I was lying on the living room floor nursing my 24 month old, Damien, to sleep. It was late and I'd been running errands all night, I was glad to get Damien to sleep finally. I was just lying there, absent-mindedly watching TV until Damien was asleep enough to take him off my breast. I heard this little noise, which sounded like a stomach noise, but to me I thought of my baby inside making a little cry. That's exactly what came to my mind when I heard it.

I talked to my baby a little bit, and then a few minutes later I felt that "pop" inside (I remembered it from Damien's birth), with that familiar noise and sensation. I started thinking, "Oh my God, my water can't be breaking now". I had been wanting the baby to come in December, and I hadn't gotten my belly mask done, the video camera fixed, my mother's flight back wasn't until the next afternoon... plus I was still measuring a week behind. Like any of that matters when it comes to when babies want to be born!

I reached down and felt my pants, they were wet, there was fluid leaking, oh my god, that really was my water breaking. I was thinking how weird it was that my water broke before labor this time, that doesn't happen very much (except in movies). I started to giggle to myself, getting excited, MY BABY WAS GOING TO BE BORN! I had to tell Jim who was in the computer room working on homework. I tried to pop Damien off my breast; he resisted- not asleep enough yet to give up the cuccia. Still giggly, excited and in almost disbelief that my water had just broken I waited a few minutes more, thoughts racing around my head, those minutes felt like forever! Okay, another attempt to pry Damien off my breast so he would be peacefully asleep and I could tell my husband. It was successful!

I got up and walked quietly into the computer room. I leaned in and said my husband's name. Then I said, with a little smile on my face and sort of quietly, that I think my water just broke. He looked at me, I had completely thrown him off loop, he said, "What?! Oh my God, are you serious?" It was something like that. He said, "What are we going to do?" I told him, "We're going to have a baby!" I told him to feel my pants, and he agreed that yes my water had broken. My contractions didn't feel like they had really gotten going much yet, I guess about 10 minutes after my water broke, they started up. They were about 3-5 minutes apart to begin with, which was normal for me.

I went into the bathroom to take my pants off, and some more fluid came out on the floor. I started thinking of the things that we needed to get done. I wanted a fire built, but when I had been to the store earlier they had been out of wood, so we didn't have any. All our laundry was dirty so I realized I wanted some towels and pj's clean for me. I was also cold and a little shivery because I was still excited and trying to realize that I really was going into labor tonight. I found a towel to use to help out with the fluid leaking (I seemed to be too distracted to get a pad on or anything like that, even though I kept walking around). My husband went to the store to get some firewood (we wanted to have a fire going in the fireplace during birth).

I felt like I was trying to remember if there was anything else I needed before the store closed (it was 10:10pm & the store closed at 11pm) before he got out the door. I also made a list of stuff that needed to get done during the labor before the birth. I did that because I kept telling Jim stuff, but it was hard for the both of us to remember it all. So, Jim went out to the store, I was in the kitchen making a list, I had some gush of fluid during my contractions, so I put the towel down on the floor (this is actually the point when I got the towel). I pulled out my pregnancy journal and wrote a little bit in it about what was going on. I felt the baby squirming around in between contractions, and thought, "what are you doing in there little one?" Seems like Jim got back from the store about then, didn't take him long at all. I was trying to figure out when I should call my family to let them know I was in labor. I had had a six-hour labor with my son Damien, so I was figuring on about a 5-hour labor this time around.

Time seemed like it was going by fairly quickly, and it's hard for me to remember the details clearly (which seems normal because it was like this before- my mind had gone to a different place and was focused elsewhere). I started getting the fire built while my husband got a load of laundry into the wash. I still had the towel with me, and just put it down under me while I started the fire. I wanted to wash the receiving blankets that I was planning on using for after the birth, on my baby.

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Around 10:45pm, an hour after my water broke; I decided to call my mother (she was still in CA and her flight wasn't coming in until the afternoon the next day- she was planning on attending the birth and we hadn't thought I'd go into labor until at least the next week). I called her and got my Nonni, I didn't want to tell her before my mom, so I chatted a little with her while waiting for my mom to get on the phone. My mom got on the phone and I let her know my water had broken. After we exchanged dialogue about how unexpected the timing was, we were talking and she was discussing whether or not she'd be trying to find an earlier flight in the morning. She decided that my labor wouldn't be long, and that even if she caught the first flight out in the morning, she still wouldn't get here in time. She kept her original flight plans, being a bit bummed out that she would be missing this baby's birth (she was there for my first). We planned on her coming over after her flight came in tomorrow afternoon, and I told her I would call her when the baby was born, and if she didn't hear from me by morning to go ahead and call me.

During the conversation, I would tell her when I had contractions. They were about 1-3 minutes apart, and she was really thinking it indeed would be a speedy labor. I talked with her for about 15-20 minutes, and then I got off the phone and called my dad. We talked for about 5 minutes or so, and then I got off the phone to call my sister-in-law. I also talked with her for about 5 minutes. She was excited and I told her I'd give her a call when the baby was born. Later she told me that she had a dream that I was going into labor (she had the same thing happen when Damien was born so I knew that she'd have known I was in labor before I even called her). I had told her also when I was having contractions during our conversation. Later I remember her telling me that she was surprised I could talk during them. I was fine talking through them, until I went into transition- then I didn't want to talk anymore, I was in my own place.

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At this point, it was about 11:15pm, and my contractions had gotten stronger, and I knew I was transitioning. I had the nausea that came with my transitions. I had been sitting on the toilet the entire time during my phone calls because it was so comfortable. I also had had to go to the bathroom and wanted to get that done with. During the time between my call to my dad, and then to my sister-in-law, I had asked my husband to fill up the bathtub. I wanted to get into the water. He had also gotten clean sheets on the bed and was about to get the tablecloths (plastic, felt-backed tablecloths, used upside down as a covering for the birth area) on both the bed and in front of the fireplace. So, my contractions were strong, I was in transition, and I got in the tub. My first thought was, "This tub is so hard!" I made a mental note to next time have a donut ring or something else in case I wanted a cushion in the tub. Then, I turned sideways, facing the bathroom and had my legs bent out to the left. I sort of floated like that and it was really nice and comfortable. Funny, same position I had been in with Damien's labor.

So, I just breathed nice and slow through a contraction, and relaxed. I realized the bathroom light was really bright! It was bugging me, I asked Jim to turn it off and light some candles. He went and got some tea lights and set them about the bathroom. Oh my God, it was perfect! What a great choice he made with the candles. Now, it was dim, lit by candlelight, and I was breathing softly and relaxing myself. He had the camera ready I suppose; I really don't know what he was doing because I was busy in my own world. He did bring me water, and then I asked him to get me a straw. He brought me another water with a straw. I remember him asking me if I was okay, and I couldn't answer him, I didn't feel like talking. I wanted a sip of water at one point, and tapped the tub with my hand and pointed at the cup (I couldn't reach it quite). I didn't want to speak, it seemed like it interrupted my flow. I also remember him telling me softly that I was doing very good, and that I was nice and relaxed. It sounded so soothing, and I'm amazed that I heard him, since I really can't recall what he was doing or saying during this time for the most part.

He got up to do something, and I'm sure he told me what it was, but I have no idea. I felt the baby squirm, then slide down the birth canal very suddenly and I knew this baby was coming out. Jim was gone, and I didn't know what he was doing, or how long he'd be gone. I didn't want him to miss the birth. I called his name out in the middle of this strange movement of the baby and I barely got the word "Jim" out but somehow I did. Talking just felt foreign. He came right back in and I must have told him I was having the baby now and I was getting ready to push. I reached down and could feel the baby's head. I remember telling Jim that. I let my body do its own pushing for a couple contractions or so, and then I felt like I wanted to help it out. I pushed a few times; I wanted to get the head out. I wanted to give birth.

I felt like I wasn't making much progress (I felt the same way with Damien I remember). I had reached down to feel my baby's head again, and it was further, and I could feel the hair. I got excited, I smiled, with my eyes closed, and told Jim I felt the head and hair. I felt charged with energy, and completely relaxed at the same time. Then suddenly it seemed the head was halfway out and it was crowning. I felt the pressure, or the "fire" like people say. I thought that was strange, because I never felt that with Damien and I had had him naturally (but in a hospital, was I just distracted by the doctor and nurse, far more removed than I realized then?). I felt my skin stretched at the bottom around the head and thought to myself, "I don't want to tear" (I had torn with Damien- his head was larger than this baby's and I had pushed him out with his hand up next to his head).

I just waited for a minute or so; just letting the head ease its own way out and sort of trying to just let it happen without doing much.

Then suddenly the head came out, and the body turned and followed it. I checked to see if the cord was around the neck (because of it being so with my first birth), so I could unwrap it if it was. I was on my knees in the tub while the head came out, and then at this point, when the body came out, I sat back sort of after catching my baby and then put my knees up and laid the baby against my knees with their body in the water. I was in complete awe. I was looking at my newborn and it was here and the birth had been so beautiful.

I was just looking at my baby, and then I heard my husband's voice. "It's a little boy!" he said. I looked down and laughed. It sure enough was (everyone was just hoping for a girl). Another little boy, I was so happy. I had my baby in my arms, and I had caught him myself. In my home, in my tub, in the water, by candlelight. It was the best feeling I can remember feeling, apart from my first child's birth. But, it was so different, because it was my husband, and me and it was so special, so right.

He was covered in vernix, and he was quiet at first, and then started squawking some. He was pink and beautiful. I asked my husband to get me a washcloth so I could wipe off some of the vernix. I didn't feel very successful at doing so, it was so sticky! Now, I realize that I didn't need to really worry much about it, because it sort of rubs into their skin after a bit anyhow.

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Jim told me he was born at 11:43pm. I hadn't realized what time frame had taken place until then. I realized I was in labor for two hours before he was born. I was amazed at how quickly it happened. I didn't expect it to go by that fast.

Now I wanted to get out of the tub and get by the fire with him. My placenta seemed like it was taking a while to come out and then it suddenly came out, but only halfway. I tried pushing it out, but it didn't seem like it would come out. My older son was now waking up, and he's very cranky for about 30-40 minutes after waking up. He was a bit confused, wanted to get in the bath with me, wanted me to get out of the bath, didn't know why I was holding a baby telling him it was his brother. We got him a sucker, which helped for about 10 minutes maybe.

I was still waiting for my placenta to deliver. I had my baby wrapped up in a blanket and I was still in the tub. His cord wasn't really long, so I couldn't hold him up too high. He had started nursing immediately after being born. After I had gotten some of the vernix wiped off his eyes, he opened them. I have a really sweet picture of me holding him in the tub, all wrapped up, with him nursing and looking up at me, and me smiling down at him. His little finger is on my breast if you look closely.

I stood up some and then the placenta seemed to unwind some and then come right out. I wish I 'd done that sooner! So, it had been a while at this point, and I had again lost track of time. It had been nearly an hour and a half I guess and I decided I would cut the cord now. My husband had gotten a bowl for the placenta and then got the scissors for the cord. He cut the cord and then I got out and went into the living room. I was getting cold and wanted some clothes, so my husband got me my p.j.s. I laid him down in front of the fire and then cut his cord closer with the help of my husband so my son's arms and legs weren't in the way. It was bleeding a little, so I put a little tissue on it and got his little diaper on (I'm so glad I got the preemie size Chinese prefolds! They fit him so good!). My husband had gotten the scale set up and we weighed him. 6 pounds, 6 ounces. I got his sleeper on and his hat.

I wrapped him up and put him to my breast so he could nurse. My oldest son at this point was upset because he wanted to nurse (he's quite the cuccia boy). It was hard to get it organized with my son being all grouchy from waking up and then just trying to relax with my newborn. My husband was trying to help out and he got the tub cleaned up and emptied at one point. Mainly, I wanted to get my oldest back to sleep so I could relax because he wasn't being anything but difficult. I didn't get much sleep that night due to that fact!

I had called my mom to let her know about the birth, and she was surprised also about the fast labor. I had my husband call my dad and my sister-in-law since I didn't want to be on the phone anymore. It must've been nearly two in the morning when we made the phone calls. I don't really remember to be honest.

We named our new son Vladimir Legion Faust Cartwright. I knew there was a reason that I had clearly picked out exactly the name I wanted if we had a boy, and it was so fuzzy about the girl's name. He had brown hair, a lot of it! It was slightly golden. His eyes looked blue, but not like Damien's had. They looked almost like they had brown or another color in them also. I remember at one point, during a strong contraction in the tub I had thought for a second that I didn't need to have more children, two was enough, this was enough. It is funny, because that thought came and then disappeared just as quickly. After the birth, all I could do was hope for such a beautiful event all over again. I touched my new son's head, cradling it with my hand. It brought back distinct and vibrant memories of his birth, as I had placed my hand in the same way as I was giving birth to him. That is something that I can never ever forget... it was awesome.

The entire labor and birth was wonderful! I can't say it enough! It was peaceful, beautiful, relaxing, and invigorating as well. I honestly cannot wait to do it all over again. I would do it no other way either.

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