Scarlett Cooley
November 5, 2011 at 6:11AM
7 lbs 8 oz
20 inches
My babies come a week early. That's just how it is. So I wasn't surprised on Friday night when my contractions started. They weren't painful, but they were consistent. I began frantically cleaning the house. I cleaned all the bathrooms, vacuumed upstairs and down, and mopped the floors. B even polished the stainless steel. Before we put the boys to bed I packed them a bag for Grammy's house. Then B and I sat down on the couch and watched TV. The contractions continued. We decided to go to bed around 10pm. I slept until midnight when the contractions got painful enough to wake me up. I told B to call his Mom and she came over to stay with the boys.
We got to the hospital around 1:30AM. It was a busy night, they didn't even have room for us in the place where they check you to make sure you're actually in labor before they admit you. So, they just put me directly into a room. I was 100% effaced and dialated to a 4. I'm no rookie, I knew I was in labor. But when I asked how soon I could have an epidural the mean old nurse told me that she wasn't even sure they were going to admit me, they might just send me away to labor at home. Then she left us in the room alone. I wanted to cry...so instead I threw up.
Then the mean old nurse's shift ended and her evil presence was replaced by a sweet angel who didn't threaten to send me home. Instead she listened as I explained to her that if they would just give me an epidural, I would be dialated to a 10 in twenty minutes. Then I threw up again. She believed me, (or maybe my throw-up impressed her) and the anesthesiologist arrived at 4am to give me my epidural.
Then they left us alone for two hours. When the nurse finally came back to check me she lifted the sheet and then said, "Oh my. The baby is RIGHT THERE." She frantically called all her peeps in to do their job. My Doctor came and told me to "Push." I obeyed. I started to push a second time and then it was over. They put the baby on my chest.
Scarlett. Sweet precious perfect Scarlett. Scarlett with the smooshed nose and tiny cone head from sitting in the birth canal for too long. Scarlett with a full head of hair.
They took her away for her bath and then I puked again. I always imagined that my 3rd baby's delivery would be my easiest, but it wasn't. It happened quickly, (we got to the hospital at 2am and she was born at 6am) but I was so weak and shaky through it all. And tired. So so so tired. I asked for something to eat and they brought me a croissant. I felt better after that.
They brought me my clean little baby, all swaddled up. I layed in my bed and watched her squirm under her blankets. Every movement she made was familiar. I could almost feel her in my body again, and I knew her. I picked her up and looked at the face that was so new to me, but her presence was an old familiar friend.
I could feel her love for me. And I knew that our relationship had begun long before this life and that it would continue on and on, long after this life is over. It felt good to be together again.
While I was at the hospital, the boys got new pajamas from Grammy.
With doggie booties.
When they came to meet Scarlett that day, Edmond approached me very carefully and asked, "Mamma, are you ok?" Then he gently stroked my IV.
"Yes, honey! I'm all better! The baby came out and I'm all better!"
Then I hugged that sweet, concerned three-year-old and gave him one of Scarlett's birth party favors. (I'll post about those later.)
The next morning I dressed Scarlett in a onesie I made her.
She is so so so tiny. Her little bum and legs are so bony and petite. Her hands and feet seem long.
