Got on to blog again and found this old post I hadn't published. How timely. The story of my little Brinley who just turned one 2 days ago (today was her due date). Made this Mama cry remembering how this sweet little blessing busted her way into our hearts and lives and we wouldn't want it any other way!
So, I haven't been able to blog for a while. I suppose that's what 5 kids does. I do, however, want to share my birth story of Baby Cinco.
September 14th--contractions about 5 minutes apart for a couple of hours. Called the in-laws to ask for help picking up the kiddos. MIL brought them home and I was still contracting regularly. I decided to take a shower to see if they became worse or stopped. And...they stopped. Bummer! I hate how I'm always second guessing if it's the real deal or not. This was about the 3d time I'd had contractions grow steadily stronger and more regular but then stop.
September 16th--Doctor's appointment. I told the doc that I had had some bloody show that morning which usually means about 24-48 hours (less than 24 in my history) until the baby comes. She told me that she would be out of town learning a new surgery technique at a conference. Oh well, it's baby 5--I just hope we make it to the hospital. She told me that my old doctor would be on call (whom I really liked, but he switched out of my insurance coverage so I had to switch to Dr. Emm).
Our car seat had expired, so we went into Toys R Us to trade in our old one and get a new one, thinking we'd need it that night or in the morning. Everyone was put on alert. Went to sleep that night with a few contractions, some even strong, but nothing too regular.
Saturday, Sept. 17th. Went the whole day without many contractions...starting to think she may not come in the 24-48 hour window that is usually predicted by the show. This is a bit discouraging for me, but hey, she's coming sometime, right?
Before I went to bed that night, I sent out an email to all of the kidschurch workers saying that I would most likely be there in the morning since nothing was going on, but just in case I included the 3-4 year old lesson plan that I usually go over with the teachers before church. Clint and I watched a movie and I did have some strong contractions through it, but I didn't even pay that much attention to them because they still weren't regular. Since this is my 5th kid, I knew that I was 0% effaced and not at all dilated. I contract for about 6-12 hours before my body does anything, but once it starts, it's game on! I go from 0-10 in a matter of about 2 hours.
I woke up about once an hour (I think--I didn't look at a clock) with a kind-of strong contraction, but was able to go back to sleep. Can't be labor, right?
5am I woke up with a big contraction. It felt like I might have had one pretty close before that, but I was asleep, so who knows. I looked at the clock, woke DH up and told him I thought we should pay attention to the contractions. I got up and went to the bathroom.
"Call your mom now!" "Are you sure?" "Nope, it's just my 5th kid and I've only been up for about 10 minutes and I'm 2 minutes apart with crazy hard contractions, but if you want to wait, that's cool." No sarcasm there ;-)
I got dressed, told him which bags to pack and went downstairs to wait for his mom. The contractions were very hard and the only thing I could do was run back and forth in the basement. I hadn't moved that fast in months!! Realizing it was pretty nice out and I could go a little farther, I went out and ran up and down the sidewalk while waiting. I made him call his mom again to see where she was. I thought we might have to call a neighbor and get on the road. I kept thinking that I must look awfully funny running up and down the sidewalk between about 4 houses nonstop bc now the contractions were right on top of each other.
His mom made it, and I climbed into the Yukon directing DH to get a towel in case my water broke. "You call the hospital, tell them I'm coming and that they need to have a wheelchair ready to run me up to a labor room and an anesthesiologist waiting." DH is always calm and collected (grrr) and started laughing telling me that it was going to be fine.
We got to the hospital at about 5:45. I am out of my mind in pain. Who knows what kind of junk is coming out of my mouth. Yeah, yeah, yeah, nurse, get me upstairs so I can push this baby out!!
They checked me, and I was at a 6. A 6!! You've got to be kidding me! Hecks yes, I want the anesthesiologist! I'm only at a 6! I didn't think I was going to make it!
Dr. O came in and checked me again about 10 minutes later and I was at an 8. That's more like it. "Do you want to wait for the anesthesiologist?" "No! Just break my water and let's get on with it." So, he did. Then, he left the room so they could ready it for delivery.
I started screaming and heard the tell-tale "DOCTOR!" from the nurses. He came back in and told me I was at a 10 and it was time to push. Okay. Here we go. Crap. I can't do this...I CAN'T DO THIS!! DH chuckles "You have no choice and you've done it before. You also might want to stop squeezing my hand so hard." Does it HURT?! (as in, are you kidding me,
you're complaining?) "No, but you'll probably hurt your hand." He grins. GRRR!! How is he always so calm?!
So, I'm thinking about how I don't want to tear...at all. (never have, so this is somewhat irrational, but you never know, right?) I push and Dr. O gets right in my face and says "Kimberly, I think you're ready to have this baby, but you're working against yourself. Next contraction, give it all you've got." Fine. I guess I'll be okay if I tear. Women recover from that, right? So, I give it all I've got, yell an expletive and here she is!! My sweet, perfect, nameless beauty! They placed her on my belly and she crawled her way up to nurse. What a beautiful baby! How'd she get that perfect head?
DH and I marveled at her and at how fast she came. What is her name? We settled on Brinley Maria. Maria is my MIL's middle name. The best descriptor of this little one was "perfect". She didn't get a bath or weighed for at least an hour or more. DH waited to make the calls until we knew what she weighed. 7 pounds, 3 ounces 18 inches long--my biggest girl!
What a whirlwind, but so happy she only took about an hour and a half of labor. She was born at 6:17 am on Sunday morning, Sept 18th. (Due on the 20th)
Crazy the euphoria you feel after that! I know a lot of people think it'll be hard to add another baby and have enough love to go around. Not at all true! Your heart simply multiplies, it doesn't divide. God has blessed us with 5 perfect babies. I cannot begin to explain what that means. He has trusted us to raise 5 of His children--what a responsibility!!
I heard there was some buzz at church about the Hillardbillies missing (it's unusual) and wondering if I had had the baby. Only the pastor's wife knew, and she didn't share. I guess Brinley's announcement came through facebook and everyone knew right after church. (funny how soon news can travel these days with all this fandangled technology). We had a quiet morning in the recovery room since not too many people knew, and those that did were waiting to come until about noon.
3 of my big kids came at noon with my MIL and my parents. Oh so sweet to see them all! We had a few other visitors over the next day and left on Monday around noon. Miss B passed her hearing test with flying colors (which might be a sign of intelligence ;-)
So, now, 3.5 months later as I reflect I realize how fast time flies. It seems that not only does your love multiply exponentially, but how fast time flies does as well with each child! I just changed out all of her 0-3 month clothes with the 3-6 months and it always makes me sad. Bittersweet. I'm thrilled that she's smiling ALL the TIME, belly laughing, rolling over, and filling out, but sad at how fast it's all happening.
God sure is good!!
