The New Arrival...

The story begins...

Matt thought we needed to document me while I was in agony.

Finley Claire

June 1st, 4:14am

7lbs 15oz

21 inches

Love at first sight.

xoxo

A brand new love.

The Wagoner Four.

My two babes' first meeting.

Easton is in love with his sister.

He counted all her fingers and toes. And kissed her all over.

He's a natural at being a big brother.

Daddy and his sweet girl.

Couldn't be any prouder!!

The three loves of my life.

Our world is complete.

So it started out like any other Memorial Day...

We took Easton to see Shrek 4 and then headed over to the Goebel's for a bar-b-que. I had been having mild-ish contractions on and off throughout the day but nothing consistent. We finished dinner and watched the kids put on a show to "Ice, Ice Baby" (HA-HA-larious).

Before you read the rest of this story please know I think it's quite funny now, at the time not so much, so please feel free to laugh at my pain...we have :)....

After getting home and getting Easton put to bed, the contractions were coming a little closer and quite strong and mostly in my back. Probably a sign that we should have headed to the hospital BUT instead I just wanted to go to bed and pretend everything was fine...This baby could come when I was ready and I just didn't feel ready. I had a 2:00pm doctor's appointment the next day, she could check me then. After my feeble attempt to sleep and Matt's insistence, I hopped into a quick shower and then headed for the hospital. We checked in around 2:30 am. The nurse told me I was dialated between 5 & 6 centimeters. Awesome!! I was already halfway there!! Now I could sit back and wait for the pure bliss of the epidural to come and ease my RAPIDLY increasing pain. I thought the pain I felt when I was in labor with Easton was intense at 4cm...that was like a tickle compared to the intensity these puppies were coming with. They moved us to a labor & delivery room, got my i.v. going and the nurse said as soon as it ran through one bag of fluid I could have the glorious drugs. This is when things started to really get crazy...

I started to feel a strong urge to push. Can't be! That's too fast. Apparently the nurse thought so too, but upon checking me I was dialated to a 7!!! She tells me not to push and to "just breathe"...I tell her if she wants me not to push and to "just breathe" she should probably bring the epidural... But the bag of fluid wasn't finished so that couldn't happen yet. DAMN! Why didn't Matt carry a Swiss Army knife so he could poke a hole in the bag and get this party started?? It seems like only 5 minutes have passed and this time there is no denying it, I NEED TO PUSH!!!! Panic strikes the nurse's face...checks me again, "You're an 8!!" She again gives me the whole don't push, you need to breathe speil...which translates to me as , "Blah, blah, blah." I again insist, in between what feels to me as my back breaking and an urge to push that is beyond my control at this point, tearfully asking, no BEGGING, for her to get the drugs. My very sweet husband is trying to get me to calm down and get through each insane contraction. My mom arrives and tells me, "You look so pretty." I have since apologized but at the time I told her something along the lines of, "Shut up!!!" FYI: I don't like to be complimented while I'm in pain. I'm going to save myself some dignity and just say that I was very vocal (something between a scream, a wail and a cry) during this labor. I'm clearly not having fun yet and ask again, "When do I get the epidural??" I'm dialated to a 9 now...I need this pain to stop...why aren't you helping me....why does it look like the nurse is hiding behind Matt...and then she tells me, "If I tell you, you can't have the epidural, you have to squeeze your husband's hand and just breathe." Um, lady that's what I've been doing and I don't know if you've noticed but THAT'S NOT WORKING!!!! I ask again, "So you can't do ANYTHING to help take the edge off at least?!" ....I look at Matt and announce that I can't do this. Now, obviously I know women have had and are having babies everyday without drugs...I never planned to be one of those women. I was not prepared to do this, I can't do this. In a feeble attempt to make me feel better the nurse says, "Even if we tried to get you the epidural now, if you sat up to do it the baby could be born and the doctor is not here yet." NOT HELPNG. At this point the doctor arrives, sits down and checks me and says, "That's a good size baby." AGAIN NOT HELPING...Panic strikes, I have to do this without drugs AND she's BIG!! Heaven help me....the pushing begins, despite my cries that I can't do it. It seems like I've been pushing for an eternity (7 minutes, lol) and that I just can't take anymore, when the doc says, "You're 90% there." To which I feel the tiniest shimmer of hope, "Does that mean I only have 10% to go??!!" I've never been good at math. Matt tells me, "You CAN do this, you're ALREADY doing it!!" A couple of hulk sized pushes and I feel her head come out followed by her little body. We hear her little cry, they hand this little miracle to me...I did it. We did it. At 4:14am, (only an hour & 45 minutes after checking into the hospital) the lovely Finley Claire was born!!!

I could not have gotten through it without the patience and support of those around me. My mom was awesome with trying to keep me cool with cold washcloths and being so brave to not cry while watching me cry. Matt was amazing. He kept his cool and stood strong while I was falling apart and helped cheer me on even when I didn't want to hear it. They are much braver than I to be able to be there for me even though I know it was so hard watch someone they love going thru so much pain and not be able to stop it.

There is no denying that I would do it all again in a heartbeat to have this beautiful, healthy, perfect little girl in our life.