Well I can't just make an announcment with name, date of birth, and wieght with out the whole story leading up to the grand finale! So it starts with a visit to the OB where I am determined to talk the good doctor into inducing me that very day. No, I'm not leaving without a promise of induction. Needless to say I left the office crying and mumbling under my breath how much I hate this guy! That he wouldn't make it in a military community, I've had 4 other kids and I know when the timer should be going off! Now the bun in the oven (so to speak) will just get burned. There was plenty of mumbling! Another week passes and though I've had some very vivid and painfull dreams about being in labor - nothing - I feel just great... I head back to the doctor wanting to be excited but trying not to get my hopes up. I ask his nurse, "Does he ever induce?" At which she replies, "not very often." So, I'm set to go a full week over my due date and resigning myself to another week of misery. He checks me - still not much going on, but to my surprise he says, "I'll induce you if you can be to the hospital by 12:30." Music to my ears! Of course it is now 11:15 so I have just over an hour. I race home to grab my bag, calling and paging Craig at work, but not slowing down for him to return my call and chance missing my 12:30 deadline. I run into the house where my poor sister is trying to teach her college students via webcam from my living room and keep the other 3 kids entertained and off her webcam. She is trying to maintian a small amount of professionalism. I tell Anna and Kaid where I'm going to which Kaid replies, "go get the baby out mommy! Then you can bend over again!" My sentiments exactly. Quinn on the other hand neither understands or cares and just want normalacy and routine back in his life. So I take a precious few minutes, the clock is ticking loudly in my head, to hug and snuggle him and lay him down for a nap. I'm giving Aunt Stacy sign language and white board messages from behind the webcam so her students can't see me, but letting her know where I'm going and off I go. 40 minutes. Hospital is not too far away. Ironically the hospital where our insurance covers is not the hospital Craig works at, so I'm still trying to get ahold of him. I've even used the secret 911 page predetermined for only when I'm going to the hospital for such an occasion. Nothing. Well, nothing is stopping me! I'm cruising down the road when that little yellow light comes on in the dash board indicating a problem. Well, I know what the problem is I've only got 35 minutes to make my deadline, and my dash clearly states I have 28 miles of driving I can do on this tank of gas... so after some debate in my head I stop for gas. It would be really, really mean of me to leave my poor sister with 3 out of sort, un-routined, just moved, mom's in the hospital, sleep deprived kids, trying to still teach classed on a less than perfect internet connection (another story), and a car on empty. I stop for gas but only take time to fill up half a tank - it is now 12:05. I take a wrong turn and end up going on a one way street that is clearly going away from the hospital. 12:08. Turn around find my to the hospital, but where to park... not the heart surgury entrance, not the chemo entrance, the ambulance bay, where is the stinkin' parking lot for this hospital? Do I go to the ER, L&D, or Admissions (I forgot to ask while still at the Doctors office). 12:15. I opt for the ER - mostly because of the very handy parking spot I found, grab my back pack and car seat and run in. 'Run' is used very loosly here because it was really more of a cartoon character waddeling/shuffle thing I had going on. 12:20. Up to the desk where I ask the nice man in a somewhat panicked voice where to go. He looks at me very strangly and says 'L&D, do you need a wheel chair? Are you all right?' I say, "I'm fine, just tell where it is." So my waddeling and shuffeling with marshmellow feet continue up to the right desk where I glance at the clock 12:28 and announce to the nurse standing there, "I'm here to have my baby!" She looks at me askance and says, "your pregnant?" Really, do I have to show her the feet to prove it? I step away from the counter and she can clearly see that I am pregnant and decides I'm not some crazy person (well I may be), but she asks, "are you having contractions?' Of course not, I'm going to be induced. They take me back to room 10 and start settling me in, I'm still texting Craig and wondering what to do. They get my IV in, start the Pitocin. No Craig. I'm actually beginning to think he might not make it. I call my sister at home (who is still teachinig her online class) and ask if she has heard from Craig. She says 'no, but Ill find him.' The anestisologist comes in and asks me if I want an epidural and I enthusiastically say YES! So he gets my line in and then says 'oh yeah, what was your pain level?' I say, 'oh nothing I wasn't having any pain.' He not only raises one eyebrow , but both of them and silently asks the nurse, "why did I just start her epidural?' I tell him, 'I have these babies fast and I'm not making the mistake of passing one up for a little later only to miss the epidural all together I've done that before!' Finally I hear from Craig - he is racing across town (he only got the message - your wifes in labor - and knowing my history for fast deliveries didn't want to miss the show). After that it gets pretty slow and boring. Eventually the Pitocin kicked in, my epidural made sure I didn't know it and Lexsie Grace Randall was born at 10:41 pm. 9 pounds 6 ounces and 22 inches tall.
