September 15, 2011.

(My LAST day of pregnancy.)

4:30 am. 
Ben wakes up to a POP!
Moments later I wake up and say, "I think my water just broke!"

Thus began our splendid (and not so splendid) day of delivery.  Never having had my water break BEFORE I made it to the hospital, I didn't know what to expect.  I thought with my 5th baby everything would happen FAST.  I was afraid of delivering in the car. 
Hah.  Not even close.
I prefer to wait until I absolutely have to go to the hospital.  I'd rather labor at home.  If I'd known that hard contractions wouldn't start until 11 am, I would've stayed at home.  Thus began a very long and frustrating day.

Hospitals make me feel tied down.  With monitors hooked up to my body, I feel stuck to my hospital bed.  Moving is a chore.  Unhooking it is annoying, so I stay put.  Unfortunately.  To make matters worse, I had a slightly incompetent nurse.  Very young and very indecisive.  I was often frustrated and left waiting for long periods of time.  I would look at my mom and say, "I just feel like crying," because I was so disappointed with the care I received.  Thank goodness my little Sammy knew how to get himself here, because the nurse sure didn't help:).

My problem is that I'm too nice.  I always say that if you are kind, grateful, etc. the nurses will be the same.  I'll receive better care if I'm nice than otherwise.  That USUALLY works.  In my case, the nurse was nice, really nice.  Just ignorant.

(For the sake of being completely negative, I'll end with this thought: this particular hospital delivers babies ALL the time (very baby-happy in this area).  I wonder if they've become complacent.  Birth isn't as celebrated, whereas at other hospitals I've delivered at, having a baby was handled very professionally, the nurses were extremely attentive, birth was something new and exciting because it didn't happen as often.  Just my opinion.)

Thankfully at 5:30 pm, and one push later, Samuel Louis Carter was born.  9 lbs.  21.5 inches.  Healthy as can be with a full head of hair!  It was magical.  Miraculous.  I am always in awe of birth.  Those moments are precious and unbelieveable and, in a very real sense, sacred.  (I have to forget the fact that the nurse said, "Let's have you push a few times and THEN we'll call the doctor and have him come up from his office."  Hmm.  His office was DOWN THE ROAD.  I push ONCE and my babies come.  Not a FEW times.  I was concerned that Ms. Nurse would deliver this babe.  Very concerned.)

Luckily, my postpartum nurse was a family friend.  She was kind enough to let me leave that "blessed" hospital early.  I was SO READY to come home.  I craved my own bed, my own bathroom, my children, my pillow, real food, and a hot shower (can you believe they didn't have HOT water when I wanted to shower?!  Seriously.)

After eating dinner at my parents' house we made it home.  Home to a dark house WITHOUT POWER!  No joke!  We lit candles and lanterns.  Lincoln cried because he was afraid.  I tried to reinforce the idea that we were having an ADVENTURE (to no avail).  Ben got the kids settled in bed and I took care of Sam.  It was a crazy first night, but a memorable one.  I snuggled that little baby close for hours.  Loving him.  Smelling him.  And thanking Heavenly Father for a very precious little boy. 

He's been a dream for the three weeks we've had him (we're hoping it stays that way). 
Life is a little sweeter with Sammy in our home. 
He just fits. 
And we're absolutely in love with him!