We're back from our semi-impromptu vacation to Wisconsin to see family at Big Laura & Steve's wedding. What a whirlwind trip that was! I saw old college friends their babies & kiddos and got to spend some QT with my Midwest family. It went by way too quickly (like it always does!).


The day after we returned I had one, yes, just one tiny day to prepare for Laura's big 1st birthday! Being I'm a rookie-mommy, I invited over 50 people to Laura's birthday...what the heck was I thinking??? The only way the whole day was pulled off was because of my husband's high patience level with me & my dear friend, Stephanie's help. All in all, the day was a blast. We had so much fun celebrating our little blessing & the past year as well as toasting many brewskis to the fact that Matt & I survived year one of parenthood without losing our minds (well, the jury's still out there) & without forgetting our daughter somewhere!


Now that we've entered toddlerhood with a fully mobile, practically running Laura-love, I have very little down time. I've wanted to write Laura's birth story for a while but...she's always finding something to get into and I'm coming up with more and more creative barricades! So, while she's sleeping (and surely by sleeping, I mean running circles in her crib while singing away) & thanks to Britt for reminding me, here's Laura's birth-day story!


After what seemed like the longest Thursday ever, Laura Elisabeth Visaggio, was born at 5:37pm. I had been having contractions since midnight that day (absolutely not a single one before then). We went to the hospital around 5 am when my contractions were lasting over a minute and were 3 minutes apart. I thought for sure we were on the fast track to seeing our little girl...I was fairly wrong. After walking around the maternity wing at Cape Coral Hospital for more than 2 hours, we were sent home. The on-call doctor said that I wasn't going to be in active labor that day and I should go home and rest since I'd been up all night. She said if my contractions felt more painful I should come back. I was devastated. I thought for sure I'd be having Laura that day. 


Well, by the time I got to the parking lot my contractions were much worse but we just went home, assuming they knew what they were talking about. I laid in bed trying to sleep but my contractions remained steady and even and progressively getting harder. I tried laying on my side to sleep...nada. I tried sitting on my yoga ball....nada (truthfully, that was the worst idea known to mankind...SO FREAKING PAINFUL...I wanted to stab the yoga ball). I tried to take a bath thinking that would calm me down and help me rest....nada. I was trying to talk to my dear friend, Jenni, while laboring in the tub and I couldn't even carry on conversation. It was then that she simply said, "Katie, go back to the hospital. You're definitely in active labor now." 

She was right. We went back with the same bracelet they had given me 3 hours before and I was at a 5. (I probably would have had an unplanned homebirth with how naive and at the same time, stubborn I was that day.) At that point I knew I'd be running the show. I told the nurse as soon as they got me into my room that I wanted an epidural. I was so tired that I just wanted to sleep. I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to rest before the big push without one...and as educated as I was then, I wouldn't have made a different choice. They tried to argue with me that I was only at 5 and I should try to wait...I had choice words for them...and then the anesthesiologist came in. Oh, what an angel that man was! As soon as the epidural was in around noon, I took a nice, long four hour nap! I woke up around 4pm with the urge to push. The nurse thought I was nuts considering I had been virtually comatose just a moment before that. She checked and I was an 8. She put the required catheter in and holy moly, did my contractions come back strong! (I'm pretty sure my epidural only numbed my right side because I was feeling loads of wicked stuff on the left!) I told her again that I wanted to push so she appeased me with an eye roll & a check...yuppers, I was at 10! We woke up Matt (yup, he was still snoozing on the couch) and I started pushing around 4:45p. After a 45 minutes of pushing, the 2 nurses & Dr. Krauss told me to take a break and that I didn't need to push for a while as there were two other mothers they were convinced would birth their babes before me. Honestly, my first thought was "like hell, they're seeing their babies first!" And without anyone holding my legs up I began to push even harder. They didn't like that too much but it must have done some good because Dr. Krauss was yelling for me to stop so she could give me an episiotomy quick (proven by the slice on the top of Laura's precious little noggin after birth!). With three more heave-ho pushes, she was out! When they put her on my tummy I could hardly believe she was actually there, out in the world with us. It was one of the single most amazing moments of my life.






Sadly, (and now I know so much better that this will NEVER happen with our future babes) they took her off of me straight away and put her in the warmer. We were told in birthing class that this would only happen if something was wrong. I was supposed to have skin to skin contact immediately as that is the single best way to warm a newborn up. I frantically sent Matt over to the warmer while I was being stitched up to hold her hand. I simply remember shouting "Hold her hand! She's scared!" and asking over and over again what was wrong. Thankfully, absolutely nothing was wrong. They simply wanted to get her cleaned up & tests finished so they could make it to the other two birthing moms. They made me leave her in the warmer for over a half hour after they were finished. To this day that makes me so sad. I should've been holding her. 







But, before my heart sinks too low thinking about that, I will fast forward to the moments when we really got to hold her. BEST. MOMENTS. EVER. It seemed almost like time slowed instantly. All the rush & worry of the day and minutes right after birth were washed away the moment that I got to actually hold her. She was so gorgeous and healthy and incredible. God definitely blessed Matt & I beyond measure with this little one. 


There are definitely things I would change if I could go back. I would've been more assertive. I would've trusted my Mommy instincts more. I would have taken more pictures...or at least a family of 3 picture right away, for goodness' sake! But, I won't complain. I had it easy for the most part. We were given a beautiful, healthy, precious gift from God on July 7, 2011 that would forever change us.



I've been told by more people than I'd like to admit that becoming a mother that day has made me much softer & gentler woman. I like to think that side was always there but Laura just gave me a good enough reason to let it out ;) She is amazing. I marvel at her every single day. She's so smart & sassy, snuggly & independent all at the same time. She is turning into quite a rock star toddler. Her personality is enormous & I absolutely adore it. We've overcome quite a bit in her first year of life and for that I am eternally grateful to our good God for watching over us. He never let more happen than we could handle with His perfect help. She's challenged me to grow and change in ways I never thought possible. I'm so very thankful that God allows me to be Laura's mommy. As I was rocking her to sleep tonight it hit me as it has before...I get to be her mom. July 7, 2011 was one of the best, blessing-filled days of my life. 


My dear Laura, I love you so much! Your first year was incredible. Never forget that Jesus loves you & always watches over you. He will guard & keep you every day. Love you always, Mommy