Finally, the telling of the baby story...

It all started like this...

38weeks pregnant(2 days before the blessed day!)

I know it's been 1 month and 1 day since my little baby was born, but I have had quite a lot going on. I have hardly been on the computer. Here's the story:
In the wee hours of the morning on 10/10/10, at about 3am I started having some pretty hefty contractions that prevented me from sleeping all night. They continued until about 11:30am at about 5-7 min. apart. About that time they began to taper off and I fell asleep. My contractions came back that afternoon, but were only about 6 min. apart. I was getting frustrated because things just weren't moving along as quickly as they normally do with my labors.
My contractions started picking up about 6:30pm and got to be about 3-5 min. apart. I just wanted to have the baby. I was getting crabby and emotional about the whole thing. I really just felt like I couldn't be pregnant another day. The pain from my torn ligaments was just getting to be too much and I was tired and big, and well, just pretty much ready to be done.
After discussing things with Mark we decided that after how long I had been in labor that I had to at least be 5cm so the hospital would keep me. I called my dear friend Ellen to come over and watch the kids. She was on her way.
Mark went to get a shower in before we left and I laid down on the bed. I went to stand up and felt a little gush. Mark quickly grabbed a towel. My water had officially broken. It wasn't a big break, but I was still worried because normally, once my water is broken the baby is out in less than an hour. My contractions were getting stronger and I was feeling a bit panicked. I called Ellen to stress to her the time situation and learned that she was almost there. We were on our way to the hospital.
I got there and was only 5cm and 80% effaced. My contractions weren't that bad, but I was really hoping I was further along than that. I told them they could fully break my water and my baby would just be out really soon, but because my water had broken and the baby wasn't coming down yet, they couldn't. They were concerned that the umbilical cord would float over the head, cutting off oxygen to the baby. We had to wait for the baby to come down on his own.
We were really hoping that we would have a 10/10/10 baby, but it was not his plan. The hours were ticking by and I was dilating very slowly. I was determined to go without an epidural with this baby. Our last payment for the anesthesiologist was going in the on the 15th(from Rosaline) and I was not about to start all that again. I was handling it pretty well and the contractions weren't bad at all. With Duncan I had gotten to 10cm without and epidural(and on full pitocin), Liam 9cm, Rozzy 7cm. I was pretty sure I could do this.
They fully broke my water at about 10pm. I was really thinking I could have this baby before midnight. The contractions were getting stronger, but I still wasn't going very fast and the baby was still high.
By about 2:30am(still awake from the night before!) I was 8 1/2cm and 100% effaced. The baby still hadn't come down. By that point my contractions were excruciating. They were like nothing I have felt before. The pain was taking over my whole belly, back and thighs. My contractions were 2 min. apart. I was so disappointed that I was not fully dilated. I was so frustrated. My Dr. came in to see how I was doing and was very surprised to see that I still was not fully dilated. The pain I was in was not normal. The Dr. said that the baby was probably face up and that's why he hadn't come down and that on top of my ligaments being torn made things difficult. She said I was doing so well, but suggested that I get an epidural so that I could relax and the baby could come down. I not so reluctantly agreed. I was exhausted and ready to have the baby.
I got the epidural, but apparently only on my right side. I could still feel everything on my left. The anesthesiologist tried to fix it, but to no avail. By that point I didn't care and was ready to push anyway. Being half numb relaxed me enough to get the baby down. I was so tired I was about ready to pass out from exhaustion,but it was pushing time. I gave a few pushes and out little Aly came. Alastair Nicholas Smith was born on 10/11/10 at 3:28am. He weighed 8lbs. 1oz. and was 19 1/2in. long.

After little to no sleep and 24 hours of labor, I finally did it!! Ugh!!
He seems to be a combination of all my children in one. Wouldn't he be a lovely finish to a birthing legacy?
He is really pretty I think. He could have been a girl, haha.
Poor little heels.

We got to come home to my mom staying with us and taking care of house and kids. I will be eternally grateful to her to that!! It was my first time having this much help. The baby had really bad jaundice and got to be on the Bili Blanket for a few days. There was one point when things got really bad. He was really lethargic and hadn't wet his diaper or anything in 8 hours. I really didn't want him to go to the hospital. I had already done that with Liam and it was so difficult. We all gathered as a family and prayed together. I sat and held Alastair for about 45min. just waiting for him to wet his diaper. Then suddenly he did!! He started waking up more and just got better from then on. Never underestimate the power of prayer!!! The Lord will work his magic if you have faith.
I enjoyed my time with my mom and my time relaxing and sleeping whenever I could. I was so tired and it took a while to catch up.
Even with my nausea, illnesses, fall down the stairs, gestational diabetes, and longest, lamest, most painful labor, I am glad to have my baby, I am glad to have a newborn again. I could never get tired of this. I love it.