This story isn't complete but I want to start documenting Dylan's journey into the world before I forget...
Dylan wanted to make an early appearance into the world. I had December 30th in my mind for a few days, thinking it would be neat for Marissa and Dylan to be exactly 16 months apart, to the day. I knew I wanted to get past Christmas before he made his arrival but I had accepted that he may come before the New Year. I was okay with that, I could compromise Christmas for New Year’s. Ultimately, I had no decision in the matter.
Thursday was a normal day. I went to work, came home and was busy doing my Thursday cleaning routine. I vacuumed, dusted, did laundry, washed diapers, did some sewing, wrapped a few last minute presents for our 3rd Christmas with Danny’s brother (that we ended up missing most of due to Dylan’s arrival) and I tidied up around the house, just trying to keep busy. Jokingly, I posted on Facebook that Dylan could arrive anytime because the house was clean. A few friends commented that it must be nesting, but Danny said it’s not called nesting when you’re OCD. Anyone who knows me knows that I need order in my home and keeping things running smoothly is just a part of me keeping a little bit of sanity.
Around 10 PM I decided that I better get in bed. I had work the next morning, though I brought my laptop home with me just in case I should need it. Around 11 PM I woke to go to the bathroom and started to have noticeable cramps with some contractions. I brushed it off and went back to bed. For the next 4 hours I woke almost on the hour to use the bathroom and my cramps were increasingly making me more uncomfortable. Each time I woke up I would tell Danny I thought something may be going on. Half awake, he would mumble something barely coherent and would roll over to dismiss my uneasiness. Finally, at 3 AM I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I hopped in the shower and felt a little relief from the hot water. I got dressed and got back in bed. I opened my handy contraction timer on my cell phone and started timing my contractions; they were coming between 4 and 7 minutes apart, lasting 45 seconds to a minute long. I would fall asleep in between contractions and at one point my cell phone said I had a six minute contraction, I guess I forgot to stop the timer before falling back asleep.
By 4 AM I was pretty certain that this was it, I knew I had to call my mom since she had a 2.5 hour drive ahead of her but I was going to feel guilty if I called her at 4 AM for a false alarm. Instead, I sent her a text to let her know that we may be heading to the hospital in the morning. Of course, she decided she would be on her way as soon as possible. I went out to the couch in the living room, blogged, tried to keep my mind occupied and finally drifted off to sleep around 5 AM. I didn’t wake until almost 7 AM when my mom arrived.
At that time my contractions were coming and going anywhere between 3 minutes to 10 minutes apart. I was afraid I may have called my mom too early. They weren’t as intense as they were in the early morning. Danny woke and was a bit confused as to why my mom was at our house at 7 in the morning. I had told him that I called my mom but I guess he didn’t comprehend that in his sleep.
For the next few hours we piddled around the house. We fed Marissa breakfast, watched Mickey Mouse, folded diapers, made a grocery store list, went over Marissa’s routine and where we keep everything for her, Danny showered and I called my OB’s office to see what we should do. I wanted to get an appointment to see the doctor before going to Labor & Delivery at the hospital, but they didn’t have any openings for the day and said I should go to L&D if I felt the need. With Marissa I was induced at 41 weeks so I didn’t really know if I should be going to L&D or not. My mom was pretty certain that we should go, better safe than sorry mentality, I suppose.
We left the house around 10 and I was having contractions along the way. I knew the hospital wouldn’t let me eat so we stopped at McDonald’s for a quick bite. I had a sausage and egg burrito, Danny got a chicken biscuit and a mocha latte. We then checked in to the 3rd floor of the hospital at the Labor & Delivery triage where we waited to be seen and await to see if we would be admitted or sent home.
Dylan is waking up, more to come soon!
