Silas' Birth Story

Oh, my sweet, sweet Silas boy.  I should’ve known that when my water broke in public AGAIN, that we would have a great story of how you joined us.  Your story has A LOT more sit and wait than your sisters and it also has a lot more SCREAMING and pain than your sister’s birth story. But when you arrived you were quiet and calm and full of peace. And have been ever since.  Here’s the story of your arrival.

Gas was at it’s highest price in recent history so TJ and I switched vehicles.  I don’t drive very far to work so I took the 4x4 and TJ took my 4 Runner to the station.  As I was climbing in and out of it that week I told myself, “this stupid truck is going to throw me into labor.”  If that’s the case or not, I guess I’ll never know. But what I do know is this- I was two weeks early and my Dr. told me that she thought I would go into labor on Weds.  Well, it came and went and there I sat mocking her for telling me such silliness.  Thursday was a great day and my class had a surprise shower for me.  Friday was just like any Friday.  I worked, came home and got Faith ready for gymnastics.  I should’ve known something was up because as we were walking out the door I almost grabbed my hospital bags.  I thought that was a silly notion so I just scurried out the door. 

As we got out of the car at gymnastics, it happened.  My water broke. In public. Again.  I don’t know why I react so oddly in these situations, but I always do something ridiculous.  I told TJ that I had forgotten something in the car and that I needed the keys while he took Faith in so she wouldn’t be late.  I got in the car, turned on the air full blast and fanned myself with the cold air while I made a plan and freaked out simultaneously. 

I then went into the gym and asked TJ for his phone.  I had to call my sister and have her get our stuff.  Then after I did that I went back in and asked TJ to come out of the gym so we could talk.  I told him and he started laughing saying he knew it because I was acting weird and had my cardigan wrapped around my waist again.  Thankfully his parents were there watching Faith so they kept her while we went to the hospital. 

This is where the story deviates greatly from Faith’s story. 

When we go to the hospital, our doctor was not the doctor on call so we got another doctor in the same practice.  She operates things in a completely different way and had given the word that if I didn’t go into labor by 4AM to start Pitocin.  That was about 10 hours away.  And I hadn’t eaten since 11AM.  It was not a good thing.  I was praying my body would start some good contractions, but it just wasn’t happening.  I walked, I bounced, I lunged, but nothing to speak of.  (I knew this was going to happen because the same thing happened with Faith. Basically nothing until the Pitocin then fast from there. )  Finally at 4 the green light came up and they started Pitocin.  The nurse tried to warn me, but apparently this particular doctor gives larger, stronger amounts quicker than my doctor. The contractions were bad. REALLY, REALLY, REALLY BAD.  I was standing up through them and my legs would literally give out Thank God TJ was there, keeping me up each time. We kept telling the nurse that once I get Pitocin things go FAST and she kept calling the doctor relaying the message.  

When it was time to push, the doctor was no where in sight.  Not surprising since she hadn’t even come in to see me the entire 12 hours I’d been there.  (Yep, still angry about this.)  They kept trying to get me wait for the doctor, but really?!?!?!?!  After some intense moment of them literally holding Silas in, the nurse finally delivered him at 6:32 AM.  Almost exactly 12 hours after we had admitted to the hospital.   The doctor came in about 10 minutes later and joked with TJ that he should’ve delivered him.  (Not funny, woman who did literally NOTHING and is going to get all the money for it.) God knows what is going on though because our nurse had actually just finished up everything to be a midwife.  I told TJ next time we will just call her out to our house and do the dang thang.

It’s really amazing how suddenly the pain is gone and your perfect little one is there.  How so much noise and chaos and yelling and lighting just fades away and it’s just you and the newest addition to your family. 

Although all that surrounded Si, he came into the world quiet and calm and sucking his little bottom lip.  He is still quiet and calm and peace and all smiles and sweetness.  Silas is God’s perfect fit for our family.  Faith is strong and sassy, full of life and big words and emotions and kind of a little Amanda while Silas is quiet and calm, you listen when he “speaks,” smiles and kindness and cuddles and a lot of his daddy. 

We are blissfully in love with him and so thankful for his little life.  God is good.