Forrest Keagen has arrived! And he made sure that his arrival was worth talking about.
Tuesday, April 3rd came and I was at work, as usual. I was frustrated because I'd been so sure that he was coming early and here we were on the day before his due date and he appeared to be sitting cozy. I had been having contractions for weeks and knew they were doing something as I'd been dilated to 3 cms at my 39 week appointment. We were just ready!
I got home from work Tuesday night and we did our typical things: dinner, bath, watched The Biggest Loser, and went to bed. I didn't even go for a walk I was so disheartened feeling like he was never coming (I did bounce on the yoga ball as I watched TBL).
I went to bed around 9:30, all ready to go to work again the next day and hear all of the "you're still here!?!" comments again. I even ironed my khaki pants that I was going to wear the next day.
Around 10:30, Josh came in to bed. I'm not sure if he woke me or if it was just a coincidence, but I woke up then and felt a weird sensation. I got up and went to the bathroom and sat there debating about whether or not my water had broken. I went back in the bedroom and told Josh that I couldn't decide if my water had broken (he nearly leaped out of bed, until I assured him that he could sleep for a while). I went out in the livingroom for a few minutes and checked Facebook. Almost immediately I could feel contractions coming around my back and belly. They felt different already from the ones I'd been having, so I went back in the bedroom and told Josh that, indeed, I thought my water had broken and maybe he should call his dad who was going to come stay with Heidi when we left for the hospital.
Of course, his parents wouldn't answer their phone. He tried a few times as I walked around packing last minute things and talking to my friend Meagon on the phone. The contractions were pretty close together (2-3 minutes) from the get-go and by 11:30 I was feeling ready to head in, and thankfully Josh was able to get ahold of FIL this time when he called. Around 11:45 FIL arrived at our house and Josh and I set off for the hospital. I had had a couple of more difficult contractions at home, but as soon as we were in the car, they were unbearable. I don't remember a lot of the drive, but Josh says there was some cussing and some yelling. I do remember being stopped at a red light in town and telling him to "just go" when we got to a 4-way stop.
Around 12:15am we pulled into the ER and I stood by the car in agony waiting for a contraction to pass before I could walk in. We had to be buzzed through and I yelled my name to the lady who asked who was checking in. They figured out correctly that I was heading up to the Birth Center. I refused the wheelchair, naively believing that sitting in the car was what was making the contractions so painful. We went up the elevator and navigated through the second floor to the birth center (passing a couple of concerned-looking nurses on the way).
Finally we got to our room and the nurse, Erin, asked me to get into the gown and lay down to get checked. I was at 8cms she said. She went to get the bands that monitor baby's heartbeat and the contractions, but before she could get them on I told her that I felt like I had to push. Josh looked down, she looked down, and she said "yes, you do" and before I even could push, he was coming out. They told me to push one time and he was all the way out. At 12:23am Forrest made his arrival.
He didn't wait for the doctor on call that night (Dr. Fast, coincidentally). He didn't wait for the bed to be taken apart or for the birth cart to be brought in. He didn't even wait for Erin to put her gloves on. Thankfully, he waited just long enough for us to get to the hospital. Josh and I can't help but think of the "what-ifs," like what if FIL wouldn't have answered the phone that last time? Or what if we'd gotten pulled over or hit another couple of red lights?
Less than 2 hours from the time I woke up, my baby boy was in my arms. He is perfect, healthy, and amazing. It was a whirlwind for sure and I am still in disbelief of how it all went down. Fast and furious Forrest.
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