My baby girl turns 8!

I can't believe that it has been 8 years since I gave birth to Josephine Rain Carsten. Her dad & I were planning on delivering at home. I was born at home and it seemed that it would be such a natural experience. However, God had other plans. I wasn't feeling well and she was 10 days overdue. My midwife came to our house and did an exam. I had pre-eclampsia (toxemia) and needed to get to the hospital. Needless to say I was completely freaked out. We arrived at St Mary's Hospital in Rogers, AR around 2:30 p.m. Friends and family quickly gathered in the waiting room. I was immediately stuck with an IV, which pumped my body full of meds to help with the toxemia. Dr Abernathy was the doctor on call that day. He informed me that if I didn't start labor, on my own, within 1 hour, that I would be induced. I had planned to have a natural birth (no pain meds) and knew that induction would probably involve an epidural. Thankfully I started labor by 3:30 p.m. I was able to stay on top of the contractions and around 9:30 p.m. told the nurse that I either needed to puke, poop or push! Dr Abernathy arrived and I began pushing, although he quickly asked me to stop so that he could break my water (in order to prevent it from exploding all over him). That was more difficult then the previous 6 hours of labor! I think I pretty much told him that he was crazy! He quickly broke the water bag and 2-3 pushes later I was holding my beautiful baby girl! AMAZING was the only thought going through my mind as I held her!