snow day.

When I was a kid, there was nothing more magical than snow. I still believe in the magic of snow, it just ends when December is over. I think it's the cold. Or the wet icy roads. Or the smell that 6th graders create after recess when it's snowy. All bad things. But there is something about watching your child play in the snow for the first time. When she first saw snow falling she pointed and yelled, "Elsa!" (we watch Frozen on the daily over here). I loved watching her waddle around, only  taking two steps until she fell down. My little Scamper the penguin. Walking in boots is a hard task. She liked eating the snow, but loved wiping it off my car. It was like she was my own personal snow scraper. It could have entertained her for hours. And watching her could entertain me for hours.
I guess Harper helped me realize that the magic of snow is here to stay.

Venna's birth story.

So if a website could gather dust, then my blog would be covered. How could I let a year and a half pass without even a peep is beyond me. A new year, a new years resolution: back to blogging. I mean I don't keep a journal, and I have a memory that is worse than the lady on the notebook. I need to write down my life so Shyler can read it to me in the old folks home. Any ways it has been three months since our sweet Venna joined our family and I need to write it down before it is gone from my memory.  We found out we were pregnant back in January (yes last January. and yes I realize it is now January again. time flies). I was late, if you catch my drift, and panic started to happen. Shyler made me take a test the end of the month and when I saw the little pink positive sign, I immediately started to cry. We just celebrated Harper's first birthday and I couldn't fathom having two kids under two. I think the second time around the pregnancy really does fly by. You have your hands full with a little one you hardly have time to think about the little one you are growing. We decided to not find out what the gender was until birth. I had such a hard time with the labor with Harper, I thought it would help motivate me with all those contractions. If only I knew the second birth is nothing like the first. 

It all start September 28th around 4 in the morning. I woke up with cramping. I didn't know if it was false labor, or the real deal. I wasn't due with Venna until October 17, so I pretty much convinced myself it wasn't happening. I think I also have this fear of being a baby so I didn't help.As time went on, they continued to occur and got a little stronger. Around 6, I rolled over and told Shyler that I could be in labor and maybe I should get a substitute for school. I called my mom to come over and help with Harper. I told Shyler to go to work and I would call him when it was almost time to go to the hospital. When my mom got to the house, Shyler ran to the store to get me pebbled ice and some diet coke. When he got back he started me a bath to help me relax. At this point the contractions just felt like strong period cramps. Back in the day I had some nasty period cramps, so it wasn't beyond what I could handle. I got out of the bath and went to talk to my mom for a bit. I could talk through every contraction like it wasn't a big deal. She told me to go lay down and try and rest. This is where the switch flipped. Two minutes after laying and and breathing through each contraction I suddenly felt like I was going to die. I started crying and really started to panic. I couldn't breathe and the contraction seemed to last forever. When it finally stopped, I immediately started worrying when the next one would start. It came on strong again and I was screaming for Shyler to take me to the hospital. Not my finest moment. We luckily live only 5 minutes from the hospital. On our drive over I suddenly felt the urge to push. It was like my body knew exactly what to do, when I didn't have a clue. I started pushing and I felt a pop. My water broke all over the seat (sorry workers at Wiggy Wash). We pulled up to the curb and I started walking, the best I could, up to the labor and delivery room. I had to stop in the lobby as a contraction came, and continued pushing. A security guard saw me (Shyler was trying to get the car valeted) and brought me a wheelchair. By the time we reached the curb of the hospital until Venna was in my arms was 11 minutes. Total.

We got up to the labor and delivery floor, and there was a secretary at the desk who told us she would see if there was a room available. It seemed like she was gone forever, and you guessed it, I was pushing. The security guard started yelling at her, "this girl is pushing!" I guess that put some pep in her step because we were surrounded by nurses and rushed to a room. They checked and said I was dilated to a 10. No time for an epidural.  My. Worst. Nightmare. I am a big believer in modern medicine. That is when sheer fear took over. I don't think I should be accountable for what was screamed out of my lips. Words I had never said in my life. Luckily I only pushed twice until they placed this sweet baby on me. It took me a few seconds to realize that we had a sweet baby girl. I could have sworn it was a boy. It was such a fast labor and delivery. I can honestly say that one of my most proudest moments is giving natural birth.

Venna Darling we are so glad you came so soon, we can't imagine life with out you.