Olivia's birth story

It all started when we went to my 39 week appointment on Wednesday May 21st. Everything looked like it was progressing along as normal, until we realized that Baby G was not head down, and from that moment on we were no longer playing
the waiting game. In an instant we went from thinking we would be having a normal delivery whenever I happend to go into labor to scheduling a C-section bright an early on Tuesday May 27th. Drew tells me how surprised he was at how I held my composure and remained calm. I normally would stress out about something like this, but I didn't. We were a little disappointed that we wouldn't get to have the "ahhh, we're in labor" lets run around and make sure we have everything moment and call our parents to meet us as soon as possible because we are freaking out. It was also a good thing, because we were able to make sure that my dad who travels a lot would be there for the birth of his first grandbaby.

I went into work the next day and let my principal know that Friday would be my last day as I would be having a C-section early on Tuesday morning. My orginial plan was to work all the way up until I went into labor. Throughout Thursday and Friday, I worked hard to get my room cleaned up and make sure I had everything ready for my long term sub. On Friday afternoon I headed home around 3:30 and decided to straighten up the house and do the dishes. I wanted to get the house cleaned that weekend and Drew and I had all sorts of last hoorah plans of going out to eat and going to the movies and of course sleeping in! Little did I know that all those plans would be thrown out the window.

At 4:30 as I was finishing up loading the dishwasher (which I'm glad I got done, no yucky dishes were left in the sink), I leaned over to put the last item in the dishwasher when I felt a sharp kick and water gushing down my leg. Amazingily I stayed calm! Drew was supposed to be home early, but because it was also his last day for 2 weeks, he was still working getting everything ready for while he was out. I called his cell and it went to his voicemail and then I called his office number where he immediately answered "I'm not still up at the office." Then I promptly replied, "You need to come home." "Why?" "Because I'm pretty sure my water just broke." From there I called my doctor, waited for Drew to get home, and we headed to the hospital. On the drive to the hospital we made the call to our family to let them know I was in labor and to meet us up there because we would be meeting baby G tonight.

We got up  to the hospital around 5:45, got checked in, and we headed back to the delivery area. I got changed into the beautiful hospital gown, got my IV, monitor on the baby, and the contractions started coming! They checked to see if my water did actually break, and we had a quick sono to see if Baby G was still upside down and she was! By 7:45 PM I was being wheeled into the OR and we were getting ready to meet our baby. The nerves definitely started to kick in, we were about to be parents!

Drew stayed behind in the waiting room while I got my epidural (craziest thing ever)! and then was brought in right before surgery began. Promptly at 8:00 PM, the curtain went up and by 8:17 our doctor announced that it was "a girl bottom." It was such a wonderful surprise (I wanted a girl in the very beginning). They took her over to wipe her down, get her weighed and measured and got some foot prints for Dad. I just hung out on the operating table a little misty eyed and amazed that we were now parents.

By 9PM I was in recovery for 2 hours and everyone in our life group was anxiously waiting to know if Baby G was a boy or girl, but of course we had to tell family first (which we wanted to do in person). It was really nice to have that 2 hours in recovery with just me, Drew, and Olivia to enjoy our own little family time before everyone else met her.

At 11 PM we headed to our room/suite (it was a huge room)! And got ready for the family to arrive. Drew left Olivia with me and headed to the waiting room to bring our family back. He had them wait outside the room as he picked up Olivia and went to open the door. I still get teary eyed thinking about the pride Drew had as he got ready to show off his daughter. I enjoyed watching from the background as everyone gushed over the pink hat that they saw when the door was opened. Everyone was in love with sweet Olivia.

My dad holding his first grand baby

My mom with Olivia

Grandma Gardner

Uncle Ben

Aunt Elizabeth (She cried when she held Olivia)

Grandpa Gardner

Over the next few days we enjoyed being spoiled and pampered by our hotel I mean hospital, the nurses and staff were so wonderful I definitely wasn't ready to leave. We enjoyed having our family and friends come out to meet our daughter and after 3 days we headed home to do this parenting thing on our own.

Everything worked out so perfectly, my dad was able to be there to meet our baby girl (he was boarding a plane when my water broke) and we still got our "surprise, we're in labor!" She is definitely my little girl as our stories are almost identical with the exception that my mom did not know before hand that I was breech. We are so in love with our little girl and we are so blessed, everything went so perfect and we are enjoing every moment of parenthood.