It’s go time! After our appt with Dr. Paer we picked up some lunch and went for a picnic in our complex. Then the girls had their spanish class so we headed home and all relaxed a bit while the girls were busy learning their spanish.

Once they were done Momma and Dada headed to the market while the girls hung out with Kiki. This would be our last visit to Auto Mercado before you decided to enter the world. Thankfully we stocked up on some fruit/veggies and snacks (maybe it was momma intuition).

I made broccoli soup and then we all had an insanely intense game of Sorry. They all seem to be intense games, but this one was particularly special. Kiki and Sissy decided to join an alliance together and well then Kiki had to knock Sissy out after sissy spared Kiki several times prior to that and ummm you can just imagine what all went down after that…or maybe you can’t because really it was something else. Hahaha.

Anywayssss, we went upstairs and all got ready for bed. I started to feel a bit funny with some cramps but went on into bed and put the girls to sleep. At about 10pm I was noticing that they seemed to be in a pattern and then got up and started walking around thinking in my head…this could be it.

I went in to wake and tell Dada and we started timing how far apart my cramps (which later turned out to be contractions obvi) were coming. They were 3 minutes apart! They weren’t super intense except i kept having to go to the bathroom which in retrospect im kinda glad about so i was all cleared out and wasn’t one of those “pushing surprise” stories.

Dada called Dr. Paer and he said we should def head to hospital because that was pretty close together. I didn’t want to go yet b/c the contractions really weren’t super painful and I didnt want to sit in the hospital longer than I had to so Dada told him we were going to wait a little longer. I took a couple of showers and debated for about an hour or so with Dada on whether or not we should go to the hospital. I tried to lay back down to sleep more and then noticed they were coming in stronger so at about midnight we woke Sophie and attempted to wake Sabs to let them know it was time!

Sophie popped up straight away and was all ready for the action! Sabi not so much. She debated for about 1/2 an hour on whether or not she wanted to come or stay with Kiki and ultimately decided to stay with Kiki so off to the hospital the 3 of us went at around 12am.

Here we are arriving at the hospital and parking in the wrong entrance so we ended up walking all around the hospital outside. We walked in and Dr. Paer arrived about 5 minutes later. He brought me up to the room himself, set me up and then checked me out while Will was finishing checking in downstairs. Surprisingly i was already 6cm and he felt Maru’s head. He said “yup this baby is coming, you ready?”. Then he said, “I’m going to get set up and break your water” and that is when i was like ummm, hmmm, what are my epidural options? hahaha.

He said if i wanted one that it would have to be right away and well with the size of the other two girls I was pretty sure I wanted one. Oddly enough the contractions still were so manageable. It was more the fear of what was to come…which ended up coming.

Within 1/2 hour they arrived to give me the epidural. In both other births i was so out of it by that time b/c the pain was so intense but i was very aware and feeling fine for it this time around. He gave it to me and my legs tingled a bit and then to my surprise i could still feel the contractions and really basically everything. They still weren’t bad but it was odd b/c i remember with Sophie and Sabi i really didn’t feel anything after the epi.

I think he must have given me a very light dosage b/c WIll found a nearly full vile of lidocane in our room later. They prob knew i needed to push real soon so i guess just took the edge off.

Then it came…pressure. Omg pressure. I have never felt anything like it before. I just wanted you out and you were just pushing your way out. We pushed together for about 25 minutes and there you were!!! It was the most intense 25 minutes i can remember.

Will and Sophie watched it all and Sophie was the greatest little midwife i could have ever asked for. She was so calm and encouraging. She kept saying “you can do this momma. She is nearly here. Just keep pushing”. Will obvi was amazing like always. All the Dr’s were so impressed with how mature Sophie was and how interested and good she was the entire delivery. They showed her the placenta, explained everything they were doing, and even asked her if she wanted to cut the umbilical cord (she left that to Dada).

We entered the hospital around 12:30/1am and Maru Frances Binns was born at 3:17am! I had another quick/fairly easy delivery and feel so thankful. She is perfect in every way! 8.8lbs of pure love born the day before my 40th birthday! The greatest gift I could ever ask for!

Maru you are already loved more than you’ll ever know! You are the most precious little baby. It is crazy that a few days ago I couldnt even imagine you and now I cant imagine life without you. You are the last little girl in our pack and completed this now family of 5! Your sisters can’t get enough of you. They want to carry you everywhere and cuddle with you all day.

Ugh you are just so very perfect. You make my heart melt. I am soaking it all in…every little smell, noise, movement, expression, cuddle, etc. Happy Birthday Roo!! You already have a variety of nicknames. Roo, rooski, rooski tooski, Marooski.

Here we are about to switch beds and push!!