My first son, johnathan's birth story is far from magical. But completely worth it.

I was 41+5 weeks along when he finally graced the world with his presence. Not willingly, I may add. I was induced twice! After my water finally broke I was in labor for over 40 hours ( before my water broke i labored for about 25 hours) it was awful. I wouldn't dilate and took for ever to efface. But Finally after many, many hours I made it all the way to pushing. Pushed for two hours and nothing. I started to get the most excruciating back labor. The further he dropped down, the more pain I was in. ( he was "sunny side up") My epidural didn't work at all for the back/hip pain. After so many days of labor I was so exhausted. I couldn't handle the pain anymore so I demanded a cesarean. My whole body was just done. Once I got to the operating room I started puking and couldn't stop ( more like dry heaving as I didn't eat for days) my doctor began the c section and I felt it! I felt her cutting me!! I told the nurse, he then gave me laughing gas. Which was awful. It felt like I had just taken 15 hits of acid! I absolutely hated it. Initially I thought he was giving me oxygen. Boy was I wrong!! But finally my son was here, they took the mask off of me just in time to hear him cry. It was surreal.

After a less than great birth he was finally born! September 22nd 2011, 5:25pm Johnathan Alexander was 8lbs 5oz 20in long! He's now a rambunctious 2 year old.

My second birth story is of little Benjamin.

I had a scheduled c section, it went much more smoothly!! The morning of I was so nervous. So so nervous. ( after the first experience who wouldn't be!!!) we got to the hospital about 645am. I talked to several doctors, got changed into my lovely hospital attire and waited. I think the waiting was the absolute worst part! Got my spinal, morphine and I was ready to go. The actual surgery was amazing. ( I was a little high from the morphine though. So it may have enhanced it. Hahah!!) my doctor had some issues taking him out of me because I had more scar tissue than expected from my last surgery. The scar tissue actually fused to my bladder. So she had to remove some of the tissue. Poor Benjamin inhaled some of the fluid on his way out but as soon as she pulled him out he was screaming. They cleaned him up and brought him over. His breathing didn't sound very good, but as soon as he was laid on my chest he began to root. He came out very hungry!! Unfortunately he was pulled away soon after into the nicu. To be monitored and given oxygen. He was in nicu for 12 hours then finally came into my room. Born on April 11th 2013, 10:31am He was 7lbs 9oz 19.5inches long. Things after Benjamin's birth just seemed to get harder. He started having seizures at less than a week old. After going in and out of the hospital given wrong diagnoses they finally figured it out ( benign neonatal familia convulsions, I had it and so did two generations before me) and has been on phenobarbital since. ( we actually go see a neurologist today) but he's absolutely thriving. 6 months old and a whopping 22 pounds. He's hitting all of his milestones and then some.

But I'm a very proud mother of these two healthy boys and would do it all again in a heartbeat.