Emery's Arrival

I reckon I went into labor early in the afternoon on Sunday, January 12. I say that because I don't really know when labor started. I woke up with a horrible migraine that morning, and lazed about until lunch time, at which point I started feeling like I needed to go to the restroom every twenty minutes or so without ever actually going. I think that due to the fact I'd been having Braxton Hicks so frequently and for so long I didn't recognize the contractions as contractions while they were just in the front.

Jacob was at work at the airport that day, and if any of you watch the news you might remember that on January 12, a Southwest Airlines pilot somehow managed to mistake the itty bitty Taney County airport for the twice as large Branson Airport, where Jacob and I work. I was outside at about 6:00 p.m., trying to cool down, when I saw the plane fly over. I remember thinking, "Whoa, that's a huge plane to be landing at Taney County!" Then Jacob called. "Don't wait up for me, I'm going to be really late. The pilot's an idiot and landed at the wrong airport."

I tried to wait up for him, but at 10:30 p.m. I was too tired. I went and laid down, but was up again by 10:45 because my back hurt and I was having "Braxton hicks". That was common enough for the end of my pregnancy, so I went and worked on the finishing touches for the nursery. 

By the time Jacob got home at 11:45, the back pains and simultaneous "Braxton Hicks" were about every six minutes apart. Looking back, I feel stupid for not realizing that those were actual contractions sooner. I guess it was because I'd been having Braxton Hicks for so long, the contractions only hurt in my back. It was dull back pain with what felt like a painless Braxton Hicks at the same time. Should have made the connection, but oh well. We ate supper and tried to go to bed again.

I couldn't fall asleep thanks to the back pain every six minutes. I told Jacob at about 12:30 a.m. that he wouldn't be going to student teach the next day, and downloaded the FullTerm app to time the contractions. I tried to sleep for another fifteen minutes or so, and then decided I couldn't do it and went to take a hot bath instead. Through the course of the night I got a diaper bag packed and did some little tinkery things around the house to keep myself distracted.

I continued to labor at home until 3:50 a.m., when the contractions had been running four and a half to six minutes apart for an hour. I woke Jacob up on accident during a contraction at 3:50 a.m., and he very sleepily asked, "How far apart are they?" I told him, and he got up and dressed faster than I had ever seen anyone before. I laughed at him and told him to calm down and go back to sleep because it would still be a long time and I saw no need to go to the hospital yet. At this point I was still pretty convinced it wasn't real because we were two weeks early.

He got the car seat base installed and found the go bags and the diaper bag and was generally a flurry of movement. I was pacing when he came back in and he looked at me and said for the millionth time, "Did you call Dr. Allison?" I hadn't. He practically had to force me to. She said to go to the hospital, and so we did. 

We got to the hospital at about 4:30 am. The nurses asked me if I was a first time mom, and I said I was. The shift supervisor chuckled and told the younger nurse, "Just get them in a non-stress test room." I glared at her.

They hooked me up to all kinds of monitors, and left me for more than half an hour. Finally a nurse came in and started asking questions. How far apart were the contractions? How long had they been going on? When was my last doctor's appointment? What was my blood pressure then, it was a little high now, was that normal? How far dilated was I at that doctor's appointment? She finally decided she'd go ahead and check my cervix.

I love watching nurses when they get surprised.

Her brow furrowed, and she pulled her hand out with her fingers about 6 cm apart, and said, "Okay, I'm going to go get my shift supervisor to double check."

Sure enough, I was 6 cm dilated and 100% effaced. At that point Emery was turned correctly. The shift supervisor apologized to me, and said that because I was so calm when I came in and wasn't howling in pain they just assumed it was false labor. I told her that I'm tough.

I was taken to a delivery room at 6:00 a.m.

Board in the delivery room

I labored there until 9:00 a.m., pacing the hallways and bouncing on a birthing ball. At 9:00 a.m. Dr. Allison checked me and found me at 7.5 cm. She decided to break my water, and I went back to bouncing on the birthing ball.

At 11:00 a.m. the contractions hit their peak. I had been awake for more than 24 hours, I hadn't eaten in 12 hours, I hurt worse than I had ever imagined possible. I am horribly ashamed of how I acted from here on out. I hadn't taken any pain medication: no epidural, no oxygen, no nothing. I didn't think I could do it, and I said that a million times. I said more times than I could count, "I can't do this, I can't do this, I just want it to be done." 

Kendra, the nurse, checked me at 11:00. I was dilated to 9.5 cm, but Emery had twisted and was sunny side up. We spent from 11:00 until 12:30 with me crying and complaining and apologizing for being such a horrible patient and generally thinking I wasn't going to be able to do this trying to get Emery to flip back. She didn't. At 12:30 they decided that I needed sleep and gave me a low dose of pain medicine. The medicine did NOTHING for the pain, but pain medicine always makes me dizzy and hallucinate and I suppose that made me easier to handle.

I remember being very worried about a giraffe at one point. They gave me oxygen at one point, and I'm not sure why, but I felt like it was suffocating me.

I slept through two contractions, but at around 1:00 I couldn't anymore. All I wanted to do was push and it hurt so bad to fight that. Kendra checked me again, and I was still at 9.5 cm and Emery was still stuck. She got Dr. Allison, who had me get on my hands and knees over the birthing ball. I was like that for a while, and Emery must have tried to turn a little, because they gave me permission to push for a few contractions. It didn't last long before Dr. Allison had what felt like a million hands up inside of me.

There was so much pressure, which I now know was her turning Emery, and then a horrible burning sensation that felt the exact same as the final push. I was so out of it I thought that Emery had been born with me on my hands and knees. I couldn't hear her cry, and I asked Jacob, "Why isn't she crying?"

They got me onto my back and in the stirrups, and I was told to push again. Within four or five contractions she was born. The whole time I was pushing I was apologizing for screaming and still saying I couldn't do it. The last push burned like hell and it felt like I exploded. I heard her cry, and Jacob went to cut the cord, so I relaxed a little bit. Of course I wasn't done.

I passed the afterbirth and they put Emery on my chest and kept sticking their whole arms up in me and pulling stuff out. I could hear them talking about tears and prolapses but then everything started to spin and fade. They grabbed Emery away really quickly and that's when I got scared. I remember telling Jacob that I loved him and Emery, and asked Mama if I was going to die, because I was fading really fast. Dr Allison said, "No, we'll get the bleeding stopped.", and then she and Kendra were doing a million things at once.

The burning I felt on my hands and knees that I thought was Emery being born was actually my cervix ripping as Dr. Allison tried to turn Emery, she was still turned wrong at birth. The final push tore me, as well. The prolapse was (tmi) rectal and due in part to the third degree tear that I earned during that final push. There was a lot of bleeding. They gave me a shot of some medicine I can't remember to help stop the bleeding, and stitched up my cervix and torn vagina.

Daddy post-delivery

I was moved to the maternity ward and was lucky enough to get a private room. The maternity ward was full to bursting, and I am so glad we had a quiet room.

Healing has gone very well. I was dizzy and pale from the blood loss for a few days, and things are very tender still, but I never hurt bad enough to fill the pain medicine prescriptions I was given.

38 Week Update (Last One!)

So this post is very late, and will be followed by the birth story! Taking care if a newborn is hard work. 

Needless to say, I didn't make it to the next appointment like dr Allison wanted. In fact, I barely made it to 38 weeks. I had Emery on January 13, 2014 at 1:51 pm, at 38 weeks exactly. I'll be posting the birth story later. 

How far along? 38 weeks

Total weight gain: I weighed in at 223.
Maternity clothes? I hardly had any that still fit, which is funny considering that I was by no means huge.
Have you started to show yet: You tell me! This was taken as we left for the hospital. The final bump:

Stretch marks? At 38 weeks, they were still like this:

Sleep: i was incredibly tired at the end.
Best moment this week: having Emery!
Miss Anything? Caffeine 
Movement: Her movements are so strong, but there's less of them the bigger she gets.
Food cravings: None

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing
Gender: GIRL!
Labor Signs: When I officially hit 38 weeks, at midnight, I was in labor. I was having contractions every 6 minutes, having the bloody show, etc.
Symptoms: Backaches, swollen hands and feet, Braxton Hicks, not sleeping, nesting, cramps, carpal tunnel

Belly Button in or out? It's very close to popping out
Wedding rings on or off? Off. I have it on a necklace
Happy or Moody most of the time: Back and forth. I've been pretty happy.
Looking forward to: getting to know Emmy

37 Week Update

If you haven't noticed, I've been posting my updates towards the end of the week. Technically I am 37 weeks 5 days right now. I've been trying to wait to post until after my weekly appointment, which falls in the middle of the week. 

Way back when I first found out I was pregnant, and for my first few doctor's appointments, my due date was January 24th. I know this to be the actual due date, because I know the day it happened. Based on that, today I would technically be 38 weeks pregnant. All of my appointments were made based on this due date, so they all fall at the end of the week. However, Dr. Allison decided after my ultrasound at 9 weeks that it was more likely that my due date is January 27th, which is what we've calculated everything by since then. 

I still maintain January 24th is when it actually is.

The doctor's appointment went really well. I've gained weight again this week, which made Dr. Allison very happy. I was worried because I've officially gained more than you're supposed to, however Dr. Allison assured me that since Emery appears to be so large, and since I have been holding so much water weight, I'm doing fine.

My strep b cultures were negative! Yay! And the blood in my urine from two appointments ago appear to have been nothing to worry about.

I'm still sitting at 2.5 cm dilated, however my cervix has softened quite a bit, and while Dr. Allison was all up in my business she touched Emery's head. Emmy jumped big time, and Dr. Allison seemed very surprised and said, "Her head is just right there. She wants out!" She also ripped open a blood vein, which has been fun. Emery's heartbeat sounded good, and Dr. Allison said, "She even sounds precious!"

I'm still measuring right where I should, which is good. Once she was finished examining everything, she launched right into what to do when labor starts. If it starts during business hours, I am to call as soon as I know that it is labor and go in to be examined. She said she would most likely send me home to labor where I'm comfortable, but that she would want to examine me first. However, if it's outside of office hours, I'm to call the emergency number after the contractions have been 5 minutes apart for two hours, and then go straight to the hospital. She said it would be different if I wanted an epidural, but since I would like to try without one, that's what she wants me to do.

She ended the appointment with, "I bet you go a week early, at least. I'd like to see you at least one more time before she comes, but I don't know that we'll get that." Eek! I'm so excited. And I feel slightly smug, because a week early would make my due date calculations more correct than they thought.

This week I have developed carpal tunnel, which is loads of fun. I've also reached a point where it takes me twice as long as normal to do everything.

I made curtains for the nursery. We bought a twin sheet, which I'm turning into a crib skirt. I got her some more onesies and sleepers and socks, and an organizer for her leggings and pants. I cleaned and organized Jacob and I's bedroom, and childproofed it a bit. My goal for tomorrow is to finish the nursery, clean the kitchen, and childproof the living room. We'll see how much of that actually gets done. I get worn out so quickly.

On non-baby related things, it snowed and iced again on Sunday and Wednesday, which meant that Alpena cancelled school Monday-Thursday, which meant that Jacob was home with me! His birthday was on Wednesday, so we went out with friends. It has been so nice having him home.

How far along? 37 weeks

Total weight gain: I weighed in at 220.
Maternity clothes? They're all too tight, so I'm in leggings almost all the time. I haven't worn real pants in weeks,
Have you started to show yet: You tell me! This dress is not the best at showcasing the bump, but it gets the point across.

Stretch marks? My old ones have started to darken and lengthen, and look generally horrifying. Like, seriously. Pardon the weird angle and the fact that the belly band of my maternity jeans is digging into my fat, but here's a picture of them:

I've started to develop a couple smaller ones near my belly button, as well as some new ones on my boobs. Which have grown a cup size in the last two weeks, and started to leak like a faucet.

Sleep: I want to all the time, just like the beginning.
Best moment this week: Doctor's appointment, having Jacob home all week.
Miss Anything? Thanks to Jacob's 21st birthday, I miss wine.
Movement: Her movements are so strong, but there's less of them the bigger she gets.
Food cravings: None

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing
Gender: GIRL!
Labor Signs: I lost my mucus plug, I've been nesting, she's in the right position!
Symptoms: Backaches, heartburn, swollen hands and feet, Braxton Hicks, not sleeping, nesting, cramps, carpal tunnel
Belly Button in or out? It's very close to popping out
Wedding rings on or off? Off. I have it on a necklace
Happy or Moody most of the time: Back and forth. I've been pretty happy.
Looking forward to: Meeting Emmy

36 Week Update

This week has gone very well. I had a few moments of momzilla in my mind towards the guy who rents a room from us due to his continued incredible lack of courtesy, however he went back to his job at the boy's ranch so I'll have a few weeks of the house to myself.

I also used some of the Christmas money this week to treat myself to my twice yearly haircut. (Don't worry, all but $40 of the Christmas money went straight into savings.) A few months before Jacob and I got married, (two years ago this month to be specific) I had a mishap involving an inexperienced hairdresser and bleach which resulted in a pixie cut. See below:

Jacob, being a man, hated it. He absolutely hated it. He made me promise to at least try to grow my hair out to the length it was when we started dating. My hair was right at bra strap length at that point in my life, and it was the longest it had ever been then. I didn't quite make it that far, but not from lack of trying. My hair hadn't gained any length in almost three months, despite being trimmed every six weeks and treated with love and respect. I hadn't dyed it since May, I had been deep conditioning it, I'm taking prenatal vitamins, I'm pregnant: all things that should have made it grow like crazy. It just wouldn't.

So I decided to go back to short, in specific to a hair style that was my "signature" style for more than a year and that I had been missing terribly. Jacob wasn't fond of the idea of me cutting it, but I explained that I needed a style that would allow me to get out of the shower and be done, where long hair took styling every day, and he seemed to understand. He's still not too happy, though. I have my wonderfully choppy, asymmetric hair back!

We also treated ourselves to a date night for New Year's Eve, since who knows when we'll get one again. I'll probably be taking Jacob out for his 21st birthday next week, but I'm not even sure we'll do that.

We had Christmas with his family last night, and my homemade gifts seemed to go over very well with the nieces and nephews. I made Asher a cape, and crocheted him a red t-rex with a matching cape. I crocheted Zimrie a hat and a green t-rex with a bowtie. I crocheted Hattie a hat, a stuffed owl, and a kitty in a tutu. Now that I know I can do amigurumi fairly well, I'm addicted!

I swallowed my pride applied for WIC today, and I regret not doing it sooner. I know some people will judge us for it, but we need it. We've needed it the whole time I've been pregnant, since we struggle so much to make ends meet, I just couldn't swallow my pride enough to go. It is such a blessing, though. Jacob and I have to live off of roughly $50 of groceries a month, since that's all we have left of our paychecks after bills and gas and such. $50 doesn't go very far, but it's been enough to keep us from starving. I have gone my entire pregnancy taking calcium supplements because I'm lactose intolerant, and we couldn't afford to buy soy milk when it only comes in half gallons that cost the same amount as a gallon of cow's milk. But now we get 4 1/2 gallons of it a month. The same goes for fresh fruits and veggies. I've just bought frozen stuff when it goes on sale, since it lasts so long in the freezer, but now we get fresh veggies. I had a free breast feeding consultation and class today, which is something I haven't been able to afford. Jacob is getting his TDAP for free, when we hadn't been able to get that vaccine for him since he doesn't have insurance.

I just feel so blessed that we can get this help, especially as we adjust to living off of $800 a month for three people.

Jacob started student teaching yesterday, which is very exciting!

I had my 36 week appointment yesterday, as well. It was the first doctor's appointment I have ever had by myself, and let me tell you, I was terrified. I lost five pounds in the last week, which Dr. Allison was not happy about, but that was due to the timing of the last appointment, I'm sure. My blood pressure was high at the start of the appointment, but had gone down by the end, so they weren't worried. I had a strep B culture (bleh!) and my first internal exam to check my cervix. 

I lost my mucus plug on Wednesday, and she confirmed that that is true. I'm dilated to 2 1/2 cm, but she said my cervix is still fairly hard. Her estimate is that I'll be holding a baby within two weeks. I am freaking out, because the house is not ready. I haven't baby proofed. I haven't deep cleaned. Her nursery still doesn't have curtains, or a crib skirt, or the bed made. I don't have anywhere near enough baby clothes. I seriously only have four pairs of socks for her. Four. We have all of three newborn onesies, and one newborn sleeper. AND we only have three 0-3 month sleepers and ten onesies, and nothing else. Like, literally nothing. Jacob was so paranoid all we would get is clothes from the showers but we got next to none. I'm just freaking out.

How far along? 36 weeks

Total weight gain: I weighed in at 214.
Maternity clothes? Starting to get too tight
Have you started to show yet: You tell me!

Stretch marks? My old ones have started to darken and lengthen, and look generally horrifying. Like, seriously. Pardon the weird angle and the fact that the belly band of my maternity jeans is digging into my fat, but here's a picture of them:

I've started to develop a couple smaller ones near my belly button, as well.

Sleep: Growing rare by the day
Best moment this week: Hair cut!
Miss Anything? Not being pregnant
Movement: She's slowed down some with her movements, I think because she's so big.
Food cravings: None
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing
Gender: GIRL!
Labor Signs: I lost my mucus plug, and I've been nesting!
Symptoms: Backaches, headaches, heartburn, swollen hands and feet, Braxton Hicks, not sleeping, nesting
Belly Button in or out? It's very close to popping out
Wedding rings on or off? Off. I have it on a necklace
Happy or Moody most of the time: Back and forth. I've been pretty happy.
Looking forward to: Meeting Emmy

Updated Updated List of Baby Things

Furniture

• Crib *
• Mattress*
• Bassinet*
• Rocking chair*
• Dresser/changing table*
• Changing pad for the top of the dresser*
• Hamper
• High chair

Gear

• Stroller*
• Shopping cart cover*
• Baby monitor*
• Baby sling*
• Infant tub*
• Swing*
• Baby hangers*
• Car seat*
• Night light*
• Safety gates
• Cabinet and door latches*
• Outlet covers*

Nursing

• Boppy*
• 12 burp rags *
• 4-6 bottles*
• Nipples*
• Bottle brush*
• Dishwasher caddy*
• Breast pump*
• Nipple cream*
• 3 nursing bras*
• Breast pads*
• 5 pacifiers*
• Sippy cups*
• Baby spoons
• Baby bowls

Linens/Bed Sheets

• 2 hooded bath towels*
• 2 receiving blankets*
• 2 crib comforters/blankets*
• 4 crib sheets*
• 2 crib pads*
• 2 waterproof mattress pads*
• 2 bassinet sheets*
• 2 changing pad covers
• 2 swaddle sets*
• 6 wash cloths*

Clothing

• 3-6 Footed sleepers*
• 4-6 short sleeve onesies*
• 3 long sleeve onesies*
• 2-4 bibs*
• Bunting*
• 2 - 4 hats*
• 1 jacket*
• Mittens*
• 12 pairs of socks/booties*
• 3-5 pairs of pants*
• 3-5 little t shirts*
• 3 sweaters*
• 2-4 dressy outfits*

Health

• Baby powder*
• Blunt nail scissors*
• Brush*
• Cotton swabs*
• Diaper doo*
• 30 cloth diapers (to do a load every other day)*
• 18 cloth wipes*
• 3-4 boxes newborn diapers (disposable)*
• Baby soap*
• Baby shampoo*
• Nasal aspirator*
• Teethers
• Thermometer*

Play

• Baby bouncer*
• Soft toys*
• Soft books*

For Me (Kind of)

• Diaper bag*
• Breast cover for nursing in public
• Maxi pads*
• Underwear I can throw out*
• Nursing tops

34 & 35 Weeks Update

All right. In the last two weeks I have started maternity leave, been to the hospital, been to my family's for Christmas, spent god only knows how many hours making diapers and Christmas gifts, and contracted food poisoning. 

During week 34, Emery dropped and scared us all to death with her decreased movements. Dropping has made my life hell. I was still fairly comfortable with my whaleness. The swelling was a bit annoying, but my back and hips weren't hurting too terribly. And then she dropped. I feel it now, let me tell you. I just want her out.

Jacob finally heard where he'd be student teaching, and it is very bad news. As you may or may not be aware, my place of employment does not offer paid maternity leave. You take what vacation, sick days, and holidays you have, and the rest is unpaid. The somewhat less crappy solution was to take winter furlough, where we will be living off of my greatly reduced salary of about $150 a week. That $150 a week will cover our house payment, and part of our insurance. It doesn't touch electricity, water, sewage, wifi, the rest of the car insurance, my car payment, cell phone bills, gas, or groceries. Jacob makes roughly $200 a week between his two jobs, which would bring our income up to about $100 more than the bills we have to pay.

We have saved up enough money to get us through this winter with that reduced salary. However, we had saved based on Jacob student teaching in Hollister or Branson. CofO, being the lovely people that they are, informed Jacob at 5:30 p.m. on the last day administration works before Christmas break that he will be in Alpena, AR. Alpena is 40 miles away. We did the math based on my car's gas mileage, and we're looking at $90-$100 a week on gas for him to student teach, and that's if gas drops back to what it was pre-Christmas.

Alpena is roughly a 50 minute drive. Jacob will be there from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Odds are he will be down there when I go into labor, which means that I, being stranded at the house with no ride, will have to wait on him for an hour before going to the hospital. That's terrifying to me. I know the first baby usually takes a while, but my aunt had her first one in four hours from stage one labor to delivery. A guy Jacob works with's fiance had their baby twelve minutes after she realized she was in labor, because her pain tolerance was so high she didn't notice the contractions for what they were.

This long drive means Jacob will have to quit one of his jobs, knocking our income by $100 a week. 

He mentioned all of this to his supervising teacher, and kindly pointed out that one of the other English Ed majors was assigned two teachers in Branson. She lives on campus, which means she has literally NO bills to pay. The school will even provide her meals through student teaching because she lives on campus. He requested that he be allowed one of those teachers, to avoid the strain this would be putting on us financially. The other option, he told her, was for him to take out a student loan to cover gas. CofO will not allow you to graduate until your student loans are paid off, because they're a "free" school where all students graduate debt free! She advised him to go to the financial department and ask about a gas allowance.

Their response? "We have a $300 book scholarship you can have. It can't be used for gas, though, only books." He doesn't need books this semester. I am so frustrated over this it makes me cry every time I think about it.

We went to my parent's house and stayed for a few days around Christmas. It was absolutely lovely. Emmy made out like a bandit with her Christmas gifts, as did I. Jacob and I received a Keurig and a Kitchenaid, as well as a good bit of cash that we're saving for this winter.

We got Emery's crib down and started to clean and repair it. The crib was made for my Mama when she was pregnant with me by her Grandpa, and now it will be mine. My parents will be bringing it, my rocking chair, and the rocking horse Grandad made me down sometime next week.

I had a doctor's appointment the day after Christmas, the first of my weekly appointments. I had some blood in my urine, and Dr. Allison seemed genuinely weirded out that I could have a UTI that severe and not be complaining of pain. But I've had no pain, so... 

I'm currently battling a nasty case of food poisoning, either from the Chinese buffet, or from the leftovers I had for supper last night. In either case, I was up all night throwing up, I've had a fever and headache all day, and the nausea and diarrhea are killer. I hate being sick so much,

How far along? 34 & 35 weeks

Total weight gain: I weighed in at 210 at 34 weeks and 219 at 35 weeks. Keep in mind my 35 weeks weigh in was the day after Christmas, right after eating at a Chinese buffet.
Maternity clothes? I wear them! All the time!
Have you started to show yet: You tell me!

34 Weeks

35 Weeks, after she dropped

Stretch marks? My old ones have started to darken and lengthen, and look generally horrifying. Like, seriously. Pardon the weird angle and the fact that the belly band of my maternity jeans is digging into my fat, but here's a picture of them:

Sleep: Rare and fitful
Best moment this week: Being with my family for Christmas
Miss Anything? Sleeping well, feeling well,my waist
Movement: After the scare she gave us, she's been moving non-stop
Food cravings: None
Anything making you queasy or sick: Food poisoning
Gender: GIRL!
Labor Signs: Definitely not.
Symptoms: Backaches, headaches, heartburn, swollen hands and feet, Braxton Hicks, not sleeping,
Belly Button in or out? It's very close to popping out
Wedding rings on or off? Off. My hands and feet are back to being so swollen they've been cracking
Happy or Moody most of the time: So, so moody.
Looking forward to: Meeting Emmy

Grounded for Life

Emery is officially grounded for life. She tried to scare her father and I to death, and then she had the audacity to make me look like an idiot to everyone at Cox.

I didn't sleep at all on Tuesday night, due to back pain and general discomfort. This is normal towards the end of your pregnancy, I hear. Wednesday at work I was very uncomfortable all day long, with my hands and feet swelling far more than they usually do. My feet actually swelled so much that they cracked and started bleeding at work. My blood pressure was elevated all day, complete with red face and dizziness. By the end of my shift it was obvious she had dropped. Emery moved every so often throughout the day, but her movements were weaker than normal, and they continued to get weaker as the day went on.

When I got home at about 6:00 I decided that with how weird I'd been feeling, and how little I'd felt her move, something wasn't right. I grabbed a Dr. Pepper, ate some sugary cereal, and went to lay down on my side and kick count. I had only kick counted once before and the first time I had reached ten kicks within fifteen minutes. I laid there and waited.... and waited... and waited. There was nothing between 6:00 and 7:00. So, I drank some more Dr. Pepper, munched on some ice, and went back to laying.

Nothing. At 8:00 I stopped and took a bath with my feet up, to try and at least relieve some swelling. By the time I got out at about 9:00 I still hadn't felt her move, and I was starting to get really freaked out. I texted Jacob at work and told him to call me as soon as he could, and that I would explain when he got there.

I hopped back on the couch and started doing everything that ordinarily provokes movement. I was pushing her, I was singing, I was playing music she normally likes, I was putting a cold washcloth on my tummy - everything. She didn't move. When Jacob hadn't answered me at 9:30 I texted him again "I don't want to freak you out or make you leave work earlier than you can, because either way what's done is done, but I think we've either lost Emmy or something is very wrong. Please call me." He got home at 9:50.

As soon as he got home, I started having a panic attack and trying to explain. He started talking to her and feeling, because she typically flips out when he talks to her, but she didn't move. So he called the after hours number for our doctor. Dr. Allison didn't get back to us until about 10:00, and when she did I finally felt a kick. It was tiny, and I'm not all too sure it wasn't just gas that my crazed brain mistook for a kick, but it was something. She told us to grab our bag and go to the hospital, because it sounded like she might have wrapped the cord around her neck when she dropped, and if that was the case and she was in distress they would be doing an emergency c section.

We hurriedly threw together a bag and got to the hospital. They took my blood pressure and hooked me up to a machine that monitored her heart rate and and movement. Her heartbeat was strong, and she reacted to everything she was supposed to, heart rate wise. They gave me some apple juice and ice, and within five minutes she was moving. The movements weren't very strong, but movements were movements.

The little brat just wanted attention, apparently. She's been moving like normal ever since.