I've been hesitant to share this with y'all, but the Lord has placed it on my heart several times lately to be open, to be vulnerable, to be real... so here it is.
Yesterday, when I looked into my Baby girl's eyes, I became so emotional (I guess it could be that I have been taken off of the antidepressant meds I was taking for post-partum... but maybe not, real life people) thinking about that day, those long hours awaiting her arrival; the hardest but the most rewarding time of my life.
So yesterday, I began to write. Here's our birth story, the real life version.
Charlotte Grace Pierce who we loving call, Lottie Grace born May 30, 2019 at 2:51 PM
Wednesday May 29th, around 5:45 PM, my water broke, 11 days before my due date. My parents were watching my sister, Morgan’s girls, Maggie Ruth (4) and Kit (1) for the week. (Wells and I are living with my parents while our house is being renovated, another fun part of our story.) Wells was on his way home to my parents house in Aiken after working all day in Columbia. I was totally freaked out and not thinking clearly. I hopped in the shower. Wells got home and was welcomed by my parents saying, “are you ready to be a Daddy?” His response, “I guess so!” (Not realizing it was happening, like now)We thankfully had our bags packed with the exception of our toiletries... so we threw that together, Mama was cooking hot chicken salad for dinner so she wrapped us some to go croissants and off we went up I20 “speedway” headed to Palmetto Richland in Columbia, averaging about 95 the whole way with the flashers on. Of course, if you know me, I was doing my makeup in the car the whole way.
We got there and I had amniotic fluid dripping down my legs (nasty, I know) so the nurse said "she's grossly ruptured we're taking her to the room now." No need for triage, I suppose. I got checked into my room and they told me I was still only 2 cm dilated, which I had been for the previous 2 weeks, with irregular contractions, so I was put on Pitocin. My nurse told me to let her know “when” I wanted my epidural. I informed her that I really didn’t want one and that I was going to try it without an epidural. Her response, “okay, we’ll just let me know when you want it.”
This was right after we had gotten to the hospital, all smiles but so nervous.
By this point, my Mama, Hannah, Morgan, my MIL, Amanda and FIL, Max were all there. My Dad had dropped off my Mom but had Sleeping Maggie Ruth and Kit in the car... so he drove all the way back to Aiken and kept them there until the next day. He was the ultimate Papa that night; a trooper for sure.
Facetiming with my Dad,the best Papa Bear
Side note, I’m not really a planner... but the only real plan I had was that I didn’t want an epidural and I didn’t want a C-section... pretty funny, huh?
About 2 hours in and feeling those contractions as I was about to vomit, that no epiduaral plan went out the window. “Get that girl down here and tell her I need that epidural, now!”
Around 11 PM, the Anesthesiologist came in to administer my epidural. Yikes. I cried like a baby and struggled through that one big time.
They told me I would be drowsy and I was. I tried to rest through the night but my mind wandered, “what would she look like? Was this really happening? I’m kinda scared. Lord, help me make it through.”
Sometime earlier that week, I remember telling Wells that I wished he could deliver the baby for me. I was so nervous. I was definitely wishing that then.
Crazy sissies and Mma walking laps around the hospital while I got my epidural
Mama, Hannah, and Morgan stayed through the night with me and Wells. Hannah and Morgan kept me laughing and ate like half of our hospital snacks...haha. Wells was passed out on that uncomfortable little chair bed thing. Hannah and Morgan did eventually go and get like 4 hours of sleep early that morning at Wells’ parents house before my Mom called them to come back because we thought baby girl was about to be here. We were wrong though. hah.
Around 10 the next morning, the doctors came in and I was fully dilated and we thought we were going to be meeting our Lottie Grace very soon. We thought that so much that the nurse decided to go ahead and turn the thermostat up so it wouldn’t be too chilly when baby girl arrived. If you know me, I'm as hot natured as they come...so this was a BIG mistake.
It was time to push. Our families had to leave except Wells and my Mama. They were there with me the whole way.
Sometime after pushing for a bit, they said my contractions were beginning to become irregular and I was not able to feel enough so they turned off my epidural 
. At this point, things made a turn for the worse, y’all.
Labor is rough. The worst experience I had ever had. I was pushing with all my might and fighting harder than I ever knew I could fight. Doctors and nurses were coming in left and right checking me. I was still only +1 and not making any progress. Baby girl was stuck and I was a mess. The last time they checked my progress, I said, “if you tell me I’m at +1, I’m going to be very upset.” (So me 
) The doctors response, well sweetie that is why I am recommending that we take you back for an emergency c-section. I was in total agreement and let her know with tears streaming down my face, sobbing really, that I just needed my baby girl out right then and asked when it was happening. They took me back and the reality of it all set in, I felt like a failure. I was so emotional. I had worked so hard for what I felt like was for nothing. Wells was taken back to scrub up and my Mama had to leave. I was so scared.
My sisters told me that she was a mess also. She was there beside me the whole time, encouraging me and she knew how hard I had worked. None of us ever imagined I would end up having a C-section. I never even considered it. Not even for a second.
I am so thankful to one of the Anesthesiologists. I don’t know her name but She was so very encouraging to me in those moments before surgery when I felt like a failure. She took time to talk with me while I was being prepped for surgery. Although I was getting pretty drugged up at that point and was not all there, I remember her being there for me. She told me that the same thing happened to her and that I would heal up and be just fine.
I vaguely remember the first time I saw my baby girl. I remember hearing the doctors say she’s here!! and holding her up over the drape. I saw a blurry image and that was about the last thing I remember.
I always thought maybe I would have one of those beautiful Pinterest worthy pictures with my makeup fixed... instead our first family picture with Lottie Grace, I was drugged up, my cried off mascara black eyes were looking 2 different directions and don’t actually remember it at all. Hah.
A few minutes after Lottie Grace arrived, Wells went out to tell our families that Lottie Grace was here. Imagine a scene a lot like the scene in Cheaper By the Dozen 2 when Nora was in Labor and the whole family tried to go back. The hospital typically doesn't do this apparently, but our fams got to go back into recovery and see our sweet baby girl, fresh out, sucking her sweet little fingers. Meanwhile, I was dead to the world, knocked out completely.
One proud Daddy
Proud Aunt Morgan and Aunt Hannah
Proud Grandparents
I remember waking up in recovery and seeing Lottie Grace for the first time, really. She was so beautiful. Wells gave me a sip of a Coke he was drinking and the Lactation nurse latched Lottie Grace on my boob and off we went to my room.
Our whole family was there. My parents, Wells’ parents, Hannah, Morgan, Kirk and Crosby, Mags, and Kit, and Cole.
Hannah offered to fix my makeup but I said no (what was I thinking? ) I was so overwhelmed, exhausted, and felt about as bad as I looked, like I had been drug behind a train, several hundred miles.
As much as I wish I did not look so trashed in our pictures, this was real life. this is our story and I would not change anything for the world. We have received the most precious gift we could have ever received. Lottie Grace is such a blessing in our lives. She is so loved by SO many and I can’t imagine what I would do without her. I can’t really remember anymore what life was like before you were here, baby girl... but I don’t really want to either. Mommy and Daddy love you SO much! I can’t believe you’ve been with us for 3 months, baby girl. ♥️
This is our story, y'all. Thanks for taking time to read.
I would love to hear your stories.
Addie,
Lottie Grace's Mommy
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