Annie Pearce: October 2013

October 1st. 37 weeks and 2 days pregnant

We went into our appointment hopeful, but more expecting it to be another week or so until our babes would arrive. To our surprised we found out I was already at a 4-5 with a bulging bag, Half way there?! What the heck? That was the most exciting news ever.

We were extactic, thinking there was a possibility that we would have our two babies TODAY. A few hours later I started having real contractions, not just braxton hicks. Nog wanted to stay home with me but I told him to just continue his day like normal and I would call him if they got any stronger. He was so cute! My sister Laree and I went to the mall with all 7 kids and began to walk. Not much happened there but I'm sure it helped and I was too excited I didn't want to just sit at home. After, Kolli and I came home, took our daily nap. (Yep, I took a nap every single day the last couple months while Kolli took hers, it was quite amazing.)

I wanted my mama to be here for this birth so bad. When I called her after my appointment and told her what was going on she said she would get on the first flight she could. I love that lady! She got here at 3pm just as my contractions had picked up it was amazing how it all worked out. Nog came home from work and Laree came over too. At about 4pm they picked up even more, they were coming on about every 4 minutes. My mom kept telling me to hurry and finish up packing my bag so we could go to the hospital. I knew they were getting closer and stronger and that I should go but I really wanted to finish up folding the laundry and cleaning up the house so when we came home that would all be done. They were all laughing at me and trying to shove me out the door while I was hurrying around trying to finish, then stopping for each contraction, but I couldn't help it. :) An hour later we were off.

I wanted to handle this birth differently than Kolli's, not because I didn't love everything about hers, because I did, but because I wanted approach labor from a new perspective. I had read hypno birthing and loved it. I wanted to focus more on my breathing during contractions and focus on my babies moving downward and on what the contractions were actually doing rather than on the pain they brought. After each contraction I was able to blow it off and talk and laugh in-between them even as they got closer and stronger. Instead of closing my eyes through them I kept them open and stared at the ground while Nog, my Mom, and Laree took turns pushing on my back. (I had back labor the whole time, just like with Kolli.) When I kept them open it helped me focus on other things like, on my toe nail polish, the texture on the floor and walls, everyone's feet, and shapes of their toes. Haha it sounds so weird but somehow it kept me distracted and kept my mind off the contraction.

This was just before we left for the mall, I had to take one final pic of my large belly right? :)

This is most definitely my favorite picture of my Mama and I, ever!

This is when we just got in the delivery room and I was ready to walk around.
I love this man! He was sooo incredible during my labor I could not ask for a more wonderful husband. We had listened to a hyno birthing CD each night to help prepare me for labor and each time we did we would make fun of the lady talking on it the entire time. It was more hilarious just listening to it and laughing. On one contraction in particular he said... "And now babe, it's time to relax" which made me laugh since that was the first thing she said at the beginning of the CD and we would repeat it back to each other every time. He is my most favorite person and best friend in this whole world.

I would labor for an hour and then got monitored for 20 minutes. Notice how the bottom monitor band is pink and the top is blue. :)

I LOVE Nogs face is these.

Looking through these pictures I didn't realize how hard I was asking them to push on my back, they had to use their entire bodies. Boy do I love them!

This is just before we walked in to our room to find out I was at a 7! :) I felt great and seeing these little beanies waiting for them was the best thing ever!

They told me when I first got there that I was literally sitting on her head so at this point I asked my midwife to break my water since I knew she was soo low and that would speed things up much faster. The second she did I felt the urge to push it was crazy how fast it came on. Just after she broke my water I looked around and saw everyone getting dressed and ready. It made me cry. My babies were actually coming after all this time!!

Everyone continued couching me through my breathing which helped me so much so stay focussed. My midwife couched me through my pushing so that I wouldn't tear. She told me to stop at one point because I was pushing too fast and I told her I couldn't and she said "Yes you can!" I looooved how she did that. Then 30 minutes later our beautiful Charyse was born. They put her straight on my chest and I got to hold her, we all just cried happy tears.

I felt so much love surrounding me and I remember saying and looking down at my belly while I held her, how crazy it was that I still had another baby inside me. Then I heard her tell everyone that I was only at a 9!!

After I had held her for a few minutes my doctor came over and pushed on my belly to help move Bryken's body down because he was up so high. Once he did, I felt the urge to push again. It's the craziest feeling holding your baby and realizing there is still another baby in there and you have to do it again. Then after those 5 (contraction free) minutes of holding her my doctor said, "Well, are you ready to have another baby?" And I just laughed and said "YES!"
I pushed for just a few minutes and then came our little Bryken. They put him into my arms and I got hold them both, I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Life does not get better than this moment. Having a child, let alone 3 is the most heavenly experience I will ever have in this life. I know angels were in that room helping me and helping them. I can't help but think, what did I do to deserve ALL this?