SHE'S HERE!!!!

Our precious little girl has arrived.  She finally made her appearance on February 16, 2012 at 10:54pm weighing in at 7 pounds 6 ounces and 20 inches long.  She is more than we could have ever asked for.  


I was awaken by contractions at 2am.  I was unable to sleep because the contractions were keeping me awake.  Of course they were closer together when I was laying down not walking around, which made sleeping difficult.  Throughout the day the contractions were staying pretty irregular.  When I told Daddy Lucas at 5am that I was having contractions he immediately wanted to jump on a plane and fly up here.  However we had discussed previously that we would wait to make sure I was in labor.  So he reluctantly stayed.  All throughout the day I was timing the contractions but there was not real pattern except when I would try to lay down they would be about 5-6 minutes apart.  Finally around 2:30-3 the contractions were starting to get closer together in more of a pattern and lasting for 30-40 seconds.  Knowing that the last direct flight out of Kansas City was leaving at 7:25pm  I decided to head to the hospital to get checked.  While doing that Daddy Lucas could start his 2 hour drive to the airport and if I was admitted than he could catch the flight.  If I wasn't admitted then he could turn around and go back to base.  Leaving the house later than I planned I let Daddy Lucas know of the plan.  He finally got approval to leave but having to stop at home to get stuff and dealing with traffic leaving base he didn't leave Manhattan until 5:00pm.  


I arrived at the hospital to get checked out.  Turns out I was already 4cm dilated so I got admitted.  Now we just needed to beat the clock that was going against us and the plane.  


After getting situated in my room and having needles put into me I was just hoping and praying that he would catch his flight.  I knew by the times he was giving me on how far away he was that it was very likely that he would miss it.  He was set to arrive to the airport around 7:00.  That doesn't give much time to check in and get through security and get on the plane.  Daddy Lucas had called Delta and when he told them he would get there about 7:00 they said that they wouldn't issue the ticket because of how close the time was.  


During all this my contractions started to get stronger and stronger with less time in between.  I don't really know how much time was in between each contraction but it felt like less than a minute.  Sometimes I would get one and even before that would go down, another contraction would come.  They were so unbearable that I could barely focus to get through them.  Grandma Liekhus was a great coach helping me concentrate on breathing through them as much as I could.  I asked to be rechecked and when they told me I hadn't changed I had to decide if it was best for me to get an epidural or stick in my stubborn ways of "seeing how much I could take."  I decided if I had gone through those strong contractions and no progress was made I didn't know how long I could do that for.  Much less having the energy to push her out when the time came.  So I asked for the epidural.  


Right about this time Daddy Lucas let me know that they were holding the flight so he could get on.  He told them his wife was in the hospital and needed to get on that flight.  I was so relieved to hear that he was going to make it.  Know that he would be to the hospital in about 2 hours and from the progress I hadn't made I figured he would be there in time for her to come.  


Finally getting the epidural in and I was feeling a lot better.  Tried to rest a little but that didn't last long.  Daddy Lucas arrived around 9:50pm.  Probably around 10:15pm I started to feel when the contractions were coming.  So much for resting.  About 10 minutes later I asked to be checked because I was feeling lots of pressure from the contractions.  Not quite there, only 9 cms.  What I think had to be no more than 10 minutes following that I asked to be checked again.  Time to meet our baby girl!  After 7 contractions, less than 21 pushes and only 14 minutes Abigail Taylor Lucas was born.  She was absolutely beautiful and everything I could have ever wanted in a baby girl.  I got to hold her right away and never wanted to let her go.  I finally gave her up about an hour later to get her weight, measurements and to be looked over (only because I was curious).  After they were done with that Daddy took over stealing her.  At around 11:45 Grandpa Liekhus and Auntie were allowed into the room to meet her.  


The labor and delivery was nothing like I expected.  And that is exactly why when people would ask me what I was "planning" for labor, I would tell them I have nothing set in mind for sure.  You just never know what will change.  I didn't expect to only be in labor in the hospital for 6 hours, or active labor for 8.  Overall labor was 21 hours and like most women say, I don't remember the pain of labor.  She is the only thing that matters from it all.  

He's not in love at all!!

Daddy and Abby

And then there were 3

Rocking the Elvis look

Mommy and Abby

Nap time

-Mama Lucas