Happy Birthday Rowan!

This is a long story but it's funny and worth the read...

My pregnancy with Rowan was so much harder than my pregnancy with Bella. I was ALWAYS exhausted. Tired doesn't even describe it. I felt like I stumbled around in a drugged-stupor for nine months. I also had an extremely active two-year-old, while I had slow reflexes and no agility. Bella would always manage to do things like break free of my grasp in parking lots and go running away. I always felt like a hippo trying to chase after a squirrel.

It was also a crazy hot summer that year. At the time we didn't have air-conditioning in the house (we do now, specifically because of my extreme misery, I vowed to never go through another summer like that). The constant heat, combined with the ginormous size I had grown to and the inability to ever get comfortable, combined with some serious pregnancy hormones made me a total psycho-bitch. My poor husband took it like a trooper. I thought for sure he would leave me. Just walk out the door without a word. The 1% of my brain that was still logical would tell the 99% of my crazed, pregnant brain to be nice to him. That not everything was his fault, and that he did not deserve my abuse. I most often was not logical, though.

I begged my doctor to induce me. I had gotten induced 2 weeks early with Bella because she had grown to sumo-wrestler size, and I just assumed that that too would be the case with Rowan. At my last appointment, my doctor said he didn't think this baby was quite as big, so no need to induce. I couldn't help it...I started crying. He asked what I thought, and I said this baby felt even bigger. So, he reluctantly agreed to set me up for an induction that Friday, 3 days before my due date.

Friday morning I got up and got ready and called the hospital at 5am. See, when it is an elective induction, you aren't guaranteed a spot. So they make you call, and if they have a bed available, then you get in. Well, I called and she said, "Sorry, honey. We are really busy. Call back in 3 hours and maybe we can get you in." So I patiently waited 3 hours, and called again. Sorry, no room at the inn, as they say. I called Kaylee, who was going to be there for the birth. See, Kaylee is my little Earth-mama. She had a home birth for her second baby, and tried in vain to get me to have a home birth also. She'd always talk about how peaceful and calm it was, and how I would be so happy if I did it. I wasn't necessarily against it, but who would give me that glorious epidural if I had a home birth?? Looking back now, I wish I had done a home birth because I didn't get the epidural anyway and it just would have been better. Anyway, I was talking to Kaylee and she told me to just go drink some castor oil. It couldn't hurt. She had a good point. For those of you that don't know what castor oil is, it is this foul-tasting oil that can be a natural way of starting labor. Some think it is just an old wives' tale, but I thought, what the heck? So I went to the store and bought a little bottle of it and a pint of chocolate peanut butter ice cream and went home and whipped myself up a little milk shake. It was nasty, but I managed to get it all down. It was 9:30am.

An hour and a half went by without any action. I was laying on my bed watching the news and Dale was in the living room with Bella. I then had a contraction. I looked at the clock, and it was 11:04. Then I had another one at 11:06, then again at 11:09. I thought hmmm.... So I continued to watch the news as the contractions kept coming. They started to hurt. Then at 11:30 the hospital called.

Nurse: "Hey Jessica! We have room for you! Come on over!"
Me: "Oh, good. I just drank castor oil and now I'm in labor anyway."
Nurse: "Girlfriend...What'd you go and do that for??"
Me: "Well, you guys kept turning me away, so I had to take matters into my own hands."

I went and told Dale what was going on, and hopped in the shower. Then I thought to myself...Oh shit, I need to hurry. By the time I got out of the shower and got dressed I was doubled over with each contraction. When we got into the car it was 12:15. Now for those of you familiar with Shelton...this is how fast the contractions were coming: I had one at the Chevron (Arcadia intersection), then one by Ken's Auto body, then Mill Creek, then getting onto 101. It was crazy.

It took 45 minutes to get to the hospital. We came to a complete stop two times on I-5 because of construction (ironically, they were building a bridge connecting the east and west sections of the Chehalis Western Trail, where we love to ride our bikes). The contractions were so bad. I refused to be a screamer, though, so with each one I'd recline my seat, roll onto my side, and cry through it. Once we finally reached our exit, we had to make our way through a bunch of intersections. Here's the weird thing about labor: When you're having a contraction, it feels like you have giant chains attached to your pelvis and you are being pulled apart my semi trucks driving in the opposite directions. But when you are not having one, you are completely normal. Like we were stopped at a red light during one of my contractions, and then when it was over, I brought my seat back upright, wiped away my tears, regained my composure, and pointed out the window and asked Dale, "when did they build that Dairy Queen?"

When we finally pulled into the entrance, I told dale just to drop me off. There was no way I was going to wait for him to park the car. We pulled up to the curb and I took out a piece of paper and quickly scribbled down my social security number and handed it to Dale. "You're gonna have to register me." I remember seeing the clock in my car and it was exactly 1:00. Then I got out and ran (giant belly and all) down the sidewalk and down the stairs into the birthing wing of the hospital. I remember this old couple totally doing a double take as I ran by. I new I only had a few precious moments before the next contraction hit. I made it to the front desk and I was trying to explain that I was scheduled to be induced, but that I was in labor. The nurses barely gave me a second glance, then I had another contraction and that put a little fire under their feet. The nurse was like here, follow me. We made it into the room, then I was doubled over the bed saying the f-word. I still had my purse handing on my shoulder. I quickly then got into a gown and the nurse checked me. I was dilated to an 8. Things started going quickly then. Other nurses came in and started setting the room up for delivery. One of the nurses came in and told my that my own doctor wouldn't make it in time, and that Dr. Bonner, one of the new residents, would be delivering. By that point I wouldn't have cared, or noticed even, it the Pope delivered my baby. I asked my nurse if I could have an epidural, and she smiled and said "Oh honey! We don't have time for that!" Then she tried and tried to get an IV in my arm, but for some reason couldn't, then tried the other arm and got it in. She checked me again. "You can start pushing whenever you feel like it." Just as the nurses were hoisting my big old pregnant legs into the stirrups, I looked up and saw Dale looking over me. He'd barely made it in time.

Once I started pushing, the pain went away. It's weird, you'd think that actually pushing the baby out would hurt the most, but it really doesn't much. After pushing through 3 contractions, Rowan was born at 1:25pm weighing 9lb. 9oz. Unfortunately, my mom, sister, and Kaylee all made it too late. They were so bummed!

Rowan,

While I am looking forward to watching every moment of you growing up, I wish you could stay little forever. You have been such a fun baby and little boy. I remember that first night in the hospital, I unwrapped you and took your little diapered body and put you on my chest inside of my hospital gown so your body could feel my skin. I believe your love of cuddling began at that moment. Since then you want to hug, kiss, snuggle, and cuddle all the time. You would cuddle with me all day long if I'd let you. Even now. You were a great baby. You had a soft little cry and were very patient. You have grown into a toddler now, you still have your sweet disposition and affection...even to your big sis who didn't quite welcome you with open arms. I enjoy watching your relationship with Bella change and grow. As you grow up and go and do great things in this world, I hope you always stay the caring, sensitive, sweet boy on the inside. I love you so much.

Love, Mom






Rowan with my mom







I like to start my kids off on their adventures early. Rowan and I headed off to Maryland while I was still on maternity leave to go hang out with Courtney!