My husband and I ran some errands over the weekend since my mom arrived on Saturday and on Sunday we went on a "last date" before baby.

I had been having my regular on and off contractions like usual, but on Saturday and Sunday I had bloody show, which was different from my norm. After dinner on Sunday, we stopped and got coffee and then hung out outside to enjoy the fresh air and quiet. I'd been having some contractions, but nothing that screamed labor since they felt pretty much the same to what I had been having before (I’d been having Braxton Hicks contractions that would come every 2-3 minutes for weeks/months with no cervical change).

Around 1 AM Monday morning, my stomach got a little upset and then around 1:30 AM something felt different and things really changed. I jumped into the shower to see if it would help and sent My husband a text that said, "I'm not doing so great" at 1:47 AM. He came in to check on me and suggested that we just head in. The contractions were strong and coming about 2 minutes apart. I went ahead and washed my hair anyways and by 2 AM we were in the van and on the road. I gave the OB a call at 2:05 AM.

The hospital is about 30 minutes away and the contractions continued, I wasn't able to really talk through them and each one felt like intense pressure in my pelvis. We got to the hospital around 2:30 AM, checked in, and then had to wait for a room. I asked the receptionist how much longer it would be (we were waiting about 5 or so minutes), because I had fast labors and didn't want to have a baby in the lobby. I probably had 4 or 5 contractions just standing there. I told Jonathan to give our birth photographer a call and let her know because I was pretty sure this was it.

We got up to the room and I changed into the hospital gown. The nurse checked me and I was already 7 CM dilated and my bag of waters were bulging. They immediately called my OB who arrived maybe 10 minutes later.

In the next hour was a whirl wind of trying to get an IV started, getting blood work, signing papers (why do they make women in labor do this!?!), removing jewelry, and praying the Epidural would be able to be placed.

The contractions picked up rather quickly and before we knew it, I was feeling a ton of pressure. They called my OB in and with that check, I was fully dilated and ready to push. He ruptured my waters and through some of the most intense pain I've ever felt, Lincoln was born - an hour after I arrived at the hospital.

Lincoln Isaac

9 lbs, 6 oz

20 inches long

3:36 AM