Happy Birthday Mercedes!

Yesterday was the fourth birthday of my Mercinator! I can't believe how the time flies. :)

So, following with "tradition" - a condensed version of her birth story:

Mercedes was due April 11, 2006. As I have mentioned, my body doesn't kick in by itself near the due date... I have to wait. Since Merce is baby 5, my doctor and I had this figured out and a couple weeks from the due date she asks me if I want to set an induction date. I asked for Friday the 14th as in 2006 that was Good Friday. As you may have noticed, Brandy was born on Good Friday. I thought it would be cool to have two children born on Good Friday. But, the hospital was allowing any bookings for that day. Ok, so that leaves me with the option of the 13th or A L L the way to Monday the 17th. I am at 38 weeks, waddling around, huge, uncomfortable, and ready to have this baby already, I chose the earlier date.

I went into the hospital for my scheduled induction. Of course I don't get hooked up to the pitocin right away. I'm not worried. I have fairly fast labors (except Josh). Around noon things finally start happening. I'm walking around and bouncing on the birthing ball. I'm really doing great. I was handling the pain well, laughing with Steve and the doula about the gallons upon gallons of "water" that I have lost. I think we went through at least 50 towels mopping up after me. Fast forward to a little after 2pm. I'm still doing well, but the contractions are on top of each other. I'm in transition. I have chosen to not use any meds with this one. Something I only regretted during transition and "the moment."

At 2:10 Steve says he is going to leave. Yes you read that right, he is going to leave me just as things are coming to a head - literally. You can't blame him though. Brandy was to get out of school at 2:35 and someone needed to be home to meet the bus. I really didn't want Steve to leave and asked (read: screamed through the panic and pain) him to call my friend Susan. Susan, the dear, sweet woman that she is, left her job to go pick up my Brandy. (Thankfully she has a flexible job, she is the secretary at the church we attended at the time.) While Steve was talking to her, I was having a little problem with er, um, control. I was letting out some very primal screams - hey it felt good to have complete control of SOMETHING, even if it was just my voice. Mercedes was born at 2:19pm weighing in at 8 lbs 13.5 oz. I stress the .5 because she was only half a pound bigger than Jessi, but it I sure felt every bit of that - could it be the no meds?

Because Susan heard me yelling, she felt it best that she not bring Brandy right away. She took her for a treat before bringing her up to meet her baby sister. I was getting a bit impatient, and anxious, I mean, what if something went wrong and Brandy was sitting at the house all by herself? But, they did come up together, carrying balloons and smiles.

Through the pregnancy I was sure Merce was a boy. Part of that was due to simply wanting another boy, but... that girl sure could kick. She is still my tomboy. She doesn't like anything girly and is by far my most active girl, she might be my most active overall. She can be trying at times (can't they all) and she is loud! But she is also a RIOT! And she has a heart of gold. I am truly blessed. :)