Dear Family,

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! and here is our Lucy Kathleen Duncan!! (named after 2 of our great-grandmothers).  We are SO thrilled to have her here, and she was so convenient to come at the onset of a long weekend.  I don't know why I bothered to get out her bouncy seat or swing now, since there are never enough turns to hold her for everyone--she is so welcomed home!

  

-and this is just a smattering of how many arms she's been in :).

I am feeling SO good, and am thrilled beyond belief that she got her when she did, and withOUT an epidural! Part of my willingness to wait past her due date was so that I could have a better try at going w/o drugs, to see how that helped my recovery/etc. So wait we did, and though the Dr.'s office called that DAY to schedule a stress test and induction for next week, she made it before we had to worry about it.  At my appt. Thursday, I had NOT progressed that full week, and was still at 3.5-4 cm/70% effaced, and I tried not to get discouraged, but when stripping my membranes just made me really uncomfortable for that day and the next, I wasn't overly hopeful.  I could barely move at aerobics Friday morning, and had to do a lot of stopping and starting all day, but after having a fun dinner w/ Nate and Stacey's at the newly opened Zupa's (so nice to have my last meal be a good one!), I was uncomfortable enough that Brian started asking if it was labor.  I still wasn't sure, so we ran some errands, walking through Kohl's and Sam's--found a steal of a wool dress coat for Brian he's been looking for, and as we checked out, I nearly told the cashier at Kohl's, "You're the first to know, I'm about to go have a baby!" (but she was preoccupied, and I didn't).  We came home, and in my determination to get to the hospital as late as possible, I finished rearranging the basement bookshelves I had started that day, folded the rest of the laundry, packed my hospital bag, and sat in the jacuzzi, while Brian gave the children instructions, watched some Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and tried sleeping.  Finally, at 1:30 AM, he asked if we shouldn't be going, and since it had been about 6 hours, I agreed.  It took a little while for me to get dressed and to the car, AND we had the classic moment of being pulled over on the way (not even for speeding!--we never did find out--left turning into the outside lane?--he quickly let us go), but finally got to the hospital at 2:30.  Everyone was plenty nervous w/ my 2 minute apart hard contractions, and this being my 6th--they skipped most of the prelim stuff, but I tried telling them I was slow, and not to worry.  There were 3 nurses on duty, w/ nothing to do--no full moons, and inductions aren't scheduled at those times, so they were all so thrilled to have me to attend to! :)  They were very cute, and I was only sorry that they saw such a sorry side to me--as I had little small talk left, and only told them to stop touching me or pushing on the monitors during contractions.  They were so helpful though, and let me go w/o an I-V, AND let me switch to the room w/ a huge tub (I was picturing in the bathroom, but it was like a swimming pool right in the room! They checked me right when I got there, and after telling Brian on the way I'd better at least be to a 7 after all that waiting, or the epidural might be really necessary, I was only a 5!!! She was at a +1, meaning she was dropping, which was positive, but I told the nurses w/ little hope that I had been trying to go natural.  They encouraged me through the breathing, got me to the tub (I walked to the room, and that helped a little, so I thought I'd circle around the halls, but only made it to the next room, before I realized I couldn't move anymore), and after I'd been in the water for 5 minutes, they said the on-call Dr. was here, and did I want him to break my water.  Again, w/ little hope, I said yes, so out of the tub, and as he checked me, I was already a 7! He broke the water, and after that, I can only really remember one big contraction that never eased, and the "urge to push" that I thought would be so relieving was more the feeling that my body was being ripped inside out, and there would never be relief again.  Once I told them I was pushing, the nurses took a minute to realize I wasn't just telling them to not push me, but then got the Dr. to begin setting up.  By this time, I was screaming for my life, while they put Oxygen on me to probably keep me from hyperventilating, and all I could think was that setting up the right towels, equip., etc. could never have taken longer or been a bigger waste of time--as was any advice like hold up your knees, chin to your chest, etc.  but everyone else stayed much calmer, and bless Brian for at least telling me she was almost here, the head was out, and there she was (which was my only hope at that point), and come she did--quickly too, thank goodness, born @ 3:31 AM. 

  

I had also been so worried about how gargantuan she was feeling to me, esp. as each day went past.  Every time she moved, I felt like it was a contraction--thinking she was already too big for my uterus, I was sure she must be nearly 12 lbs, but she was just 7lb 11oz (and 21")!!--as small as our smallest baby!!--and perfect--much calmer and quieter than her Mom was to get her here, and just as cuddly and precious as a newborn can be.  Definitely one of the family, and same amount of the same hair as her siblings (just enough and dark blonde).  She is really calm, loves to look around and make those funny faces, and we are LOVING her! 

The real bonus after all that suffering, is that I have felt GREAT since the moment she got here! I was ready to walk to the recovery room (though they still brought a wheelchair), haven't needed one ice pack (I usually go through about 10/day for 2 days), and aside from missing my sleep that night (and many more to come), I feel blissfully NORMAL!! I was more than ready to come home this morning--the hospital room and bed seemed like they'd bore me to tears for one more day, and thanks to Brian's parents being here until Mom comes in on Tuesday, I can be home and a part of things w/o too much stress.  I had better go to sleep now though--everyone is at church, but our runny-nose Anne and Baby Lucy, who are both sleeping, but we are doing GREAT, and I am again, so thrilled and thankful things went as well as they did--who would've thought recovery from the 6th would be the best so far?! What a blessing to have had those 3 nurses like I did, and all the arrangements that fit into place just right.  What a great weekend! Love, the Duncan's