On February 15th, 2007, my mom, Jon, Ty, and I were walking into Michaels in Valpo and as we were walking through the parking lot towards the store I felt like I was having a contraction. My due date was February 7th so since I was late I was expecting to go anytime. I asked my mom what time it was and she said "5:00 why?" "Just wondering", I said. We went into the store and while we were back by the unfinished wooden items I had another one. So I asked my mom again what time it was. She said, "5:20 why?" and gave me a concerned look. Again I said, "just wondering".
Our next stop was McDonald's since my picky 2 year old would rarely eat anywhere else! I savored my meal knowing that this was probably my last time eating out for a few weeks and my last time with just one child to worry about. I'm pretty sure while we were there my mom figured out that I was having contractions. Since my labor with Ty had lasted 31 1/2 hours I wasn't too concerned about getting home right away so I convinced her that I was fine and wanted to go to Walmart like we had originally planned.
I have never seen my mom walk through Walmart so fast! Her and my brother seemed to be rushing around trying to grab everything on the list. I kept assuring them that I was fine and to take their time. I would rather be walking around a store than pacing at home waiting for labor to progress. My contractions were still 15-20 minutes apart and I figured I still had quite awhile before I needed to be home. I couldn't convince them to stay any longer and even while checking out my mom was frantically putting her bags into her cart while telling the cashier that I was in labor. The cashier just looked at me and I don't know if she thought I was just crazy for being there while in labor or if she thought I was faking it.
When we got home, I can't remember if Ty had fallen asleep on the drive home or if I put him to bed shortly after getting there. Anyway, I called Alberta, the lady I work through, to tell her that I was possibly in labor and might not be able to work that weekend. I told her I would call her Friday morning and let her know. About 9:00 or 10:00 that night the contractions were still 15-20 minutes apart and I was just lounging around on the couch doing sodoku puzzles while writing down the time of each contraction. I finally told my mom that I was going to try and get some sleep so I went upstairs to lay down. By midnight I still had not fallen asleep and the contractions were getting stronger and around 10 minutes apart. I went back downstairs with my sodoku puzzle book and the paper to time my contractions. They quickly became stronger and faster and were getting closer to 7-8 minutes apart and we decided it was time to call the midwife.
I called Lynda and she said she would be there soon along with the midwife in training Cindy to help assist with the birth. We woke my stepdad, Jack, up around 2:00 a.m. and told him it was time so that he could go upstairs to sleep in my room since his bedroom was the only one downstairs next to the bathroom (since I wouldn't be able to walk up and down stairs for a couple days I knew I would have to have the baby downstairs since there was no bathroom upstairs). While waiting on the midwives to get there my mom and I brought in all the baby stuff into the bedroom, diapers, clothes, and all the supplies for the birth. I had a blue gown and a pink gown ready since I had no idea what sex the baby was. By the time the midwives got there the contractions were just 4-5 minutes apart and really strong. They quickly got the bed set up and all their supplies out and ready. I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom so Cindy helped me into the bathroom but I couldn't sit down! Every time I started to sit down I just remember saying "Oh pressure, pressure, pressure". Cindy helped me back into the bed. By this point the contractions were coming and going so quickly I didn't even really have to time them! Lynda checked and said I was ready to push. I couldn't believe it and I started to panic saying that I couldn't do it. I had felt so prepared especially since I had done it before until it was time to push. That's when it hit me that I was doing it alone, not just birth, but that I was about to become a single mother of two kids! Cindy did an amazing job at calming me down and reassuring me that I could do it! Everyone took their positions, me in bed, Cindy by my side, Lynda at the foot of the bed, and my mom standing behind Lynda holding the flashlight.
I don't remember exactly how many pushes it took but it didn't seem very long. And out HE came at 4:37 a.m. He was immediately laid on my chest and I just broke out in happy tears. There are no words to describe the moment when you first see your child, no words at all, but any parent out there knows what I'm talking about. And in that moment any fear or doubt I had about doing it on my own vanished.
My mom had the honor of cutting the cord. Shortly after I went to shower while Lynda did the APGAR scoring, all the measurements, and weighed him. He weighed 10 pounds 10 ounces and was 23 1/4 inches long!! That definitely explains the constant, sometimes painful pressure I had for the whole month prior to delivery. So after 11 1/2 hours of labor Dillon Paul had arrived while his big brother Ty was sleeping upstairs. I don't remember much about the following few days, but I know we had several visitors and lots of trying to sleep. Dillon was definitely a cuddle bug (and still is in fact!) and for the first few weeks/months he would only sleep if I was holding him and as soon as I would lay him down he would wake up, but I enjoyed every minute of it!!
R.I.P. Lynda
