I woke on the morning of October 15, 2009 feeling like it was just another day. Convinced that it would all stop like it had done before I went about my day . I took a shower with Katerina and Brandon got ready to go to the warehouse, promising me he’d be back at 1:30 – we talked about filling the pool and decided to wait (about 9:30 or so now). A little while later I decide that I DO need to fill the tub, so I called Brandon and asked him if there is anything I need to check.

Next, I bring the hose in to fill the tub and start boiling pots of water to help it heat up quicker. I then called Kellie again and let her know that my contractions are not stopping but are not regular or very painful and then call Brandon and asked him to be home by 1 pm instead.

Next, I went upstairs and stood in the shower awhile. When he gets back I walk around the house and try to get comfortable – but I cannot. The mild contractions get very uncomfortable sitting down. Brandon finishes filling the tub with hot water and turns the heater on. I had been drinking red raspberry leaf tea all day but finally stopped about 2 pm, I then began to eat cheese. I called Kellie again to tell her the contractions are stronger but still not unbearable and still not totally regular – also that I think I had a bloody show. She says that is a good sign of early labor and that my cervix is opening. Katerina and I get in the tub about this time and hang out – she was loving the tub!

About 3:45 pm I start to get worried – worried I won't be able to do this - thinking I am in early labor still. They are getting worse around my back and lasting longer and while Kellie said "to call her when they got bad" I truly thought I had awhile still to go and was holding off on calling her over.

Later, I started getting Extremely BAD sharp pains that ran down by my butt in the midst of a contraction. I then decided to take another shower. Showers really help with the discomfort.

I make my way upstairs in between contractions and as soon as I get in the bathroom I feel I have to 'go'. "Great!" thinks I – finally all the pooing you get in labor to clean you out! It was a VERY sudden urge. I strip and sit down and for some reason I reach down and can feel a head! I call out to Brandon who runs upstairs, I tell him to call Kelli and say we need her NOW! I was practically running downstairs to get into the pool – I had no idea I was this close!

Soon after hanging up I get the urge to push – this is when my waters break. This urge is like no other and is a force all its own. It could not be stopped and I almost felt like I had no control over it which is actually relieving – like it is just nature how it should be. When I feel her head moving down and starting to come I yell at him that I NEED HIM NOW! Stripping he jumps into the tub ASAP. I have another urge and her head is out! I feel some stinging but nothing horrible. I finally get the urge again and she comes out the rest of the way – in about 5 minutes of pushing, tops. She was breathing and coughed a bit and Brandon gets the towels we had warming in the oven and we wrap her up. We get Kellie on the phone again who instructs Brandon to rub her and dry her and make sure she is breathing. Soon her color slowly starts coming.

Kellie arrives just a few minutes after we call her. She helps me out of the tub and dries me off and we get new dry, warm blankets to continue drying her with. At some point I remembered to check her gender. When we take her temp it is good and her color is still slowly coming to pink. After I delivered the placenta I was bleeding very badly even as we moved over to the bed I was still bleeding. Kellie got a shot of pitocin ready just in case I needed it. I know I should have been scared but I had faith that Kellie would handle it and Kellie kept everyone calm, which really let me know we were in good hands.

We then breastfed and did the herbal bath. It was nice and relaxing. After that we did the newborn exam. Our baby was a whopping 8 lb 11 oz! 20 ½ inches long (the same as her sister). She had short dark hair and darker eyes than her sister. We named her Avaline Mae. It was all a wonderful experience, though I should have picked up the phone sooner!