A Baby Story(cue theme music)/Spotlight on Rosaline...

I know you all have been checking your computers everyday for this particular post. It's okay, you can breathe. This is it! Are you ready?!

This all started early Friday morning. I was having some painful contractions, but they were really far apart. I had also previously had painful contractions that would subside within 12 hours or so. I really didn't think this was it. Plus, I was only 38 weeks along and never thought that I would be in labor this early. The whole week I had felt impressed to get the things done for me to leave and have the baby before the weekend came. That's what I did. Anywho, back to Friday morning. I called my dearest friend Val and talked to her about my contractions and she said to call the Dr. or go to the hospital, as they were now 5 minutes or less apart. I also called Mark to get some input. He didn't think too much of it because we had been through this whole painful contraction thing just the Saturday before.

Our plan for the day was that Mark would get off of work at around noon and we would have a babysitter watch the kids while we went to get all the grocery shopping done for the next two weeks. Earlier that morning Mark had told me to pack a bag, just in case. I didn't. I was in denial. I got a babysitter and started getting ready to go out. As I was straightening my hair my contractions became more painful and closer together. Mark came home and saw me hunched over the sink dealing with a contraction. He asked me how far apart they were. I had no idea. So, we came up with this great experiment to try out, it was called "timing the contractions." We started timing them and realized that they were a minute and a ten sec. to a minute thirty apart. He said to go pack my bag. I said, "Let's get the shopping done and then we can go to the hospital. I don't want to get sent home." As I was getting dressed they became more painful and strong. Then I decided, well, let's just go to Target, then to the hospital. It seemed at this point like they were getting closer together. I then decided to call my mom. She said, "Danielle, call your doctor. Danielle, go to the hospital, you are having this baby today."

I was still in denial so I started packing my bag, still planning on going to Target. Hopefully the walking around would make me dilate more, then I really wouldn't be sent home. As I was packing they got even closer and even more painful. They were less than a minute apart. Things were getting too uncomfortable and I was having contractions every few steps I would take. I decided it wouldn't be so easy to shop at Target in this state. I finally told Mark that we could go straight to the hospital.

We got to the hospital. I actually had to ride in the wheelchair up to labor and delivery. These were some good contractions! I get checked and I am 6cm and 80% effaced. I was staying. Thank goodness!! This was at about 2:30pm-3pm. By 5pm I was dilated to 7cm. My doctor would have come at that point to break my water, but she was out of town. They called the on call doctor who did not want to break my water yet. This was especially frustrating because I knew I could have her within the hour if they broke my water. We waited and waited. About 7pm the on call doctor said that he sent a resident to come and break my water and that he would be there within an hour and a half. We waited and waited until 9pm. He never showed.

Luckily, our nurse came in and told us that my doctor had just gotten back in town and would put her kids to bed then come on over to break my water and deliver my baby(she knew it would happen very soon). She got there just after 10:30 and broke my water. I dilated to an 8, then 9, then I was ready to go! I pushed five times, about 2-3 minutes of pushing and this girl was out by 11:20pm!!! Yay! That's my story!! I know you loved it!

Spotlight on Rosaline...

Name: Rosaline Olivia Smith Birth date: August 15, 2008

Weight at Birth: 7lbs. 1oz. Height at birth: 18 1/2in.

Age: 6days Eye color: gray Hair color: dark brown

Something about her: Rosaline is a very sweet and calm baby. She rarely goes into a full out cry. She brings a sweet spirit to our home. Her siblings absolutely adore her. They have already given her nicknames. Gwendie calls her "baby." Liam calls her "Baby Rozzy." Duncan calls her "Rozzy." She has an adorable unconscious smile. She is the first of our babies to not be born with red hair(Gwendolyn was born with red hair but it fell out and grew in blond). She has the cutest clubfeet I have ever seen!! We are grateful she is finally here and we love our little girl.