We went to bed and I woke up around 1ish really crampy. I had not been sleeping well for several weeks and had been feeling pretty crampy for a while so I didn't think much about it and was annoyed that I was awake and not sleeping! And then around 2:45, I was laying there still awake and I felt my first contraction. It completely threw me off, and I wasn't sure what it really was. About 5 minutes later I had another one. Since I knew what contractions felt like and these started off pretty painful, I decided to time them if I had another one. Sure enough in about 5 more minutes I had another one. I started timing them and walking around to see if they stopped or got stronger. They were getting stronger and were pretty consistently 3-5 minutes apart. I still had not woken Bryan up yet because I knew his first reaction would be to get to the hospital. I wanted to make sure that it was the real thing. Around 4am I decided I was in enough pain and the contractions were getting stronger and closer together so it must be the real thing. I woke Bryan up and he jumped out of bed! I told him that I would drive myself to the hospital and get monitored and if I was in labor I would call and he could come up there and call my parents. He laughed and said I was 100% not going to drive myself to the hospital while I was in labor. We decided to just load Kade up in the car and I was going to in by myself to get monitored and then call Bryan to come in if I was staying. It was 4am and I did not want to wake everyone up if it was a false alarm.
We drove to the hospital, I went up to L & D and got all checked in and sure enough I was in labor. I was 6cm when I was admitted, I couldn't believe it! By 6am I was all checked in, my parents were on their way and Bryan and Kade were sitting in the room with me! I wanted my epidural immediately! I had to wait about an hour for some reason so they gave me some pain medicine that just made me sleepy and totally out of it.I progressed pretty fast and by about 10:20 it was time to push. I pushed for a total of about 30 minutes and at 10:50am Ella Claire Stephens was born! It was so easy and such a different experience than my delivery with Kade. It went so fast and it was just so much easier this time around. I think it is because I went into labor naturally instead of being induced. Ella was perfect when she was born. Bryan and my mom were both there to witness the birth and it was just so surreal! She was 7lbs 14oz and 19inches long. If sister went to her due date (it wasn't for 2 more weeks) she would have been huge!
After getting cleaned up and feeding Ella we brought Kade into meet Ella. The first meeting wasn't as "magical" as I had pictured in my head. Kade was so tired and so hungry and he did not like seeing his mama in the hospital bed with all sorts of things connected to me. He cried, I cried and just wanted to hold him. He slowly warmed up to Ella and after he went home for a nap and food he came back much happier!!! I am so in love with Ella and I am so in love with my family!!! I thank God everyday for giving Bryan and I two precious children and for smooth pregnancies and labor and deliveries! We are so blessed!!
Ok so I am only posting this picture because I want to remember how ridiculous I was. I had planned the morning I was induced to get up shower, fix my hair, and maybe even wear a little make up. I learned with Kade that when you have an epidural, labor is easy and you don't have to look like a hag in alllll those after pictures. I wanted to look good this time around, so vain I know. Like I said, the night before we went swimming at my parents and when I came home I showered but didn't wash my hair. I have NEVER EVER gone swimming an not washed my hair out when I was done, but this night I did. My hair was crunchy, frizzy, and sticking out EVERYWHERE! I guess Ella wanted to make 100% sure she was the star of the day!
My nurse Frances with Dr Hart. Since it was the weekend Dr. Robbins wasn't the dr. on call, I was a little bummed at first but Dr. Hart was just as amazing!
Our first family of four photo! First thing that stuck out to me is how tired everyone looks and second thing was the look on Bryan and I's faces. Looks as if we are saying "Holy cow, we have TWO kids!" But I sure do love these three people more than anything though!
Kade wasn't thrilled with being a big brother initially.
Ella and Addison!!
