It was Friday, January 27th and I was 2 days over my due date. I had a non-stress test that afternoon and scheduled to be induced Thurs. February 2nd but was on the 'waiting list' for Tuesday January 31st. I couldn't believe it! We had been so prepared for an early baby when I had my cerclage taken out at week 35, now they were telling me a week past my due date!!! The longer it took this baby to get here, the harder time I was having. At my NST they told me I had a couple of contractions, but I didn't feel them. At work that day we had a pitch-in for lunch and I had told Kirsten that it was my last day regardless if they induced me the 31st or 2nd...I needed to just be home! It was getting harder and harder to get motivated at work. And I was having a hard time believing a baby was waiting for me after 9 months.
After work I usually took a nap/relaxed for a bit but it was my nephew Trey's 8th grade basketball championship game, so we had to go! And that meant no nap! People would ask me when I was due and I was like, 2 days ago! They were amazed. I also jokingly kept saying 'oh, maybe this will be an exciting game and put me into labor!' Well, it did go to overtime, but still wasn't feeling anything. Afterwards, around 8:30 pm, Matt & I went to our fave BR 'bad' Chinese place to-go and got a movie at Red Box (March of Ides, Ides of March, whatever that Clooney / Gossling movie is!). So we got home, ate, and he put in the movie, around 9. I just nestled into my spot on the couch, and I kinda 'pee'd' my pants. I was like, huh! So I change outfits and about that time 9:07 pm I feel a little something on my side. And at that time another little trickle of water! So I told Matt, I think my water broke! Thankfully I paid attention when they said it doesn't have to be a gush! And at 9:14 another little something. And I go 'I don't know what contractions feel like, but if I were to think what they might feel like, it might be this.' So I said, I think we need to go to the hospital!! We straightened things up, already had our bags packed for the last 2 months!!, and headed to the hospital. About every 7 minutes I was having 'contractions' but no more gushes of fluid. We get to triage about 10 pm and the nurse was like 'what brings you here?' So sometime during that as well, Matt's back goes out. He can barely stand. It was awful. I'm like having contractions, hoping that really was my water that broke, and he's asking for a wheelchair...for himself! They hook me, up check the fluid and confirm my water broke. We look at each other like 'ok, here we go!' We got checked into the hospital at 11 pm and we decide not to call anyone yet b/c we don't know how long this is gonna take and don't want to get anyone worried. There is nothing they can do at 11 at night so we'll call in the morning. I was still at 3 cm and we (I) walked laps for awhile while pushing my husband in a wheelchair. He was so embarrassed but those nurses got a kick out of a lady in labor pushing her husband around the maternity ward! We did that for awhile and contractions started coming stronger so decided to go back to the bed at some point. I was now at 5 or 6 and I think got on pitocin at some point. at 4:30 am contractions were definitely getting stronger and I decided to get the epidural. Painless. Figured I might as well try to rest instead of being awake. Of all days not to have a nap when I got home from work!! Around 6 am Saturday January 28, I called my parents to let them know I was indeed in labor. They are an hour and a half away and didn't want my dad to go into work or something that morning and them not be able to get ahold of him. I told them after I got checked again I would call a little later. So I think about 8 I called back, and I was progressing well and they said were leaving around 9 am. I had texted my sisters, too at that point. I think Matt called his family around then as well. Now it was feeling real!! Well, at 10 am they were like 'time to push!' So we did some practice pushes and I'm like I can do this!! Around 11 the nurses said my family was there in the waiting room, I still had been pushing but I think Matt went out there to tell them I was full on pushing so any minute now! Well I keep pushing, pushing, pushing. They are trying different techniques, I'm playing tug of war w/them, I'm on one side, then the other side....and then at some point we notice the nurses talking and I think they are prepping me for a c-section. Well when the doc was in she said the baby was cock-eyed and face up. Also Matt later tells me from about 10:30 on he could see the head go in and out w/each contraction. So the doctor says we can try w/the vacuum, explains everything to us, or we keep trying. I opt for the vacuum b/c Evie had to have one w/her little guy and I'm like whatever it takes for safe, healthy baby!! Had she said c-section, I would have been fine with that too. But I just wanted this baby so badly and for everything to go well. They get the vacuum out and she said the next couple sets of contractions we can have that baby! So the end was insight!! The next push, with the help of the vacuum, at 12:30 pm out came our baby. It was surreal! I couldn't believe I had a baby. I heard the cry and was just like 'is everything ok?!' The Dr. says 'well daddy, what do you have?' And Matt has tears in his eyes and looks at me 'it's a boy!'. I think I was in shock. I just had a baby. I had a boy!!!!!!!! Oh, my I couldn't believe it. When the put him on my chest, I just stared at him. I was in love. I couldn't believe I had a baby. They do whatever they do with him and worked on me. I was just staring over at him the whole time. 8 lbs 10 oz - are you kidding me!? We were expecting a 7- 7 1/2 lb baby! 21 inches long- wowzers!! Luke Russell was agreed upon. Pure love. After an hour they said family could come back. Matt got my family but didn't tell them what we had. My nieces Emma & Claire walk in first. Everyone (my sisters, my parents, my brother-in-law) kinda tiptoed in and were looking around....so I say 'Did Uncle Matt tell you what we had?' And they all shake their head and say no. I say 'It's a boy!' And I won't forget that moment everyone erupts in gasps and tears! And I kept saying 'I have a baby boy! Can you believe it?!' No one was expecting it. We Lemmings just have girls. I have 2 sisters, I have 2 nieces, my dad has 3 sisters. I'm a girl. The pencil test said girl. It was going to be a girl, duh! Then I said you want to know his name...and everyone is like 'uh, yeah!' So I looked at my dad and said 'Luke Russell'...and again tears! Russell was my Grandpa Lemming's name and it's my dad's middle name. The next few hours were a whirlwind with Matt's family visiting and spoiling the baby. My world was forever changed Saturday, January 28th.
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