in-laws home as we searched for a home to purchase in Midlothian. On the drive up, we stopped at the beach for a little R&R. I started to feel bad at the beach, yet attributed it to the move and all the stressors that come with transitioning. When we arrived in Richmond, I still didn't feel like myself. I did not want salads, and I wanted all things carb related, and exact feeling I had when pregnant with HG. I was reluctant to take a test, but on Monday, 2 days after our arrival in Richmond and the day Marty officially started work, I received a positive sign on the pregnancy test. I did 3 more to make sure, and decided to take HG to church with me and surprise Marty with the news. I wrapped up the positive tests in a little box with baby themed ribbon from the Dollar Store and we drive to Marty's new office. Marty was in tears when he figured out what the present was showing him. That was little Mary-Margaret's beautiful beginning. Outside of our planning and control God worked His wonders and gave us a baby in His perfect time.
Fast forward 9 months to March 14.
We started the day with my 38 week appointment. At 37 weeks, I had an ultrasound to check and make sure fluids and growth were within normal range and all was good, so we could let this baby come in her time. At my appointment I was 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. HG and I went to our library for story time and picked out some books and books on tape for the week. We headed home for lunch and nap. When we arrived home, the power was out because of a bad ice storm that came the previous night. After we ate lunch, HG and I snuggled and read books before nap and the power returned. I hopped on the elliptical when HG rested and watched The Good Wife and a little of the British Baking Championship with I worked out. I had a little leaking after my workout, but I was not concerned about it since I had experienced some of that a few days prior. After nap we headed to ballet. When ballet was done, I felt a lot of leaking and went to the bathroom. It stopped and again, I wasn't too concerned. I needed to run to Aldi for a few things on the way home, and while checking out at Aldi felt a lot more leaking. We quickly loaded the car and I decided to call Marty and see if I should call the doctor. The doctor recommended I come to see if my water had broken. I fixed HG and I some eggs and toast for dinner, ran around quickly packing the last few things in my bag and when Marty came home I drove to the hospital thinking this is just a false alarm. Marty had a session meeting that evening, so he took HG to church with him and waited to hear what the doctors said.
I got to the hospital, and walked into the labor and delivery area. They checked me in as though I was having my baby that night. I got my wrist band and signed papers and got settled into my room. This is when it hit me that I may actually be in labor and we may have our baby soon! Still in the back of my mind I thought the doctor would just send me home. I had not had any contractions or pain or anything. My sweet nurse, Allie, hooked me up to monitors and did some tests to see if my waters had broken. These tests came back positive and we were having a baby sooner rather than later! I was 3 cm dilated. I called Marty to tell him the news, he left HG at church to play, ran home to pack her bag and himself a bag, picked up HG again and headed to the hospital.
Marty arrived with HG around 8 and his parents came to take HG home with them. My plan was to start walking with Marty to get things "going". We headed a few doors down the hall, and chills and shaking overtook my body. I was so cold and needed to go back to the room to get anything to keep warm. Marty called the nurse when we got back because the shaking did not stop. My body was transitioning into active labor, and the nurse said looks like we are having this baby tonight.
I ordered the epidural since she had warned me it took 45min-1 hour to receive it after ordering. I labored through Fixer Upper, telling Marty to just be quiet every time a contraction came. They were strong and came every 2 min. At 9:45 I had my epidural and the nurse checked my progress and I was 9 cm dilated at 10pm.
At 10:30, the nurse said it was go time. The doctor came in and prepared for delivery. Mary-Margaret was born at 10:52 weighing 6 lbs 7.7 oz and was 18.5 in long.
