Birth Story....

I awoke around 4:15 am on Oct 18. I was having a few contractions, not too bad. By 4:30 in my heart I just knew that I was going to have the baby.

I tried to lay down while the contractions were still far apart (about 10 minutes), but I just couldn't.

I decided to get up and clean the apt a little. I got most of the dishes done, with the contractions being about 10 minutes apart. I did a little more cleaning than decided to take a bath.

I woke Dan up around 5:30 to let him know that I was in labor. Having had several bouts of false labor, he wasn't so sure. I did tell him that when Anakin woke up he would have to get up as I wouldn't be able to handle both the contractions and the toddler.

I was finally able to rest around 7 am, but by 7:30 I was wanting to be moving again. I decided to call my friend and let her know I was in labor. I knew she would be getting ready for work, and I knew she wanted to know.

I couldn't find the phone, so I paged it from the base. That's when I remembered it was in the bedroom where husband and toddler were sleeping. Yep woke them both up. Shortly after they woke up, so did the rest of the family.

During this time I was managing the contractions pretty well by walking around. Unlike the last couple labors I wanted nothing to do with laying down.

My friend (Kathy) who I had called earlier decided to go into work a little late and stay with us.

By 9 am the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. I was having a harder and harder time dealing with them. I was getting scared of having to go several more hours like that. I did start saying I wanted to go to the hospital. In my heart I knew that it would be pointless for what I wanted. If I made it to the hospital I knew I was past the point of getting something for the pain.

By 9:30 I felt like the contractions were on top of each other although I know there was time between them.

The water bag broke at 9:37, and I knew it wasn't going to be much longer. I however was very ready to have it all over with.

I was at this point laying on my left side facing the back of our couch. It is the same way I have laid for the last 3 births. I'm not sure why I like it, but I do.

This point the contractions where on top of each other. Part of me wanted to push and part of me kept wanting just to let my body do the work. So during the worst of the contraction is when I ended up pushing.

Once I knew the head was starting to crown, I really started pushing. During my last 3 births I had rememberd to not push too hard to allow the head to come out so as not to tear. This time Dan and Kathy had to remind me to slow down. I did start slowing down. Once I felt the head coming out I yelled to my 2 older daughters since I knew they wanted to see it.

Once the head was out I had a little break. I wanted to force my body to push out the shoulders, but I couldn't. I saw my husband down with his hands on the baby wanting to help get the shoulders out. The next contraction came and I was able to get the shoulders out, along with the rest of her.

She was born at 9:56 am.

Her name is Lois Kerrie after 2 women that have a special place in Dan's and my life. Both of the women are now gone.

Lois was a very godly women. I had gleaned so much about motherhood, being a wife and about God from her. She past away about 2 years ago. I know if she was here she'd yell at me for naming my daughter Lois. Lois was about God and not about herself.

Kerrie was a dear friend of Dan's. She was killed by a drunk driver 13 years ago. They had been friends a very long time.