Fall of 2013, Having been married nearly a year, Devin and I both began to feel the longings and readiness for a child.  Our original plan was to wait to start our family for at LEAST a year; but we both knew it was the right time, and to our delight, we found out we were expecting in August!  My due date was set for April 4th, 2014.  I was so excited to have Dr. Thomas Carn as my doctor; the same man who delivered me, and ALL of the siblings that followed in Utah:)  The pregnancy was pretty smooth; the only difficulty?  Swollen legs!  But I can't complain beyond that; I was incredibly blessed.  I was working as a substitute teacher and soon after, back at the MTC while simultaneously finishing my degree full-time.  I was very busy and it seemed to help the time pass along quickly:)

I knew all along that I wanted my mom to be there with me when I gave birth; but how tricky is that to plan, when she lived a state away??  Devin was easier--he worked at the hospital at which I would deliver, and they told him they would be very flexible in reference to the birth.  As my due date approached, we came up with a plan; we looked at the calendar, Devin's work schedule, etc. and determined the ONLY way to guarantee (almost!) that she could be present, would be to take castor oil over the weekend before April 4th.  I invited Beau up as well, and the two purchased flights, arriving the evening of March 27th.  Now I had to just hope and pray that the baby would actually come according to our plans!!  

March 28th was my very last day of work; my shift ended at noon, and I came home to mom and Beau to make preparations for "the plan"!  Mom pampered me and did my toes--I had long been unable to reach them (and my vision is terrible) so they were in desperate need of a pedicure!  I showered, curled my hair, we cleaned the house, etc.  I felt good about everything--all was in order.  I sent Dev off to work (he was working nights) and around 6:00pm, started the BREW THAT IS TRUE.  It is mom's tried and proven, incredible combination of castor oil, walking and massaging a certain area of the chest (I just can't say the word in my blog!).  I took a large 4 Tbsp. dose of castor oil...and the game began!

The day before delivery!

Mom had me put on one of Devin's large hoodies and I just popped my arms inside to massage discreetly.  We went to the mall and she treated me to a nightgown and p.j. set to wear in the hospital (I hadn't even thought about what to wear; I just assumed I'd wear the hospital gown...but as we shopped, I remembered how she always wore beautiful things after giving birth and I was happy she wanted the same for me).  We got home and went for a long walk; we walked all around BYU campus, up and down the stairs, around the streets of my neighborhood; anywhere and everywhere to keep the process going.  All the while, I massaged.  Although I had seen this method work for EVERY sibling my mom applied the brew to, I began to feel skeptical; hopeful, but very cautiously.  Nothing seemed to happen; I did have to stop once at home and once at Brick Oven to use the restroom, and it felt like the baby dropped; but how could I be sure of anything?  All new to me!  I was so tired by the time 9:30 rolled around, we decided to call it a night; and I headed to bed.  Not much happened during the night; I did have to use the restroom, but that was it!

Early the next morning (the 29th), I awoke with intense abdominal pain; squeezing, pressure, pain, then relief.  It was 5:45 am--and I thought, what the heck is going on??  OUCH!!  I unsuccessfully tried to go back to sleep for a good 30 mins until I finally realized...I was having contractions!  Now awake and aware, I pulled up the stopwatch on my phone and began to document  how often/far apart they were.  At first they were 7 mins apart...then eventually 6 mins, 5 mins, etc.  Devin walked in the door around 6:45 and jumped in the shower; I got up from bed and told him I was having some serious contractions; he was so excited, but much like me, didn't want to rush anything--we did NOT want to be one of those overly-anxious couples who prematurely show up to give birth, and get turned away!  AND what timing; right when he walks in from a shift!  So I sent him to bed, and continued to document and monitor my contractions.

As 7:15ish rolled around, I was measuring them 3-4 mins apart...and realized it was probably time to consider going in to the hospital...!!  I woke up mom and Bubba, and they jumped up with excitement!  We all got ready, I did my hair and makeup, anxious to look my best for the pictures!  I woke Devin up (poor guy had only been sleeping for 30 mins) and told him it was time!  By the time he got dressed, and mom and Bubba finished getting ready, I was having them every 2-3 minutes apart; and I had never been in so much pain in my LIFE.  I guess I am just wimpy; but the contractions were so painful that I would cry a little each time one began.  We loaded up in the car and I gave conflicting instructions to Dev; "Hurry!!!" but "GO SLOW...I'm in pain!!" :)  I could not walk anymore so they wheel chaired me up to Labor & Delivery.

They checked me, and I had nearly dilated to a 5!  The monitored me for an hour, and then admitted me.  I was READY for my epidural!!!  The anesthesiologist wheeled his equipment in, a beautiful sight, and was very kind and patient with me (rather afraid of needles...BIG needles at that!).  Once administered, it didn't take long for the pain to begin subsiding...Devin took the liberty in my behalf to push the button that upped the dosage--I was soon in heaven, dried my tears of pain, and began to smile, laugh and joke with the staff and my family:)  Aunt Jodi came by to be a part of it, and we waited for the cue to move forward.






The nurse and Dr. Carn came in to check on me, and decided it was time to start!  I pushed for 2.5 hours  with little progress--exhausting and frustrating.  But Dr. Carn was so patient and so much fun!  He directed the pushing and administered the whole time!  Usually, they just come in at the end when its time to deliver.  He thought it wise to have the epidural wear off a tiny bit so I could feel what was happening inside, but not the pain.  This seemed to help tremendously, and suddenly, after hours of pushing, it was really time to deliver!  He suddenly got dressed in all his gear and the moment was arriving!!  Devin was SUCH a trooper; didn't leave my side and counted me through each contraction/push for all those hours on his feet; with no sleep!!  Mom didn't leave my side either; I was so grateful she was there with me:)


Excitement was building within me and I could hardly contain my emotions.  As baby began to crown and the excitement grew, I began to wipe tears away--such an incredible moment of anticipation and something else I can't describe; something almost spiritual.  After 9 months of waiting and a lifetime preparing, I was giving birth at the right time, in the right place, with the right husband, with my mother and brother at my side, and my life hung on the edge of irreversible and eternal, change.  The other thing that made this moment so incredible, was not knowing the gender of the emerging child--Devin and I had persevered peer pressure and temptation to know, and now, we were seconds away from knowing, and finally meeting our little baby:)

The head came out, then the shoulders; and suddenly, the baby was out!!  The nurse shouted, "It's a GIRL!" and I burst into tears of joy!!  Devin joined me and we embraced; we did it!!  She was perfect, and beautiful; Devin cut the umbilical cord and they brought her up right away to me.  It was surreal to hold that sweet, beautiful child in my arms; with giant eyes looking up at me...knowing that at that moment, my life was perfect:)  We had previously decided (in indulging my wish) that if we had a girl, she would be named "Beau" after my brother Beau.  It was pretty special for me to have him there when his little namesake was born!

Aunt Tara gave Beau her very first BOW!!

Devin FINALLY got his sleep; cuddling with Baby Beau:)