March 7, 2015-- Welcome to the world Baby girl.

** warning, this is long and detailed. If you aren't interested, dont read, just scroll to the bottom to see pictures of our sweet newborn, with really great hair. :) 

Saturday morning I woke up about 6am, and started getting ready. We were scheduled to be at the hospital at 7am. I curled my hair, put on my make up, made sure my bag was packed with everything i'd need, made my bed and tried to mentally prepare to go have a baby. Just before leaving the house, Matt gave me a beautiful blessing. Moments like this, even just to think back on, make me emotional. there is something very sweet about being just with my sweetheart, being overwhelmed with the spirit, watching him use the priesthood to bless and comfort me. In Matt's blessing, he asked that things would go smoothly and quickly and that the doctors and medical staff would know what to do, and that I would have the strength necessary to get our baby here safely. Oh boy was he inspired. :) 

We arrived at the hospital and headed up to Labor and Delivery. As I walked toward the nurses desk, One of them said, "here she is! We've been waiting for you" I simply threw my hands in the hair to raise the roof and gave a little "woot woot" as I walked to meet my nurse, Sheryl.  Just from the greeting I had just had, I knew it was going to be a great day. We headed into my room and I got changed into my gown. My nurse, Sheryl had a nursing student with her, Summer, and I instantly loved both of them. It was kind of fun to have a nursing student there on her first day of precepting, because Sheryl explained each and every thing she did. It was nice to hear why they do things and what certain things meant. I got hooked up to my monitors and then Sheryl checked my cervix. I was still only dilated to a 3 and my cervix was still really high, a +3. At my 36 week appointment I was dilated to a 2  and 75% thinned, and at my 38 week appointment I was dilated to a 3 and 80% thinned. I hadn't progressed at all in 2 weeks. I felt a little disappointment, only because I feared that I would be in labor ALL day long since my body didnt' seem to be progressing on its own. I got hooked up to my IV and they started my pitocin about 8:15am. Dr Spencer got to the hospital later than planned, due to an emergency C section he was called in to do at 3am, so he arrived about 9:30. He walked in all cheerful and happy, just like he always is, and it made me cheerful and happy. :) He checked my cervix and I had dilated to a 4 in the last hour and a half, which is pretty average, but nothing to be excited about. He also commented on how high my cervix was, but because I was now a 4 he was going to break my water. Oh my, that was a bit painful, not what I was expecting and a much difference experience than I had with Lucy. Once he broke my water I felt multiple gushes of fluid. Dr Spencer, Sheryl and Summer all kept commenting on how much fluid I had, and then Dr Spencer quickly jumped off my bed because he feared he was about to get soaked. I think my stomach shrunk half its size once my water was broken. :) haha Dr Spencer told me he thought I would go fairly quickly, so not to wait too long before getting my epidural. 

I let myself start contracting for a few minutes before deciding to get up and go to the bathroom. My contractions were very close together and REALLY intense. I was in much more pain than I had remembered being in with Lucy. So as soon as I got back in my bed I called for my epidural. Between the time of having my water broken and the time of the anestethiologist, Glen, got there was maybe 40 minutes. As he walked in I was mid contraction and couldn't speak or breath. He immediately started coaching me on my breathing and helped me get through the rest of my contractions. We went over all the risks and side effects of getting an epidural all while I was squeezing Matt's fingers as hard as I could. As Glen watched me contract he asked what I was dilated to, my body was shaking with pain and I couldn't answer, so Matt told him that I was just barely dilated to a 4. He was very hesitant about giving me my epidural without having my cervix checked again. He kept saying, "I feel like you're there", and in my head I kept thinking, "you're an idiot, I was just barely dilated to a 4, there is no way I am 'there', now please give me the drugs to stop this awful pain!" After some debate, he decided to go ahead and start my epidural. As soon as he put the needle into my spine, I started having a huge contraction, and could hardly hold still, Glen told me I HAD to hold still, and I was sure I was going to be paralyzed because there was no way I could hold still through that pain. He quickly finished administering the epidural and asked what I was feeling, I quickly answered and said, "There is so much pressure.... I need to push!" As soon as I said those words, I didn't even believe them, I felt dumb for have even mentioning it. Glen yelled out, "I knew it! We need a nurse in here to check her!" My nurse had been admitting a new patient, so another nurse came running in to check my cervix, the only words out of her mouth were, "Oh yeah, we are having a baby... dont move!" I literally had to lay very still with my legs crossed, to make sure the baby stayed in. I had been placed on my left side to help my epidural start moving through my body (because it takes about 15 minutes for it to go into effect) As I laid on my side, I gripped the arm rails to help try to ease the pIain and the pressure I was feeling. I knew she was there and ready to be pushed out. Everything in me was telling me to push, and all the doctors and nurses around me kept telling me no! I was scared. Really scared, I just looked at Matt and started to cry. I didn't think there was anyway I could do this, not this way anyway. I could still feel everything, it was all happening so fast, and it was not at all what I expected. Matt kept calm, told me I could do it and continued to encourage me to breath. I am so thankful for a calm and loving husband. especially during a time like this.  

My sweet nurse Sheryl came running in, along with many other techs and nurses as they transformed my room, and she told me that Dr Spencer was on his way, but that he was coming from McKay Dee Hospital. I didn't think there was ANY way I would be able to hold this baby in for another 20 minutes while we waited for him to get there. I was so so scared. I thought for sure my nurse would be catching the baby. I dont know how, but Dr Spencer made it to Davis Hospital in about ten minutes and came running into my room, dove into his gown and gloves and sat down. I still wasn't numb and was able to put my own legs up. As soon as he sat down he said, "Wow she has a lot of hair" keep in mind I hadn't even pushed yet! He asked me to give one small push and at 10:58 am out came our sweet, perfect Dottie Jean Olsen. Because my epidural hadn't set in yet, I was able to sit all the way up and watch her be born. What an amazing experience to have. The nurse set Dottie on my chest and it was love at first sight. I couldn't believe I had brought another beautiful baby girl into this world. I have never felt so blessed. I hadn't even been at the hospital 4 hours, I only labored for one hour, and just like that I was a mom of two.

I can only think to describe giving birth in one word, heaven. As soon as that new spirit is welcomed into the world, you cannot help but feel the love of our Heavenly Father. This new precious, perfect, innocent spirit is now yours to watch over.  At that moment you make a little promise to him to do your very best. You also make a promise to yourself to never give up and to love that little baby  with everything you have. I feel extremely lucky to take part in this marvelous plan. 

Being a mom is my greatest joy. 

Dottie Jean Olsen

10:58am

6 lbs. 9 oz. 19.5 inches