5 in 5: Bring on the Blessings!: Inara is One!

Inara turned one at 5:30 this morning. Inara was born the day my parent's renewed their vows in honor of their 30th wedding anniversary. The day before I had been increasingly anxious which was often a signal that I would soon be in labor. As with Jadzia (my only pain free labor) the only sign I had with Jadzia was an anxious feeling. I went to the hospital and discovered I was really in labor and had her within two hours. For this reason I should have recognized with Inara that labor was not far off. Instead I just moped around the house.

Isaac found me on the porch crying. "What's wrong?" he asked. "My dress for the renewal. I'm too huge to wear it. I'm going to look like a massive blob." He gave me a hug and said "Why don't we go to the mall and pick you out a new dress." My mom watched the other kids while we went out. After the mall we stopped at Wal-mart to get matching shoes and I was really feeling on edge. Isaac decided I should get checked at the hospital.

When we got there I was a five ( I had been four and a half for two weeks) and so they had me walk around for awhile. Isaac walked with me. They monitored me for contractions and checked me a few hours later. Still nothing so they decided to send me home. As soon as we got in the car I felt the heavy contractions but I decided to go home because I felt silly going right back in.

I was uncomfortable so I took a bath and sat there for awhile. I tried to get some rest but I couldn't so I went back in the bathroom. At that point I knew this was it. I texted Isaac who was upstairs because I knew I wasn't able to make it up the stairs.I had texted him that I needed an ambulance because I couldn't make it to the hospital. Within seconds of me texting him I heard him barreling down the stairs.

I was laying on the bathroom floor rather pathetically when he found me and he helped me maneuver to the car. As we made it to the check in desk the lady had to re-enter all my information even though we had just been there an hour before. I kept telling the lady and Isaac I couldn't mess with all of this I was going to have the baby now. The lady kept going on about protocol. At that moment I really wanted to take her protocol and throw it out the three story window. I was not a happy person.

I got the same nurse who sent me home and told her I was 110% sure I was having the baby this time. They took me back and the doctor was right there. She was going to break my water but felt what she thought was the cord. If the cord came out first it would be an emergency c-section so she thought it best to wait until it broke on its own. I was a nine so they all left the room.

Something they should not do is leave when I am a nine. I have been known to go from 5 to 10 in 15 minutes. Within five minutes of everyone but my nurse leaving I started telling the nurse I had to push.

She told me not to push to just wait for the doctor. Isaac suggested I move from my side to my back. I slowly did and with that my water broke. I told the nurse the baby was coming now. She said "Don't push wait for the doctor." I said "you don't understand! I'm not pushing and she's coming anyway!" She said "You have to wait for the doctor". Isaac knew me best so he was waiting to catch the baby. I started getting nervous she was going to hit the floor because the bottom of the bed had been already dropped down. I started yelling"Please help me she's coming anyway!" All I got back was just don't push until the doctor gets here. Then it was too late Inara Nerys was born, caught by a random nurse and daddy.

First words out of Isaac's mouth were "Well she's a girl and I was wrong about her hair. She has a ton of it!" The nurse cut the cord and took her from me. They told me they were putting her on oxygen and I began to get scared. It was happening again , the same thing as with Ronan. I hadn't even gotten to see her. Isaac saw the look on my face and said "I looked her over. She's ok." He was right. They brought her to me two hours later perfectly pink and healthy. I was further relieved when three pediatricians said she was 100% healthy.

Today was Inara's party. Her Grandpa Spencer, Grandpa and Grandma Fullmer, My brother and his family were all there. My mom had to work or she would have been here as well. I made Inara a lady bug cake and cupcakes. We brought the cake over and put it in front of her and she stuck her foot right in it. We sang Happy Birthday and she grinned at all the attention. I gave her one of the cupcakes to smash up.

At first she touched the frosting and crinkled her nose, unsure of what to make of it. Isaac put the cupcake up to her mouth so she could taste it. She realized it was good stuff and ever so slowly picked at the cupcake until her hand and face were covered in frosting and cake crumbs. A bath and change of outfit had her ready for presents.

She got a lady bug pillow pet, lady bug stuffed animal and lady bug star light up. She also got Violet the puppy, a pooh pop up honey pot, a new doll, and lots of cute outfits. After all the party guests left Inara became overwhelmed with all the party excitement, fussed a little and crashed.