She's TWO!

I was going to start off this post complaining about the terrible twos but thought I'd focus on the positive instead.

Say Cheese!

Two years ago today, I woke up in the morning with no clue that I would be having a baby that day.  In fact, I really didn't want to because I was starting my medical leave from work the following day.  Around 9 am, I started to feel some mild cramps and thought I was in early labour but didn't concern myself with it.  I went about my daily routine for a Sunday which included doing some laundry and making beef stew in the slow cooker.  Around  2 pm, I knew I was having contractions and spent an hour or so breathing through them with an exercise ball, chair, and Ina May's hypnobirthing book all while watching the Masters golf tournament on TV.

I knew then that I was in labour and decided I should probably shave my legs.  Didn't want to scare off the doctors and nurses with hairy legs after all!  I took a bath around 3:00 pm and barely felt anything as far as contractions went. Then..within a matter of minutes, I was suddenly in excruciating pain and we called my mom-in-law to come look after Connor.  She lives an hour away though and there really was no time..or it felt like it so we called my friend Heather as well.  She rushed over in the nick of time because we had decided to just take Connor with us to the hospital after I told Jeremy I needed to push! 

It was around 4:40 pm when we finally left for the hospital and I was doing my best NOT to push and making sounds I didn't know I could produce.  We hit every stop light on the way...well, it sure felt like we did.  Jeremy finally took a side road with only stop signs and we rushed as fast as possible.  We parked in front of the hospital when we realized it was Sunday and we were supposed to go through emergency.  We decided to ignore that little rule and Jeremy pushed me quickly through the hospital in a wheelchair...we got lost because Labour and Delivery had moved since we got there.  It only delayed us by a minute or two but I was getting desperate by that point.

We finally found Labour and Delivery and we told them we hadn't registered yet.  One nurse asked for my medical papers and another took one look at me and rushed me in without the paperwork.  She pointed out the obvious which was ...There was NO time!! 

I was so relieved to finally put a hospital gown on and start delivering the baby!  They broke my water for me and the doctor said I could start pushing right away.  With no medication whatsoever, I pushed for maybe 3-4 minutes and delivered a healthy baby girl!  Don't hate me because I have fast labours...I would have preferred a much more relaxed approach to having a baby.  We arrived at the hospital at 4:55 pm and Aleena was born at 5:08 pm. 

A perfect example of how hectic it all unfolded was when Jeremy asked a nurse if he had time to move the truck and the nurse told him he'd miss the baby being born.  He said he had to go because the truck was running with the keys in it!  Yep, he left it running with keys in it in a not so safe neighbourhood in Regina.  We are likely one of the few people who have taken advantage of Regina General's unofficial valet service that day.  Hospital security moved the truck for us.

Aleena's birth was an adventure and life with her has been an adventure as well..but a lovely, fun, and exciting one.  She's such a happy, smiley toddler and we love her to bits.  Happy Birthday Leena Neener...you are my beautiful little girl and I love you.