I am a nightmare when I’m giving birth. If you think I’m bad on a regular basis you should see me in labor. 

Saturday February 29, 2020 at 6:30am I woke up with cramps. The contractions felt different than Thea’s so I wasn’t sure if they were really contractions. Jesus & Thea woke up around 9am and we all went to Costco at 10am. I texted my photographer to tell her I may be having the baby today or tomorrow. At 11:30am I texted my midwife, Tiffanie “Just a heads up. Im having this baby today or tomorrow.” At 4pm my sister & 2 nieces came and we walked around the block. 

I was suppose to have dinner at my uncles house and I texted my cousin, Noe & brother, Michael “I’m about to give birth so I’ll only go for a second.” Then at 5:30 I told them I wasn’t going to dinner anymore. I called Tiffanie also and she told me to drink a tea & relax & I said I would call her in an hour if I was still feeling the same.  At 7pm my mucus plug came out while I had a contraction on the toilet. My contractions went from 5-6 minutes apart to 4 min apart in 30 minutes.

My midwives arrived at 8:30pm. Tiffanie checked me and she said I was 7 centimeters about to be 8! Our Bishop came and gave me a blessing in my room. He is the same one that gave me a blessing when I was in labor with Thea. It was a lovely blessing and he mentioned my dad in the blessing which made me emotional. He left and I got into the tub at 8:50pm. I was excited because Tiffanie said he would be born very soon and we called my mom to leave work and Jesus called his mom. The photographer arrived at 9:20pm. My mother in law arrived at 10:30pm.

I didn’t want Ezekiel to be born on Leap Year but at that point I was prepared for it. I told everyone ideally he would be born March 1st or after March 2nd because March 2nd is Jesus’ birthday and he shares his birthday with his twin brother and I didn’t want him to share with his son too.

I was just hanging out in the tub, cracking jokes and being annoying. I practiced giving birth and the position I wanted to be in. I posed for photos and listened to relaxing music. It was all pretty smooth until 11pm when the pain got more intense. Jesus read the affirmations I had hanging around the tub out loud. Jesus got into the tub to hold me. I breathed through every contraction and they started getting more intense.

At 11:25pm Tiffanie said I had a cervix lip (the same issue I had with Thea) so that was preventing his head from coming out. I told them to change the relaxing music to Whitney Houston. I knew the next couple minutes would be the hardest because Tiffanie had to get rid of the lip with her fingers while I was having a contraction. I got out of the tub and laid on my bedroom floor at 11:45pm. I was in extreme pain at this point. I was very upset and I told Jesus and my mom to say a prayer that this would be over soon. I kept praying in my head and out loud that God would help me through this and everything would be better soon.

In between my contractions I told everyone I am never doing this again. Jesus said just give her 6 months and she’s ready for the next one. I was so rude and annoyed. As I watch the videos my sister took I want to slap myself for how I acted.

At 12am Tiffanie broke my water and the lip was gone. She told me I was ready to push. I did not want to push! I didn’t even remember how to push or how to breath. I was literally in pain and this baby was coming out. I said, “Even if I don’t push him out he will come out by himself” and Tiffanie said, “uhh no you will have to push” I felt his head and I got off the floor and went back into the tub. 

I was kneeling sitting and I felt his head coming out. There wasn’t extreme pain, just a lot of pressure and I could literally feel my bones opening. I held his whole head with both of my hands under water. As I was pushing Ezekiel out for a moment it felt like it was just Tiffanie and I in the room and I was focused. She handed him to me and I looked at her and asked, “He’s good?” And she nodded yes. That’s all I needed. Her reassuring me that all was well. I said, “Hi baby boy” & Jesus shouted, “Ezekiel!” I had him on my chest. Instantly all the pain and drama was gone. The bathroom lights came on. 

In the bathroom was 2 midwives, my mom, sister, 2 nieces, Thea, mother in law, photographer and us 3 in the tub. Jesus kept kissing me on my head and I just stared at my hairy baby who I could tell was bigger than Thea. Tiffanie carried Thea so she could get closer to Ezekiel and she kissed him but then said his head was dirty. I thanked God that Ezekiel made it and all was well.

As I watch the video I physically feel the pain again and it hurts so bad. But there is nothing in the world that compares to holding your newborn baby. The moment I held him nothing else mattered and everything was perfect. During labor Tiffanie and Cora kept saying it would all be worth it and at the end of the pain was the reward and they were so right. It was all worth is and the reward was amazing. It’s amazing how women just know how to take care of other women during labor. 

Every day I am reminded that God knows me and knows what I need. He sent me another sweet angel to love and learn from.

I am so grateful for Ezekiel. He really did come at the perfect time. I wanted him to be born sooner thinking he would make it in time to meet my dad. But 3 different people told me at 3 different times that the longer Ezekiel took to come to earth, the more time he got to spend with my dad in heaven. They said while he’s in the womb he’s not physically on earth so he can go through the veil back and forth. I don’t know if that’s true but I loved hearing it. I imagine my dad with Ezekiel. My dad held him and kissed him and told him so many things. Knowing my dad he probably tried to fill up Ezekiel with as much knowledge as he could before he left his side to come to us. That gave me peace and made me wait more patiently.

I want to thank the following people:

My husband, Jesus: Thank you for supporting me and lifting me up when I needed it. Thank you for loving me and taking care of me. You are an amazing father and husband. I love you more every day.

My mom: Thank you for birthing me! Thank you for coming home early from work. For entertaining Thea while I was in labor. For holding me and caressing my face and encouraging me. 

My sister: Thank you for just being present. You didn’t really talk to me during labor (probably because I kept telling everyone to stop talking) but just having you there with me gives me strength. You help me more than you know.

My midwife, Tiffanie: Thank you for your work, your help and your constant support. You give me so much strength and make me feel like I can do anything. Sorry for being such a brat!

2nd midwife, Cora: Thank you for the prenatal massage 3 days prior. Thank you for holding me, massaging me, taking photos and playing music.

Ezekiel, you are the perfect addition to our family. You are so loved by your parents, your sister and all your family. Thank you for joining us