Introducing: Savannah Faythe Skrove!

She's here, she's here! Well, she's been here for five days already, but I'm just now finding the time to update the blog. First the essentials:

Savannah Faythe Skrove

born 11/9/11 at 2:55 p.m. at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda

weight: 8 lbs 3 oz height: 19 3/4"

she has dark blue eyes and peach fuzz for hair

I am so excited to say that I got to go into labor, AND I labored for approximately 7 hours while I was sleeping. It started late on 11/9 I kept waking up from dreams that I was having contractions only to find that I was having sharp stomach pains. Apparently I was so tired I didn't realize I was having ACTUAL contractions. At 5 a.m. I woke up to go to the restroom and felt a very sharp tightness in my stomach that actually lasted. I had been having a few contractions here and there for a week but this felt different. I decided to get up and move around and see if I had another one. When I had the next one I started my contraction timer app on my iPhone (ahh, technology). I tracked about 4 contractions and they were 12 mins apart. At this point Mitch got up and was surprised to see me up and about. I told him that I thought this was it and we started preparing the house, Scarlette's feeds for 2 days, and let the babysitter know. Over the next hour the contractions intensified and increased to every 8 minutes. I then called Labor and Delivery who told me to just go to my 40 week appt unless my contractions got closer together.

At 8 a.m. Mitch and I headed to the hospital. I had about 3 REALLY strong contractions that I had to actually breathe through, but overall I was only mildly uncomfortable and in a really great mood. I was so excited at the prospect of having Savannah that day! We got to the hospital and my contractions completely stopped. I went to OB and got my chart and we checked in to L&D, but I just KNEW they were going to send me home and I was so disappointed. They hooked me up to the monitor and I only had ONE significant contraction the entire time. Then they made sure Savannah looked okay and we got to see her big fat cheeks on the monitor. Next, they were going to check to see if I was dilated, but they had all but told me I was going home so at this point I wasn't even excited anymore. The midwife checked me, and SURPRISE! I was already dilated to a 5 and almost fully effaced, they were admitting me, and FAST!

When we got in to the hospital room, my labor hadn't progressed at all, so they started me on pitocin and gave me an epidural. The epidural was painful (and I later found out not placed correctly). As soon as the pitocin started the contractions started ramping up. At this point it was 1 p.m. They checked me again and I was at 7 cm. This is when they came in to break my water. By 2 p.m. my water was broken and I was in some serious pain, so they came back in to check me and I was at 9 1/2 cm. The anesthesiologist came in to top off my epidural, but all it did was numb my legs and hips, for some reason none of the medicine was going to my mid-section. The nurse checked me again and it was time to go. Let me tell you, I have never felt anything like that in my ENTIRE life. I was screaming so loud I probably scared all the other pregnant ladies on the ward. My contractions were coming one on top of another, so all I could do is push/breathe/push. There was no resting between contractions, I just had to get her out as fast as possible. The nurse and the doctors (there were like fifteen people in the room, teaching hospital) were very encouraging, and Mitch was right beside me talking to me the whole time. I pushed as hard as I could and after ten minutes she was out. I was sobbing, Mitch was laughing because I refused to believe she was out, even after they showed her to me, ya I think I'm a bit dramatic. The pain was gone immediately though, and I was so excited to meet my little Savannah! They cleaned her off a bit and then gave her to me, and of course, it was love at first sight. She doesn't look as much like Scarlette as I thought she would, but she's so adorable. All of us in the room guessed how much she weighed and I got it EXACTLY!

After that we spent some time nursing and just spending time the three of us. She's a good little nurser though breastfeeding has definitely had it's frustrations already and she's so sweet. She just wants to be in mommy's arms all day long. I know I will have to break her of that soon but right now I adore it! We were released from the hospital on Thursday, exactly 24 hours after she was born! I was so excited to see my Scarlette I can't even tell you. We got home after 2 hours in traffic and Squish was so happy to see us. I just wanted to love on both my babies at the same time. So far she has done so well with Savannah and is actually interested in her a little bit. She does NOT like when she cries though. Can't believe my sweet little baby is already 5 days old. I just want to freeze time for awhile!