She's here!!!!!

Turns out it wasn't a false alarm after all! I was in the first stage of labor early Thursday morning into Friday afternoon. I had my appointment with the perinatologist at 2:30 and Scott's mom was meeting me there so she could help watch Jackson. On the way there I was still having contractions. I finally got in to see Dr. Gore and he did an ultrasound. He assured me that she looked great and that the fluid level had gone up from 7-8 to 10. He said this was very good and that he wanted me to see my ob on Monday and him the following Thursday. After my ultrasound I went to get a fetal monitor. Apparently they do this after every appointment just to check the baby's heart. I told the nurse that I was contracting last night and today so she decided to take a look while I was having contractions. I had 4 contractions in 10 mintues! She went and told Dr. Gore and he told me he was going to let L&D know to see if they wanted to see me. Sure enough they sent me over and I had to get hooked up to a fetal monitor. She looked good and I had even more contractions in the room. The nurse came in and did an internal exam on me and turns out I was already 3-4 cm and 50% effaced, 0 station. She called in my doctor who was luckily on call that day. He finally came in to see me and explained the situation. He told us we were in a gray area. She was still not to full term but having the issues with my placenta he wanted to move forward and deliver her then. Scott and I were in shock. Scott kept asking, "Do you mean today? Right now"? The doctor did not want to let me go any longer since the closer she got to being full term the higher the risk that she could be born stillborn. So hearing that we were like, "Take her now then!" He told us he was reluctant to let us go home because the way my contractions were spaced I would surely be back in later that night. This happened all around 4pm. Scott was out of town in Austin. He left Thursday morning and was to return Friday at 3:30pm. My appointment was at 2:30pm and he immediately came to the hospital when he found out they were monitoring me. Luckily he came when he did! At around 5pm the doctor came in to check me again and to break my water. I was at 6 cm. He told me after he breaks my water I will really start feeling the contractions and to let him know if I wanted an epidural. I got through the next hour and a half with no meds then he came in to check me again and I was at 7-8cm. I was really feeling them now! I decided to go ahead with the epidural and she was there within 5 mintues! I wish I would have gotten it a little sooner since they were very strong at this point and my luck I would have one right as they were inserting the needle. Sure enough that's what happened. I had to sit up and lean over making my back like a "c". I had two contractions at this point and they hurt like hell! Oddly enough they were more bearable if I was sitting up as opposed to laying on my back. The epidural immediately took effect and it was smooth sailing from then on out. I could still feel my legs and feet so I wasn't completely numb. Another hour later I was finally at 10 cm. My nurse called the nurses station to get the doctor in immediately. I was terrified because she kept saying, "she's bleeding a lot, I am not making her push until the doctor is here!" This kinda freaked me out a little. Why was I bleeding so much? The doctor finally came in and three to four pushes later out she came! Scott was at the head of the bed and Scott's mom was at my side. I watched the whole thing happen and how amazing it was! She was a little peanut! She came out screaming though! What a joy to hear. We were so nervous that something was going to be wrong. The NICU team was there just in case they needed to take her to the NICU. They took her over to the warmer and were assessing her. No problem with her lungs being underdeveloped!!! We were just watching them work on her and we asked if she was being taken to the NICU. They assured us that no, she was great and could go to the newborn nursery. She weighed in at a whopping 4 lbs 10 oz, 17 inches long. She got to stay in the room with us for about an hour while everyone got to hold her. She had a lot of dark hair! Yeah! Finally a dark headed Samuel!!!!!! She is so beautiful and wonderful and we are so excited she is healthy. Thanks to everyone who prayed for her. She is truly a "Lucky" little girl. So what if she was born on Friday the 13th!!! She proved us all wrong!!!!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures!!!