July 20th 2013 approx 11pm- I lose my mucus plug right before going to bed. I'm sure that I'm still not going into labor soon. I've felt my whole pregnancy that I was going to go longer than 40 weeks. I feel very close to my girl and just think we'll be together for a while longer. Ryan, however, is sure that things are about to get going. I send Terah a quick text to keep her updated.  July 21st 3am- I wake up with semi-regular contractions, about 5 minutes apart, but very light. Even though it isn't very strong I have trouble getting back to sleep, the contractions keep waking me up. I decide it's best to let Ryan sleep- I don't know if he'll be going to work today, and I know that I'm going to need him at his best later. 

5am- I wake up Ryan to tell him to call out of work for the day, and to run Gordon to daycare so that we don't have to worry about him. The contractions are still really exciting, I'm thrilled that I'm going to get to see our little one's face, I've been dying to know what she looks like.I called Terah to come down- it makes Ryan nervous that she lives so far away. I'm not at all stressed about it, I don't think she's going to miss anything. We head to the birth center, but when Terah checks I'm only 3cm dilated. It doesn't bother me to still be so early on, I'm not disappointed or worried. Mostly I feel badly for having Terah come so far. She heads off, and I labor at home, leaning on the couch. It feels really good to know that each wave brings Robin closer to my arms. I spend most of my day laboring at home, waiting for things to pick up enough to where I want to call Terah again and head back to the birth center. 

 4pm- We call Terah back, and she arrives to find me at 5cm. We decide to give it another hour or so before heading back to the Birthing Inn. When we get to the Birth Center, I love the peaceful feeling there, thinking about all the babies that came into the world there, all the strong mamas who have been there too. The day passes both quickly and slowly, trancelike. I try a lot of different things, the tub, the shower, a birthing ball. Sometimes I wonder how I'm going to do it, but Ryan holds me and tells me that I', the strongest person he knows, and that he is so proud of me. He holds me together, I know I couldn't have done it alone. My water hasn't broken, and I get the feeling that I'm laboromng wrong, that I'm never going to have this baby on my own. We tried some herbs, but it didn't seem like it helped to me. July 22nd 12am- Around midnight we decide to help things along-- I've been laboring for about 20 hours now, a day long journey toward motherhood. Terah breaks my water, and the change I feel is immediate. Robing moves down with the fluid flowing out- she moves down hard. I think she finally knows how close she is- to the world and to our arms. The contractions are so strong now that, I feel like it was foolish to have thought I'd never make it to this point, that she might never come. The time passes in such a rush now, Ryan is my rock, he has been this whole time. Constantly by my side, having me eat and drink when my laboring mind forgets. 

 2am- I'm amazed, it feels like no time has passed at all and yet Terah brings in a birth stool for me- it's finally really time. Ryan is sitting behind me, me between his knees on the stool. He is the only thing that makes me feel like I can really do this. It hurts and I'm scared, but Terah says the baby is coming, and I hold onto Ryan's knees- he keeps me together. Another contraction, I can't help but roar this time and push with all of my might. The next contraction feels like a part of the last one, and I gove another war cry. 

2:01am- Robin Speaker is born, 8lbs 14oz, into the loving hands of our sweet midwife Terah, and passed directly into the arms of her family. We are finally whole, our entire family together. Robin is so beautiful and soft, truly a miracle here with us. I can't believe that we actually made it here, that I'm a mother now and thay Ryan is a father. We were all three born today. —