Well I was right, I didn't make it the 3 weeks. I woke up on the 15th April and, as I had had every morning for over a month, I woke up with Braxton Hicks and so when Spence said
"Am I ok to go to work?" I said
"Yeah off you go, just ring me when you get there."
So when he phoned me at about 8am I told him I was about 20 minutes apart. Well this alone was a new experience for me as I have always started at 5 minutes apart. So I told him I must have loads of time and to give me a call when he had finished the job. So 25 minutes later when he phoned, I think we were both a bit shocked when I had to say
"I'm 5 minutes apart, you need to get home NOW".
So I had a quick shower and then got the kids ready. Faith was my little helper and followed me round the house holding my mobile phone and rubbing my back with each contraction. Although her main concern was that she would still get to go to her friends birthday party that day, bless her.
So when I finally got hold of Julie and Spence got hold of his dad they both arrived at the same time. The kids went off with Colin and I jumped in the car with Julie being about 3 minutes apart. The hospital is about 3 or 4 minutes away and by the time I was at reception I was a minute apart. It has to be said I was so glad Julie was with me, I don't think anyone else would have got me through reception and up to the labour ward as quickly as she did, she was a real superstar.
Spencer arrived as I was just being taken up to delivery. I had my trusted gas and air and off we went. Julie stayed with me and Spence until Sarah arrived as the midwife wouldn't let more then 2 people in the room. Well it was a long labour for me, just over 4 hours in total. I was so convinced I was having a boy at one point I even said
"Come on Jeremiah, just come out"
So you can imagine my surprise when as the baby came out I lifted her up there she was, my third little girl all 7lbs 6ozs of her. She was the spitting image of Faith when she was born, dark curly hair and everything.
(excuse the picture of me, but I had just given birth)
Spence went our to make all the phone calls so Julie came back in and after me was the first person to have a cuddle. It did make me laugh when the midwife asked one of them to dress her and Julie and Sarah just looked at each other. I said
"Oh come on you have 8 kids between you" to which they both replied
"but we have caesareans, we have never dressed a brand new born baby"
I was a little surprised when the midwife asked if I wanted to go home, straight from the delivery room. I had a shower and went to the ward for a few hours but decided to go home that evening as the nurse's and cleaning staff seemed to have no idea what the word quiet meant.
So 7 short hours later we were home. Luckily Spence had had that time to go home and put the crib up. I did say she surprised us by coming 10 days early.
