Our Christmas Package-

Dane and B right after birth-

First time meeting my little girl. I am still getting sewn up here-

I couldn't have been more excited for Christmas this year. Rafe was finally at the age were he knew what Santa was about, he understood it was the savior's birthday and I had a baby coming in a week! Tuesday afternoon, Dane and I finished our Christmas shopping and then headed up to Portland for Christmas. The roads were so bad that our trip ended up taking a whopping 4 hours. ( this is the 55 minute drive usually). The roads were TERRIBLY bumpy the entire way. I kept joking it was going to put me into labor. HA ha Ha. Jokes on me.

Wednesday I wrapped presents, watched movies and made a last minute run to Target. Once again, the roads were so bumpy I kept saying..." This is going to put me into labor" This time being a little more serious because it was making me contract. We headed out to our Uncle Scott's house for the Christmas Eve festivities... once again on the bumpy roads. After I finished eating the contractions started. They picked up very quickly and about 30 minutes after they started, I was upstairs throwing up. After faking that I was fine for a good 2 hours we finally made it home. Once again traveling on the hellish roads. This time the laughter and joking was gone as I just cried on the way home. The pressure of this little one pushing on me while I was getting tossed around was... can I say.... Painfull. Once home, I immediately got in the tub hoping that the contractions would slow as they always had. 

Nope.

 Heating pad was placed on the tummy to relieve the pain.

 Nope.

 I called my doc and she told me to go in once the contractions were 5 minutes apart. Too bad they were already 2 minutes apart. Dane insisted we go in, but I wouldn't. I took 2 Tylenol PM and 3 extra strength and went to bed. 

4 a.m. came and I couldn't lay anymore. The tub became my friend until 6 a.m.. Everyone awoke and we opened presents. Rafe loved Christmas and I am so glad that I made myself grin and bare it. I finally agreed to go in around 11:00. 

I was determined for the past two weeks that I could have the baby before Christmas or after Christmas, just not on Eve or day. Berkley had a plan of her own. I guess a way of showing me who's boss. 

When we arrived at Gresham Hospital ( yes, Gresham!) I was contracting every 1-3 minutes. They checked me in and told me they would be doing the c-section in 1 hour and 30 minutes. I was a little freaked but excited to meet the little angel.

The Spinal Tap was horrible, long story short they had to do it twice because they hit a nerve.

Pregnancy is over and I have my precious little girl here with me. 

All of the pain, nausea and bed rest was worth it.

"Before you were concieved I wanted you, Before you were born I loved you, Before I knew you an hour I would give my life for you."