A quick explanation on how you became Vaughn Bear even though your full name is Vaughn Charles Schroeder. Well, we really debated on giving you two middle names and using Barron (my maiden) as one of them. Charles of course is named after your opa (Charles Curtis Alan Sandman). We stuck with one to start a tradition..maybe when you have a son his middle name will be Daniel. I couldn’t fully let go of Barron…so…your nickname became Vaughn Bear 🙂

It all started on February 11, 2015.

We went in to our 41 week doctor appointment in the morning and saw Anna, our midwife. She suggested doing a membrane sweep to get things rolling as new research shows letting you stay in my belly until 42 weeks can become dangerous. She mentioned that regardless after the sweep I would have contractions and that they may or may not turn into labor. It was summer weather in the middle of winter so to say I was uncomfortable is an understatement. We got home and the contractions began. I changed into a bikini with the thought that being tan would make me feel a little cuter when I go into labor. I sunbathed in our yard, hung with our dogs, walked them around the neighborhood and relaxed (something I wasn’t good about doing over the past few months…packing up a whole house, unpacking a whole house, organizing, holiday hosting…I was on my feet a ton and sleeping very little). The past week we had tried all the old wives tales to help you make your grand appearance but had one last trick left to try…eggplant parmigiana. I read that really its just the combination of herbs and spicy sauce that can induce so I’m not quite sure where the eggplant fits in but we ate it for dinner and two hours later…boom! We started clocking the now frequent contractions. Around 11 pm I couldn’t stand lying down anymore so I moved to our bathtub. Dan was timing the contractions and at around 1 am (a total prune in the tub) we called our doctor to let him know that my contractions were 5 minutes apart for the past 2 hours. He told Dan that unless I was in a lot of pain to wait until they were 4 min apart (he’s unconventional and not overly dramatic and thats why we like him). We waited another hour when they were about 4 1/2 min apart because as a newbie mama I literally thought I was going to give birth right there in the tub (sadly, I was soooo wrong).

Off to the hospital we went and of course we didn’t do a hospital tour or pre-register like we were supposed to so there was a little confusion once we got there but finally we got checked into our room. By 3am, my parents had arrived and our nurse checked my dilation…I was only 3 cm which is exactly what I was the previous morning. The nurse suggested I stay on my feet and move around or bounce on a yoga ball as much as possible. As uncomfortable as I was, my mom, dad, Dan and I walked laps in and around the hospital…I was in the full getup…hospital gown, sticky footed hospital socks, birds nest in my hair, bags under my eye…I looked like I had escaped from the psych ward. Everytime a contraction came (which was about every 4 minutes) I had to grab on to a railing, trashcan, table, anything belly button level that was within reach…the contractions were painful and thank god for my dream team…each time they began my mama massaged my lower back as Dan helped me breathe through it and my dad kept me preoccupied by reminiscing about my birth and telling interesting stories. I thought by the time my doctor would arrive that I would be ready to push! My doctor arrived at 6am and checked me…no progress had been made, literally still 3 cm. SAD! For the next 8 hours we stayed moving…walking, bouncing, showering…everything that the nurses and doctor suggested. He came back around 2pm and checked again…nothing again…so he broke my water and stretched me to 6cm. After that, the contractions became unbearable and very frequent (lets just say the hypnobirthing techniques went out the window). He came back 4 hours later and checked again…I actually was less dilated, it was so disheartening. I had planned on doing a natural birth but after laboring for at least 20 hours without intervention, I was exhausted, bummed that I wasn’t progressing on my own and ready to meet you, Vaughn! My doctor told me he would start me on pitocin and I knew that it was time for some pain medication. After much debate, I got an epidural drip along with pitocin and within minutes I couldn’t feel the contractions at all. Within an hour I was fully dilated. Since the epidural numbed me so well, I couldn’t feel my lower half enough to push so they had to remove it which was a bummer as it felt pretty amazing to be numb. While I was waiting for it to wear off I actually napped…the first time I slept in 2 days. By 10 pm I could feel my legs again and it was time to push. Two hours of pushing to Fleetwood Mac in a dark room with Dan holding my left leg and George (our nurse) holding my right leg, our awesome doctor delivered you at 12:19am on Friday the 13th. It was the best day of our lives.

As cliche as it sounds…I have been too busy (& tired) to keep up with this blog since you were born (what all my mommy friends told me would happen). While I may have you on more of a routine nap schedule (at the moment), I am going to maximize my five minutes of freedom and catch up on this blog so that one day you can read all the posts. Oh crap…your eyes are open…close them, close them…go back to sleep pleaseeeeeee you need the rest you active little babe you…seriously you are 7 weeks and you sleep maybe 10-12 hours (on a good day). Ok, they are closed again…here we go.

Last time I wrote I was 31 weeks and we had just seen your beautiful face on 3D. After the ultrasound, we were more anxious than ever to meet you… and boy did you make us wait. Below are our weekly preggo pics from 32 weeks to 41 weeks. You joined us in my belly for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and almost Valentines Day but luckily you arrived the day before and were able to join us outside of your cozy stomach apartment.