Beware the Ides of March

Athena Ellen Mathis

Born at home in Los Alamos, NM on 3/15/2006 @ 2:28am

Vital Statistics

7 lbs. 13 oz.
20 & 3/4 in. long
13 in. head circumference

Here's how it went down...

March 13th, 2006

One week past the due date. If we get to 42 weeks, there is a good chance of intervention. I say, "It could happen any day. In fact, it could start right now". Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, the contractions start. They are about 5 minutes apart and it lasts for about 2 hours. We decide to go to sleep, and it stops.

March 14th, 2006

I get up at 7:45 the next morning to let the dogs out and the contractions resume at about 5 minutes apart. We think the labor might be started, but we are not sure. At about 9:45 Star gets in the shower to get ready for the (previously planned) midwife visit at 10:30. The midwife, Seva, examines Star during the visit. She is dilated to 2 cm and about 70% effaced. Seva leaves. By 11:45 the contractions are still 5 min apart and by 12:45 they are closer to 3 or 4 min apart. At 1:45 Star decides to go for a walk around the neighborhood. We call Seva when we get back about 30 min later and she decides to come back. To keep busy Star decides to bake some cookies. Seva arrives at 3:15 and, naturally, everything slows down. I help prepare the bedroom for the birth. The back-up midwife, Elizabeth, arrive a short time later. About 4:30 Star decides to go on another walk to see if we can get things moving. The midwives go out for dinner. By 7:45, labor is still going, but the contractions have slowed to about 5 min apart. The midwives decide to leave. Seva checks before she leaves and Star is dilated to 3 cm and almost 100% effaced. Things pick up almost as soon as the midwives leave. We get ready for bed.

March 15th, 2006

By midnight the contractions have gotten very close and very strong. This is definitely active labor. We call Seva and she decides to head back. At about 12:30 Star gets back in the shower for a while and then in the bath. Star's mom arrives about 1:00 and Seva about 1:15. Star continues to labor in the bath until about 1:30. We move back to the bedroom. Maybe 15-30 min later, Star is in transition. At about 2:15, Star moves back to the bathroom to sit on the toilet. Her water breaks as Elizabeth arrives at about 2:20. She says that she needs to push and we rush her back to the bedroom (after some persuading to get off the toilet). Star starts pushing at 2:24 and Athena arrives only 4 min later at 2:28.

Animals I have had and whether or not I still have them

Dogs

1. Buster (mutt)
2. Jake (border/aussie)
3. Mr. T (rottweiler)
4. Bailey (great dane)
5. Sugar (squatty rottie)
6. Judah (weimaraner)
7. Arrow (brittany cross)
8. Tristan (german shepherd)
9. (brittany)
10. Sam (border collie)
11. Francis (poodle)
12. Flash (bassett hound, of course!)
13. Gypsy (heeler cross)
14. Micah (weimaraner)
15. Henry (aussie)
16. Rita (aussie)
17. Gidget* (aussie)
18. Forest (aussie)
19. Lyle* (aussie)
20. Rooster* (aussie)
21. Topher* (aussie)
22. Marla* (aussie)

Cats

1. Freebie*
2. Oscar
3. Clara
4. Beatrice
5. Nikki
6. Bad Mother and Kittens
7. Vaughn
8. Binx
9. Inspector Mine, CEO and Chairman of the Board
10. Marie*
11. Bella*

Ferrets

1. Jake
2. Kubla
3. Simon*
4. Garfunkel*
5. Seeker*

Snakes

1. Inanna (milk snake)
2. Nefertiti (boa)

One horse, Buddy (thoroughbred)

One pig (just for a day or two)