The long awaited birth story...

Really, I have tried to do this several times before. Blogger and I have been fighting over getting pictures posted and publishing posts. I think we are friends again. I hope.

So how it happened. . .
Tuesday morning I stood up out of the recliner and felt a sort of pop in my abdomen. A few seconds later there was leakage of water like fluids. I figured I had broken my water but nothing else was leaking out. I wasn't having contractions, so I just decided to go about my merry way, figuring that if my water had indeed broken, it would become apparent soon enough.
Grandma and took the kids to the 'fire-truck park'. While there, I started having contractions. Nothing serious. Nothing to even call Roy about. I tried timing them. They were anywhere from 7-15 minutes apart lasting for 30 seconds to a minute. They were uncomfortable but really no big deal pain wise.
Head home for lunch. Contractions still the same, no more leakage of water. I knew this baby would be born today, but it seemed she was in no hurry to get the ball rolling. Finally, around 2:30 or 3 ish I called Roy. Even though things weren't really progressing quickly I decided we should head to the hospital and at least find out what was going on. Besides, last time I waited until my contractions were regular and had a baby 3 hours and 20 minutes later. Didn't want to do that again!
Roy, remember last time, rushes home slightly frantic. I reassure him and we head out. D was very excited. K was alseep.
At the hospital, the nurse confirms that it was indeed amniotic (sp?) fluid that had leaked so they admit me. Contractions are still irregular and really not that bad. After confirming to every person in the hospital at least three times (really, I felt like such a wimp every time they would ask) that my birth plan DEFINITELY included the epidural, I got an IV going. I'm hanging out in the hospital bed or bouncing on a 'birthing ball'. Roy's watching TV. Finally at 6:30ish I page the nurse. I figure, even though I'm still not regular, my contractions are getting harder and maybe the doctor could come check for dialation. We really don't want to miss the epidural window.
Doctor comes in about 7. Checks for dialation. Pronounces me at 10cm. Explains that my water had not actually broken as it was still in tact -- must have been a small foresack of water. Talks fast about how all he has to do is break my water and this baby will come. Epidural not a great options. I've already made it through the hard part. (LIAR) Think how after delivery my "legs would be my own". (He failed to mention what else would also be my own.)
Finally after a few minutes of such discussion I tell the doctor that he can break my water if he stands right there at the end of the bed because this baby is coming out now. I am not going to lay here for an hour. He agrees that this is okay because I'm ready.
Doctor breaks my water, next contraction WHOA! I am defintely ready to push. Basically I remember looking at the clock during our discussion to see that it is 7:20. At 7:50 baby Pyatt number 3 arrived in this world. (I was totally not kidding when I said that if he popped my water I was getting this baby out.)
All told
real labor: unknown since they usually count that as when your water breaks or when your contraction become hard and regular neither of which really happened
pushing: 15 minutes
baby: 8 lbs 6 oz, 20in

For anyone keeping track, this means I now belong to that group of insane people who have had a natural child birth since the advent of the epidural. I don't know if it really counts because it was SOOO not my plan.

New Baby

They are both so proud!

For anyone who is wondering...

I'm still pregnant. Apparently this baby didn't get the memo that my babies are born early. Yes, I know that today is my due date and many women don't deliver until after their due dates. However, I have never made it this far. I'm going crazy. Feel free to pity me....or not if you are one of those who always goes late.

On another note, yesterday was K's birthday. Sometime soon I'll put up the pictures of her awesome Candyland cake and little party with friends. . .. Maybe. .... Soon. .. . .

Friday's Funny Photo and Fantasically Fabulous Food

(I absolutely adore alliteration!)

Roy has been asking for these by name. That means he's been saying, "I really want some of those brownies." For lack of a better name you can call them Those Brownies because once you try them, you will never look back. Box mixes? Pssshhhh. Fudgy Brownies? Nah. Rich Brownies? You thought. This is the brownie to end all brownies. (With an introduction such as that you may be too psyched out. Don't tell me if you don't like them. Also, DON'T READ THIS IF YOU ARE DIABETIC. It is likely merely reading the recipe will send you into shock or perhaps a diabetic coma...)

This recipe is from Pillsbury's Most Requested Recipes. They call it Fudgy-Caramel Cashew Brownies. We call it Those Brownies.

• 3 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 20 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (otherwise known as Oreo's) crushed
• 40 round chewy caramels in milk chocolate (packaged in gold foil), unwrapped, each cut in half (Seriously? I know Pillsbury doesn't make Rolo's but it cracks me up the great lengths they go to to make sure you buy the right product without actually saying 40 Rolo's unwrapped and cut in half.)
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted cashews (or not if you happen to think you have these but really you only have about 1 Tablespoon of very finely chopped cashews.)

Heat oven to 350* -- 325* for dark pan. Grease 9x13 pan. Place bittersweet chocolate, butter and 1 cup chocolate chips in microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High 1 1/2-2 minutes, stirring twice because if you stir three times it will be ruined? until melted and smooth. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. or however long it takes you to do the next step.

In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium sspeed until smooth. Add cooled chocolate mixture. Beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat on low spseed until blended. By hand, stir in cookies and remaining chocolate chips. Pour into pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides and center is set. Notice, it does not say center is cooked, this is important. Do not overbake. Immediately sprinkle candy (whatever Rolo's you have left after sneaking one here and there for the last 35-40 minutes) on top of hot brownies. Let stand 10 minutes until softened. Pull tip of toothpick through softened candy to spread and swirl (not cover completely) Sprinkle with cashews if you happen to have any. Cool until set, about one hour. It will be difficult, but really these are brownies that actually get better when they cool. For brownies cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. For chocoholics don't bother cutting, just get a really big glass of milk and a fork.

We went to Seattle yesterday....

...because, you know, there's really no better idea than a 9 month pregnant lady taking a 2 year old and 4 year old to the Pacific Science Center.

Actually, Roy had to go up there for work. This means that the company was paying for the car ride up whether there was one person or four in the car. So we all went.

Here's how it went:

After we dropped Roy off, we drove around for a while trying to find the Seattle Center. Finally we found the freeway which then made it possible to find the Seattle Center. We speed waddled to the nearest bathroom (which wasn't so near). Then we ate a million dollar hamburger that was meh at best. You don't always get what you pay for!

After a small tantrum and time out in the bathroom (I was not the one throwing the tantrum thankyouverymuch), we headed across the way to the Pacific Science Center. Good times. We saw robot dinosaurs, naked mole rats, giant millipeeds, scorpions, beautiful butterflies, giant hissing cockroaches and various other oversized and unpleasant insects.

We learned about different parts of our body, animal poop, cat hairballs, tapeworms, owl pellets and other educational necessities.

After leaving the PSC we had some time to kill so I thought, "Lets ride the monorail train!" Being the mother of a miniture engineer (like train driver, not nuclear) I tend to think things like that when the opportunity arrises. I was thrilled when I discovered that both kids were free and my round trip would only be $4. We waited for the train, got on and less than 10 minutes later got off again. It is an incredibly short run. Oh well. It was fun anyway.

By this time, it wasn't time to get Roy yet. However, it was within 40 minutes of time to get Roy and since Seattle and I know each other so well, we decided to head out to try to navigate the probably less than five (direct, as the crow flies) miles to where Roy was working. 40 minutes later we were right on time for picking up Roy!

The trip home took a little longer than the trip up because we can't just drive past Lacey, WA, home of a Cabela's. Really, that would be unsportsman like. In case you're wondering, it is a pretty nice Cabela's. I feel like something of an expert on this as it is now the third Cabela's store I have visited.

On more stop at Denny's for dinner; one more tantrum (which ended with a small boy running, screaming through the restaurant) in the bathroom; 500 "Are we in Vancouver yet?" and we made it home. I literally could not physically keep myself awake the last 10 miles or so of our trip (good thing I wasn't driving!) and was asleep within moments of laying down.

Actual Phone Conversation

Roy: "I have 2 client depositions that I really, really want to go to on the 25th so if you could not have the baby that day or the day before, that'd be great."
Me: "Um, I'll see what I can do...."

This and That

My children's beds seem to be spring loaded. They pop right out and into my bed at any given hour of the night. Like little Jack-in-the-Boxes.

When we moved into this place, Roy and I had an actual conversation about trading sides of the bed. This was because the set up of our room meant that Roy's 'usual' side of the bed was closest to the door. We decided that I would sleep closest to the door so that the kids would come to me and not bother Roy if they needed something during the night. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!! Of four night time interruptions last night only one came to my side of the bed. Both children have, of their own free will, taken to walking around the bed and whining pitifully at "Daddy".

I may have mentioned that we have a garden plot in our stake's community garden. We are going to become known as either "Horticultural Geniuses" or "Those Cheapskates with the Sticks". Let me explain. We opted not to buy tomato cages or trellises or any commercially created supports. The cheap cages were $2 each or the expensive ones range from $6-10 each. (Seriously, those should have Kryptonite cores!) Anyway, we need support for *cough*18*cough* tomatoes, 6 cucumbers, 6 green beans and 2 cantalope plants. That's a bucket load of money. So instead we had a "special stick gathering family home evening" a few weeks ago. We drove up to a nearby hiking spot and gathered branches to make our own garden supports. Using the branches and some heavy thread I already had we have staked and trellised our garden. If we fall into the "Horticultural Genius" category, I'll post pictures. If we fall into the "Cheapskate" category, I'll forbear. Roy and I have discussed putting up a sign saying "This Garden Belongs to Ben Scrivens". We would put "Ray Riggin" but no one here would get the joke. *sigh*

If I feel the urge for public display I will post a picture of my incredibly swollen and oversized belly. I really think this is the biggest I've ever been in all three pregnancies. My back hurts even when I am sitting down!

I invested in a leash for K. Before you judge harshly, it is a monkey and she loves it. Unless D happens to hold the end of the monkey tail. Then the injustice is too much for her and she throws herself down in a fit of drama. As she is a defiant and independent 2-year-old this has become a necessity. I can no longer chase her down and carrying both of my girls at the same time is...uh.....difficult and awkward. Better to be on a leash than lost or flattened.