Esther Pearl

Went to bed Sunday night the 22nd, one day overdue.  Thought I was having mild contractions but I kept thinking they would stop so I didn't start timing them with my app until and hour or so later at 12:30midnight. At that point they were around 8 minutes apart. Got up and went in the living room to sit on the exercise ball and played solitaire and sudoku and chess on my ipod while timing the contractions. At 1:30am I decided to take a shower to see if they would stop. The shower felt great but the contractions sped up to around 3 minutes apart each time. After the shower I called the on call doctor line(2:10am) and the nurse said I should come in to the hospital. Woke Dan up(he had actually been sleeping through all my wanderings) and let him know we needed to go. Called Teresa and she came right over to stay with the girls for the night. So we left for the hospital around 2:30am and got there around 2:45am. Parked under the hospital and walked in and they walked me up to labor delivery triage. She checked me and I was already 7cm!  Just like with Siobhan. Walked down the hall to our room. I felt really antsy and was walking pretty fast since with the contraction pains I didn't feel my pelvis pain at all. Walked around the room alot and had several serious contractions, had Dan push on my lower back to help the pain while I leaned on the bathroom sink. Finally got in the bed vocalized through the contractions(low groaning & such is supposed to help move labor along), which was honestly kinda funny to listen to myself. Anita came down for the birth. They kept calling the doctor to let him know I was close. Dr Haugen was on call and came in and checked me and I was ready so he broke my water. So much water! And hot.  She quickly came down and after several pushes her head came out and another push her body. Born at 3:37am 9lbs .2oz, 21inches, 14inch head. 4 hours total from first contraction to birth. A little longer than Siobhans but she was bigger, and it was still very smooth and easy. They laid her on my chest and she was so warm! They even took her temp and it was high. Hot tub in my uterus! 
She is such a good little baby.  Now that we have nursing figured out she is sleeping all night waking twice briefly to nurse.  I feel so rested, it's lovely!
The girls adore her.  Siobhan is happy and interested and so gentle.  Juliet is very excited, but a little too rough and overbearing in her affections.
I love my little sweet Esther!

little Esther!