Alyssa turns seven years old tomorrow morning at exactly 8:06am – and we’re going to celebrate her birthday at that moment with a birthday cupcake. 
Seven years ago today, to this very date and time, I was in horrible, agonizing pain – I was on day three of active labor with Alyssa, and day five of total labor. I had already been to the hospital once, determined to be 90% effaced but only 2cm dilated, and thus sent home around 9:00am the morning of October 26th with a prescription for Percocet, of all things, in the hopes that if my exhausted body finally got some sleep, it would pull its head out of its ass and progress. The Percocet didn’t really work, except to knock me out in between the contractions that came every 4-5 minutes and lasted 30 seconds to two minutes.
It was around this time of night on October 26th, 2004, that I called my mother and asked her to take me to the hospital. I still remember being in the passenger seat of her minivan, watching the clock radio with dread, because at that point my contractions were just 3 minutes apart and coming like clockwork. At one particularly long red light I hopped out of her car and leaned against her car, completely uncaring as to the fact that I probably created a bit of an interesting scene for the cars stopped behind her.
I was given an epidural around 4:15am, five completely agonizing hours after arriving at the hospital and four completely agonizing hours after the midwife broke my water (I had already been leaking amniotic fluid; the midwife hoped that by breaking the sac things would speed up), and a low dose of Pitocin was started, because at that point I had been laboring on my own with little progress for several days, and had reached my breaking point; also, Alyssa was beginning to show signs of distress (spikes and drops in heart rate). I promptly threw up after receiving the epidural and Pitocin, and then lapsed in and out of a sleep-deprived haze for the next several hours.
At 7:00am exactly, I was ready to push. Unfortunately, Daniel was not at the hospital with me (seven years later and I’m still not quite over the fact that he did not believe me when I said I needed to go back to the hospital, hence why my mother took me; also why I’m not going to say anything further on the subject), so I had to hold back on pushing for 40 agonizing, teeth-chattering minutes while Daniel blazed down back roads and highways at 85mph (we live nearly 18 miles from the hospital where I had Alyssa and Ryan). He ran into the room promptly at 7:40am, I screamed at him to grab a leg and help, and I immediately commenced with pushing.
And at 8:06am, my darling Alyssa was born, sunny side up (face up) and very pissed off looking. She bit the midwife, sneezed in Dan’s face when she was handed to him, and then quieted down once she was placed on my chest. ♥
And now, just about seven years later, here is my darling Alyssa:
Does my kid make the awesomest expressions or what?
(Who just got the beginnings of braces — bands — today, lucky her!)
We’re celebrating Alyssa’s birthday with a birthday cupcake and one of her gifts tomorrow morning, a small birthday party tomorrow evening, and then the big birthday party with our family and a few of her friends on Saturday.
Happy Birthday Alyssa! Mommy loves you!
Wow, it’s amazing how fast the time flies. Holding back on pushing? Damn Daniel. I’d have been livid.. but ah well. Happy birthday Alyssa!
Amanda’s last blog entry: Together Again
Seven, really?? Where did the time go? When I see photos of her on here, I still think she’s 5 lol…which, when I think about it, is impossible since Ryan is 5 now
Kecia’s last blog entry: Wordless Wednesday: Happy Halloween from Mickey Mouse
Happy Birthday Alyssa!
Shannon’s last blog entry: Octo…..What???
You know what is freaky, I remember reading your blog back when you were pregnant with her and your birth announcement post. Crazy how time flies.
Happy 7th Birthday Alyssa.
Aidan’s last blog entry: Baby, can you hear me?
I love labor stories!
Happy Birthday Alyssa!!! I’ll see you Saturday!!
Amanda’s last blog entry: A little update on Sophie
Wow, how time flies! I remember when you first introduced her as little ‘Lissy’ all those years ago. Happy 7th Birthday Alyssa!
xx