So, before we head off to begin our adventures in Germany, I figured we should probably document all the amazing things we've been able to experience here in Hawaii first! So...we'll start with the best thing that happened to us here in Hawaii....
The arrival of Lorna Mae!!!
We were a little concerned how everything was going to work out with her birth not having any family on the island and Dave working really long hours (and having to go back to the mainland a little over a week before my due date) but thanks to the best mother-in-law ever it worked out perfectly!! (If you don't like long-winded birth stories, this is the part where you scroll through to the end of the post to see the cute pictures of Lolo and be done reading!)
 |
| Landon meeting Lolo for the 1st time |
I was due on Tuesday, October 9th. The Friday before I was due, I went in to have a check up. They said that I was dilated to a 4 so that if I wanted they would go ahead and induce me then. I really didn't want to be induced and Sandra wasn't flying in until Saturday night so I told them that we would wait. The Dr. said that since I was far enough along if I changed my mind during the weekend that what I should do is go into the hospital, tell them I'm in labor and that at my last Dr. appointment I was at a 2 so when they checked me and I was close to a 5 they would go ahead and admit me thinking I was really in labor.
 |
Izak meeting Lolo for the 1st time
|
I started having contractions that night so Dave and I decided that if they got any stronger he and the kids would drive me to the hospital before we put the kids down for bed...I was going to have to have the baby all alone because we just felt like it would be too much to have someone watch our 3 kids over night. Luckily, a few hours later they stopped (which was a miracle-all my other labors, once labor started there was no turning back).
 |
Heading out for our run
|
Sandra flew in on Saturday night and we were SO excited to see her! Sunday morning comes and I'm feeling WAY too good. We found out that Dave actually had Monday off of work so I decided that this baby had to come today. Seriously. So, I told Dave that I was going to run (read:waddle) this baby out of me. So, Dave and I got our running clothes on and went for a run up and down a ridiculously large hill (oh how I miss those nice FLAT runs in Arizona!). Still nothing. So then Sandra and I went out. Nothing. So at about 4:30pm we decided to pull the sneaky little plan my Dr. had suggested and go into the hospital pretending to be in labor. By this point my contractions were about every 10-15 minutes apart, VERY mild, but I felt like if my Dr. broke my water, it would really help things along.
We made it to the hospital about 5:30pm. And man was it awkward trying to feign being in labor when I felt way too good. And then it got really awkward when the nurse decided to monitor my contractions BEFORE admitting me to the hospital or checking to see how dilated I was. The whole time while we were waiting for a contraction (which took at least 10 minutes!) the nurse kept saying things like, "But, this is your 4th baby so I'm SURE you know when you're REALLY in labor"....yea, it was awesome. Finally the nurse gave up on waiting for a contraction and said she'd go ahead and check me. And just like the Dr. said, the planned worked perfectly. The nurse even complimented me on how I came in at the PERFECT time, not too early in labor, and not too late. So, I was finally admitted about 6pm.
 |
| Briella trying to figure out what that thing laying next to her is... |
The Dr. was on the other side of the island, so she didn't end up coming to see me until about 7-7:30pm. Ironically by then, my contractions were coming less than 5 minutes apart. And I had dilated to a 7-8. So, she decided that I was progressing enough on my own that she wasn't going to break my water. And I decided to go ahead and have this little baby with no pain medication.
 |
| 2 months old-She is SO loved by her brothers! |
The Dr. came in about 9:15pm and I was dilated to about a 9.5 so she called in the nurse and got everything ready. She then broke my water and all 7lbs. 14oz. of Lorna was born less than 10 minutes later. I didn't feel any pain, I just heard angels singing the whole time. I kid, I kid.
 |
Lorna 3 months old
|
So, 4 hours after going to the hospital in "labor", Little Lorna Mae was born al natural. It was an amazing experience! It all worked out perfectly. And we absolutely LOVE her.
 |
| Lorna 4 months old |
It's hard to tell in the pictures, but this little girl totally has red hair---maybe Dave will get his little redheaded child after all. We love, love, love having this baby girl!!
