Sure enough, the 17th of January found me still pregnant. That day I went in for my 40 week doctors appointment, where the doctor said I was 3cm dilated and about 50% effaced. I wasn't impressed, and assumed I still had at least another week before the big event. The doctor wanted to see me again that week, so I made another appointment for that Friday, the 21st.

The rest of that week I had cramps off and on, but nothing regular. I didn't make it to my appointment on Friday because it was so cold our van wouldn't start. The repair shop came and towed my van away while I called the doctor and explained why I wasn't coming in. When Lee arrived home for the day the boys and I went out on Alex's paper route. The hospital is on his route, and the boys commented that that's were I'd be soon. Yeah, yeah, sure, I mused.

As I was reading bedtime books to the girls that night I got my usual evening cramping. But by the time they fell asleep at 9:15 that night, I was beginning to think this was the real deal. I told Alex that Lee and I would be heading out soon.

I got dressed and packed my bags. Every time I went up or down our 17 stairs the pain was great, so I told Lee let's go to the hospital now, just so I don't have to keep going up and down those dumb stairs every time I need to use the lou. I still thought I was in early labor, as the contractions were still irregular and not very long.

The hospital is only 5 minutes from our house. We left around 10pm. Right when Lee pulled his van up to the front doors of the hospital, I felt another contraction starting. I told him to wait until this one was done, then we could walk in. Right after I said that, my water broke!

He came around to my side of the van and opened the door. "My water just broke, I'm not going anywhere now!" I yelled at him. Leaving the door open, he went in to get help. I could feel the baby coming out...

It seemed like Lee was gone forever. I reached down and could feel the baby's head. I tried to get the seat to recline, but I couldn't. Soon the whole head was out. I was yelling for help. I was so sure the baby was going to die. I tried and tried to push baby out, but couldn't. Finally Lee and a lady arrived with a wheelchair. We were way past needing that! Soon a whole group of nurses and others were standing outside my door, watching. I couldn't understand why none of them would help us!

Finally a nurse from labor and delivery arrived. She took one look at the situation, rushed over, pulled the baby out, laid her on me (I had finally gotten the stupid seat to recline) and jumped into the van, straddling baby and I. She shut the door and had Lee pull into the emergency vehicle docking garage.

Baby was blue. The nurse kept vigorously rubbing baby's back. She grabbed Lee's jacket and through it over us. I was appalled to see a little blood coming out of baby's nose and mouth, but the nurse kept telling me everything was fine. Finally baby started making weak rasping sounds.

Once at the docking area, they cut the umbilical cord. I asked what baby was. It's a girl! They got me onto a bed on wheels and brought us both into the ER. I was happy to hear Ella crying loudly from the next room as they worked on me. I wasn't told at the time, but we were both quite cold, and my temperature had gone down to 95 degrees. Once the placenta was delivered, we were both wheeled up to the labor and delivery floor.

My doctor arrived soon after. She couldn't believe what we did! I couldn't, either. It seemed like a dream. I never even felt like I was in labor, and Bam! here's baby!

Hanella Sue was born on January 21st, at 10:13pm (according to Lee's clock in his van). She weighed 9lbs, 3oz, and was 21 1/2 inches long. So one of my smaller babies. She had a massively bruised head for the first 2 days of her life. The nurses even nicknamed her "blueberry" because her head was so blue. The doctor said it was from coming out so quickly.

Ella ran a low fever for a bit, but we were both discharged in two days, with a clean bill of health.

I guess we were quite the talk of the hospital for a bit. We joke that Hanella was in such a hurry, she'll be crawling by 3 months and walking by 6!

She is a sweet girl. Her sisters and brothers all think she's the best!