Welcome to the World, Alaina Brooke

My beautiful angel, Alaina Brooke, decided she was ready to be born into this world 3 weeks early! She was born on Friday, July 31 at 11:36am, weighing in at 6 lbs. 1 oz. & 19 inches long. Although it came as a shock to Adam & I, as well as the rest of our family & friends, we could not be more happy that she is finally here & in our arms! Here's how Alaina's birthday played out...

~ 3:00 am ~
Water broke. I woke up for one of my many nightly potty breaks. After hitting the bathroom, I got back in bed. Suddenly I felt a little trickle down my leg. Hmmm. I had just peed, so I couldn't be peeing on myself. Or could I, I thought? Surely this was not it. I layed there so attentive to my body and repeated the words in my head, "Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God." I went to the bathroom again and turned on the light to see what was happening. More leakage tinged with blood (graphic, I know). Cramping started. Ok, time to alert Adam.

~ 3:10 am ~
Poked Adam on the shoulder as he was soundly sleeping. He awoke and said, "Huh." I said in a super quiet, almost nonbelieving voice, "Um...something is happening here." He sprung up out of the bed so fast that he nearly knocked me & my big belly into the pack & play, located behind me. In a panicked voice he said, "Ok, what's going on...what do we need to do..." He turned on the lamp & I informed him that my water broke and we needed to pack the hospital bag (DARN, I did not meet my deadline to get this done by Wednesday and now everyone knows it!).

~ 3:15 am ~
Called the nurse. I was so nervous that I could barely dial my phone. In fact, I misdialed several times. The nurse instructed me to take my time gathering my things and drive to the hospital. Adam & I worked quickly as a team to pack the hospital bags. I did have a list made, which made it super easy because we did not have to worry about thinking about what all we needed. It was all written down. I am glad that at least I had this part done. Adam ran up & down the stairs many times and was dripping in sweat even though the house was freezing cold. I took a shower and soon we were out the door. Here are a few photos of us just before leaving for the hospital.


~ 4:30 am ~
Wakened our parents from a deep sleep with the news that their grandbaby was on the way!

~ 4:40 am ~
Left for Northside Atlanta. It was rainy and there was no traffic (I really wanted it to be raining & in the middle of the night with no traffic when I went into labor - YAY for all of these things coming true!). Contractions were 10-12 minutes apart at home, then moved closer together, about 4-5 minutes apart during the drive to the hospital.

~ 5:15 am ~
Arrived at the hospital. Adam dropped me off in the labor zone and then parked the car. We waited for about 5 minutes in the lobby before being directed to a room. I was hooked up to the monitors and the IV was started. When I arrived, I was 3cm dilated & 70% effaced. Contractions were 2-3 minutes apart.

~ 6:00 am ~
Parents arrived, ready for action. We thought they would be waiting a long time, possibly for 12 hours. To our surprise, it was not very long at all! After chatting with our parents for awhile, I noticed the contractions really slowed down and were very irregular.

~ Around 7:00-8:00 am ~
Pitocin was started to speed up the labor process. I was told the pitocin would take about 30 minutes to kick in, however I felt a difference in 5 minutes. It was uncomfortable, but bearable...at first.

~ 9:00 am ~
Unbearable pain. No one had checked to see how dilated I was, but the pitocin really kicked in and I was painin'! I asked for the epidural. Then I was informed that I had to go through an entire bag of fluids before it could be administered. Great, NOW you tell me this. I waited. And waited, watching the fluid bag. Once it ran out, the anethesiologist came in and started lecturing me in his British accent about all the possible risks imaginable associated with an epidural, especially in a person with a low platelet count. My platelet count at the time was 120, by the way. I thought I was going to strangle his scrawny neck!!! I was SO incredibly irritated by him that I thought I would snap. He wanted to ask me the stupidest questions about my nose bleed history in the middle of the WORST contractions which were occuring back to back. HELLO - I AM IN LABOR AND I NEED DRUGS! I was hurting so bad I could not even look at him to answer his idiotic questions. I just hung my head down and whispered to Adam that I wished he would just give me the...(bleep)...epidural. Yes, I cursed! He finally got around to getting to the point and giving me the epidural. He did not warn me of what he was doing or to be still. He just jabbed me in the back. My reflexes kicked in and I immediately jerked forward. He yelled at me (YES, BRAVE MOVE MR!), telling me that I must be still and any movement could be seriously harmful. Then he jabbed around (ouch!) and I rejoiced once the epidural was in and he left the room.

~ 10:45 am ~
Epidural in, which made me shake uncontrollably, by the way. I thought at this point I should get to rest awhile. The nurse told me to lie on my side. I did and suddenly noticed that I had intense pressure and burning in my bottom. She acted like she did not believe me. I told her that I felt the need to push already. In disbelief, she checked me only to find that I was 9-10cm dilated and 100% effaced. It was already time to push. Ha! Told you so, lady. She told me NOT to push, just breathe through the contractions until she had time to page the doctor and get in delivery mode. Um - NOT pushing was so hard to do, but somehow I managed to breathe through it.

~ 10:50 am ~
Pushing began. Doctor nowhere in sight, only the nurse. I thought multiple times that I was going to push the baby out on the table while my doctor was in never never land. She was popping out!

~ 11:20 am ~
Dr. Zane arrived (same doctor that was on call when I had the miscarriage/hospital ordeal last year). Finally.

~ 11:36 am ~
Alaina Brooke Emmett was born. Hallelujah! Although she immediately started crying, Adam & I did not cry. We were too happy to cry! We just smiled from ear to ear and marveled at her beauty and her mere existance. What a miracle :)



We were given the option to be discharged from the hospital either Saturday or Sunday. We chose Sunday. It was an interesting couple of days being constantly interrupted and getting virtually no sleep, BUT it was soon all said & done and we were able to head home with our baby girl. She wore the white dress that Adam & I bought her on the very day we found out we were having a little girl. She was swimming in her dress as she was so tiny! But she was stunning at the same time. And she did remarkably well on the car ride home...not a peep out of her!

Welcome home sweet girl! We love you!