Time to Sound the Alarm!

So I start to realize that my contractions (that I've been feeling for a long time) have been coming pretty regularly tonight.  I start watching the clock around 7 pm and realize after about 30 minutes that they are coming 10 minutes apart.  I go back into the office to clear off all the pictures from my phone (just in CASE!!) and plug it in to charge, then do the same thing with David's phone.  Meanwhile, he has put Caleb in bed and the other 3 are waiting to watch the Olympics.  Contractions keep on coming, about every 8 minutes and they are definitely picking up in intensity. I'm feeling like I can't sit through them anymore - I have to be up walking around when one hits.  My kids keep calling for me to come sit and watch the Olympics - but I can't sit as soon as a contraction hits!  I leave the room and when I come back in, David asks me if I'm okay.  I say to him "I'm watching the clock right now!" and he gets it!  He gets this goofy grin on his face and says "is it time to go?"  No, I'm not ready to go, but I do send a quick text message to Alli to tell her not to get too settled in - that we might be calling her soon (she was on alert to come stay with the kids when I went into labor).  I go sit next to Callie for a few minutes on the couch and then have to get up to go to the restroom - did I just pee on myself?  Or is my water breaking?  THAT was a new sensation - never had experienced that before. I sort of ignore it, until it happens again a few minutes later after another contraction and I have to change clothes.  I come downstairs and tell David and now he's really excited!  :)   I'm still not ready to leave yet, but it is probably time to pack my hospital bag!  David gets Callie into bed while I hop in the shower (it's a thing I have - I always take a shower, shave my legs, do my hair & makeup before leaving for the hospital...I want to be presentable!).  David comes in to our bedroom and says "OH - you're in the shower!  I guess this really IS it!"  :)  Contractions are now every 5 minutes and getting really intense.  David calls Alli to come on over and I just keep getting my stuff together.  The boys are SO excited - they can hardly believe that the baby really is coming!

It's a LONG 20 minutes before Alli gets here with her kids, but they do and we say goodbye and we are off!!  I had texted my sister Kelli earlier when I started timing contractions so she knew what was happening, and then we we left for the hospital I told her this really was it!  I texted my mom and she couldn't believe it - we had talked earlier in the day and she was as surprised as anyone that the baby was coming!!

We get to the hospital ER entrance around 10 pm and see a friend of ours that works there.  She says "send her on up!  This is her 5th baby!"  :)  We head on upstairs to get checked out, it is discovered that YES, my water really did break, and I'm 5 cm.  Looks like this really is happening! David, meanwhile, is telling all the nurses that he'd really like this baby to be born before midnight so that it's birthday can be 8/10/12.  Oh my.

 Answering a million questions about everything under the sun while David cracks jokes in the background (and apparently takes pictures too)...

 I'm probably lecturing David about something.  He turns into quite the comedian in the labor room.    The nurses always think he is hilarious.  Luckily, I'm used to it...

 The nurse with the red hair was awesome - and we found out she has 7 kids!!!

 Officially in my room, still trying to get all the questions done so that I can get my epidural!  Breathing hard at this point and anxious to see the anesthiologist!!  The nurses keep saying "it's a good thing you came in when you did!"...makes me nervous because I know everything is going VERY quickly and it's not going to be long...

The ET light on my finger :)  I knew the kids would think that was pretty cool!!

FINALLY, my epidural doctor gets there a little after 11 pm.  They make David leave the room (not happy about that new hospital policy, but apparently some Dad passed out in the past and so now they make them all leave for the epidural), I get my epidural in (found out the anesthesiologist has 5 kids too!!), and am much more comfortable by about 11:30 pm.  David continues his countdown reminders of trying to have this baby before midnight.  

The nurse checks me again, says that I'm still at 5 cm and the baby's head isn't directly centered, so she positions me on my side, tells me to get some rest, and she will check back with me in about an hour or so (this is about 11:45 pm)  I'm feeling much better, glad to be out of pain now, and David and I talk for a few minutes before I close my eyes to rest a bit.  David says "I'm going to be so mad if this baby comes in like an hour and we JUST miss having the baby on 8/10/12!!".  I tell him it's not up to us!!