The hearbeat that changed our world....Part 2

Chuck turned the emergency flashers on and got us from Brookwood to Northport Hospital in 20 min!  He ran inside to go get me a wheelchair while I waited in the truck.  When he came back out he said, " I told them my wife is in labor and needs a wheelchair and they wanted to ask if we had been upstairs yet and would need to go there first.  He quickly replied...NO, my wife's in labor I'll be taking her a wheelchair NOW!"  I thought he was sweet for taking care of me but my my response was, "watch me get the nurse you cocked an attitude with & she's going to hate us!"   Chuck wheels me into the hospital & he points out which nurse he got an attitude with & of course, low & behold, wouldn't you know......she was my nurse.  She was young & cute & thank goodness just as sweet as she could be & I just we loved her to death.  She took such good care of me.   They took me into a room and began to assess me.  I just knew with all the pain I had to be AT LEAST 5-6 cm dilated......NOPE....I was only a whole WHOPPING 3!  3?!?!?  Are you kidding me?!?!?!  They gave me something to help with the contractions until the anesthetist could get there to give me an epidural.
My Aunt Darlene had called my Dad & my Aunt Becky to let them know we had gone to the hospital.  My Daddy arrived just as fast as he could.  Poor Fran, my stepmom, couldn't come.  Christmas is one of her busiest seasons for her dog boarding business and she was unable to get away.  At the hospital waiting on this sweet little angel to make her debut were my Daddy, Jacki (Chuck's mom), Aunt Darlene & Becky, & cousins Brittany & Kayla.

 Finally the on call doctor came in to check me and estimated I'd prob deliver around 2:30AM.  When it came time to push my nurses all thought she would deliver so easy b/c she had been so low for so long and was, what seemed to be, ready.  The doctor had gone to get some sleep until it was time to deliver.  When he came back I pushed for about an hour, which none of them thought it would take that long.  He finally sat back and said she is facing sunny side up & hitting bone to bone.  She won't come out like this I need her to be face down.  I thought he was preparing me for possible c-section so I asked what our options were.  He proposed using the vacuum to try turning her first.   I told the doctor I was glad he had glasses b/c I could see her being delivered (minus all the other stuff).   The vacuum was successful and I pushed 3 times and she was here!  She literally came out kicking & screaming.  The monitor they had hooked around my belly allowed you to hear when she kicked.  She was half way out & started crying & then we heard her kicking on the monitor.  He laid that precious baby on me & I lost it.  The transformation that takes place instantaneously upon touch is miraculous.  My heart was no longer mine.  I was a mommy!
Our families anxiously awaited out in the lobby the entire time.  Chuck went to share the good news & they all thought they weren't going to be able to see her so they were going to head home.  They were heading down the hall w/ Chuck & he said, "Ya'll know you can go see her...."  Chuck said my Dad started RUNNING down the hall like a little kid.  I can actually imagine my dad running down the hall but picturing it still makes me laugh.  I wish I could have seen that.  Everyone was so exhausted but they awaited the arrival of this precious little girl.  So many loved her already.
The doctors rounds started very early the next morning probably only giving me about 3 more hours of sleep (a total of 6 in 2 days).  First Loralei's pediatrician and then my OB doctor.  She opened the door and said, "I am SO MAD at you!  I can't believe you had her and didn't wait on me."
Since the day Loralei was born she is a strong willed little girl.  You can't rush her into anything.  She was not going to forced out she made her entrance when she was ready.  My doctor said less than 5% of babies come naturally on their due date.  I was so glad she came on her own.  I didn't want to induce.  I like the idea of her being born when God wanted her to be & having her own birthday and not one that was picked for her.
This past year has been more than blessed for me & Chuck.  Being parents makes you feel like a life is complete.
Loralei Marie Brewer was delivered at 2:33AM on Dec 30th, 2010.
She was 19 3/4in & weighed in at 7lbs 2oz.  (Darlene said Brad and Brooke made their way in there somehow....it was 27 backwards)