Almost 2

That is just the craziest thought.  Mylie Isabel is almost 2.  TWO! It seems like only yesterday that I went in for my 38 week check up.  It was on a Monday, 3/24/08.  My dr. reached in and stripped my membranes as he told me that I was already 2.5 cm effaced and would I like for him to strip my membranes. A little late for that! I started spotting immediately. I went to BJ's to stock up on sanitary napkins, breast pads and snacks. I had contractions off and on all night. I had bloody show multiple times.  Fernando was SO excited.  he kept asking me if I needed to go to the hospital.  Not yet! I went to work and just wore a pad and breathed through the contractions when they came.  They were sporadic until Wednesday afternoon. Around 2 p.m. they started to get a little consistent, but were far apart. When I got off of work I looked up signs of labor.  Mostly because I could still talk during them, they weren't unbearable, but they radiated from back to front and down the inside of my thighs. Around  p.m. Fernando came home from work.  I told him that I thought we needed to go to the hospital.  I was really calm so he asked if he had time to shower. Sure! While he showered I just stood in front of the computer and swayed side to side. When he was good and clean he started messing around.  I reminded him to get my bag, we needed to go. He didn't believe me.  I told him yes, something is up, I needed to go.  we got in the car and got Talise and off we went. When I got to the hospital I told the nurses that I wasn't convinced that I truly was in labor, but something was up. They told me to get gowned up and they check me out and monitor me. Once I got the monitors on my belly they said I was definitely in labor and they checked my cervix. The nurse looked at me and asked if I wanted an epidural.  I said yup, when it's time. She informed me that I was dilated to a 6! I couldn't believe it. With Talise I had a horrible labor. I wa sin so much pain and scared and miserable. With Mylie, as corny as it sounds, I just closed my eyes and took deep breathes. I told myself this is what my body is made to do, let it happen.  It worked. I got the epidural because I was too chicken to try with out it and by 1:15 a.m. it was time to push.  I pushed maybe three times and my sweet Mylie Isabel Dutra was born gently at 1:18 a.m. She barely cried at all when they were cleaning her up and besides her swollen nose she was gorgeous. I remember that I looked over at her all angelic crying sweetly and I started giggling.  There was a student nurse there. Her name was Madonna, and she commented on my giggling. Once Mylie got cleaned up she resembled an orange Smurf. The most beautiful orange Smurf you've ever seen, but Smurfish none the less. The orange was due to jaundice, the Smurfishness was due to swelling.  She is still a sweet, angelic baby toddler.  She isn't perfect, she has her melt down moments, but she is darn close to it.  I cannot believe she will be two years old in 16 days. She's still my sweet baby.  I guess she always will be, after all, I prayed, begged and pleaded with God for her. When he blesses, he really goes all out.