This post has been waiting to be published for awhile now....sorry for the delay

So, I'm pregnant no more! the baby is on the outside now :) Raima Corazon Luz Wagner was born at home on 9/14/2011 at 11:50 am. Weighing in at 7lbs 6oz and measuring 20.25 ins long. I swear she seemed only like a 6 pounder when I was holding her seconds after her birth. She seemed so much smaller than Jax was. From her tiny-ness, I had a feeling she was a girl..but no one had said if we had a boy or girl yet. Charlie actually caught her! or well, at least partially - the midwife obviously was the one who helped guide her out. Charlie then checked to see - and yep..it's a GIRL!!! WOW.. we have a little baby girl!

So, technically if you take into consideration that we had a second due date, one based off of an ultrasound which was 9/17/11 and our original due date of 9/10/11 she came right in between there. I started to feel stronger but sporadic contractions (or really intense cramps that would last a good long minute, since I wasn't sure if I was really in for it yet so, I wasn't thinking contractions just yet) around 2 or 3 am (im not sure exactly on the time since i wasnt checking my phone for the time yet) and thought well, this is definitely a different feeling and could be a sign that today could be the day! Charlie was in Jax's room so at about 4:30 - when the contractions were closer together, about 7-8 minutes apart and lasting a minute to even a minute and a half (oy, they were intense!), went in to wake him up and tell him - this could be the day. I went to go lay back down and time them this time. Still sort of sporadic, 5-8 minutes apart, still intense and lasting at least a minute.

I still managed to walk around (which causes them to even be more intense!) and also spend a little time with Jax before getting him off to daycare at 7:30 ish. By this time I asked Charlie to page our midwives to let them know that it could be today but obviously not yet - right? I mean with Jax, it took another 20 hours or so before he was actually born or before anything really progressed. By 8 am, one of our midwives called and listened in on me go thru a contraction and I remember hearing her say - OK, I'm on my way over! Could this really be it, i thought.

The contractions started to become way closer together by 8:30 am and the midwives were trickling in. After what seemed like awhile and the intensity of the contractions, I asked one of our midwives if she could possibly check me. She did and I was at 5-6 centimeters dilated and only 75% effaced. She also mentioned, that like last time with Jax, she could see the bulge from the sac and that there was a lot of water before the baby's head so it isn't efficiently pushing on the cervix. And that if I would like, she could break my bag of waters to help things along - but in doing so would mean....technical medical stuff, risks etc etc..all i know was - if my water was broken, like last time - i could have this baby out of me sooner rather than later. By all means, break my water please!

and so yada yada yada, at 11:50 am Raima Corazon was born! When i tally up the time, it doesn't seem right..you mean, the whole process for me this time around was like 4 hours (from when the contractions started to be more regular and 3 mins apart) or 7 hours (from when I started feeling anything at all)? CRAZY.

This time around, I definitely felt more present and aware. able to converse and ask for things that i wanted, didnt want, liked etc. (well most of the time) and also notice the people around me and appreciate the whole experience more. what had helped me was the fact that i had already gone thru this and knowing that despite the intense pains - that once that baby was out, all of that intense pain would completely disappear, melt away and i would be rewarded - and have this beautiful baby in my arms.

thank you to my wonderful birth team - Nova Midwifery, Jenny Vega, Roz and of course, my husband Charlie. Thank you also to our neighbors and our good friends the Andrejkos for taking care of and Jax and all the necessary logistics. (and to Amy & Linda - despite not being here like with the birth of Jax, you were both here in spirit..as was my Mom)