Baby story catch up

Hello ladies!
Bergen brought it to my attention that she hasn't heard my birthing story and I wouldn't mine a refresher on hers, so Danielle, bare with us as we share! 
It was just over seven months ago. I went into the doctor for my check up on Wednesday or Thursday (I am awful with dates), and shared with them that I was having some light cramping pains here and there, I'd experienced the "bloody show" and was having all sorts of fun discharge and nastiness. My nurse got really excited and said that my baby would be coming soon! But I was only dilated to about a one. My doctor was going out of town the following Monday so I was pretty determined to have Talon that weekend!! Haha just kidding, but basically that's what the plan was except that I wasn't due for another two weeks. That Friday, I was lounging around in bed when I got AWFUL cramps. I called to talk to my doctor to see what labor pains feel like. The receptionist said it sounded like I was in labor and she connected me with the nurse who told me to go to the hospital and check in. She said it sounded like I was having my baby!!! 
So I was super excited. I called Michael three times and hung up each time as that was our way of letting him know that I was calling because I needed a ride to the hospital and it was serious. So then I explained what was going on and he left work early. 
We drove to the hospital super excited and jittery and we counted the contractions and how far apart they were. We got to the hospital, checked in, and BAM! Contractions stopped. I was hooked up to fancy machinery to tell everyone when the contractions were happening and to measure their intensity. Pretty sure that in the hour I was there I had two contractions and the intensity was like a two. And I was only dilated to a one and a half. So that was embarrassing. So we left the hospital and Michael had to tell his boss that it was a false alarm. Super embarrassing.
So Michael's parents were coming to town to shop anyway so we all went to the mall. We shopped around the mall and Michael's dad and I picked out new cell phones and it took forever to get the plan and I was sooooooo grumpy. Then, walking around the mall was awful and I had to stop like every few minutes to contract and moan and groan to everyone how awful I felt. Then we went to dinner. We went to Texas Roadhouse because I was pregnant and always wanted steaks. So we're sitting in our booth and the waitress was like, "How far along are you?" Blah blah blah and then she asked if she could put her hand on my belly so I complied and she was like, "Holy cow, you're having contractions!" And I was like well duh! Haha so then Michael and I went home and went to bed. I didn't sleep like at all. I kept contracting and would squeeze his arm and moan and whine every time. He slept through it lol. 
Saturday morning I could not take it anymore. I woke him up at eight and told him to take me to the hospital. He was all, "We were just there!" And so then I started doubting myself, but I still begged. Then he said I could go if I ate cereal first. So I sat on the couch, took a bite of cereal, and a contraction hit right then and I screamed and spit cereal everywhere! Then I started crying and begging to go to the hospital. So we get the bag and go back to the hospital. The second we park the car, the pain stops. Do you know how frustrating that is??!! But we walked around the doors for a bit and then I did finally get another contraction so we went inside. 
The front nurse was the same from the previous night and I was like, "We're back!!" Haha. So I got all hooked up to everything again and this time was at dilated to a four. Woo progress! So they said I could stay and immediately I asked for the epidural. They hooked me up right away and it was magical. 
ALWAYS GET AN  EPIDURAL!!!!
Michael made the calls and my family headed to town. Doctor showed up and asked if I wanted the baby that day or if I wanted him the next day. I said that I definitely wanted him that day so doc broke my water. I asked if they could just cut him out and he said no. So then I waited. From nine in the morning until six at night. At five or so I was fully dilated but had to wait for the baby to come down a little more on his own. So basically all day I just laid there paralyzed and blissful.
My grandpa was there within a few hours and he's so silly he came in, said hi, and then went and waited in the car. A few more hours and my mom and them showed up. They got there and everyone was excited and in like half an hour it was six and my doctor came in and said we were ready to go! So everyone left to the waiting room and we pushed. 
Pushing was hard. I felt like I had to poo and I was super nervous about doing it on the table but the nurses said that when they were checking my dilation they could tell that I was empty. So that was nice. 
Anyway, pushing. They had called in the NICU team because Talon had Meconium which is basically poop in the placenta and it can be dangerous if the baby sucks it in. Also, he needed to be checked that his little kidneys were okay and such. So anyway, a nurse had my right leg, Michael had my left, and the doc was downstairs ready to catch. We counted to three and then Michael and the nurse pushed my legs and I pushed and about passed out. They told me to focus on pushing from my stomach and not my face haha, it's harder than it looks!!! So I pushed and lost a lot of oxygen and baby's blood pressure was being affected by it. I was given an oxygen mask and they had to use a vacuum to get him out super quick. Vacuum seems to be an inaccurate term, it should be called a suction cup thingy with a pulley stick, it's much more accurate. Anyway, Talon was born April 5, 2014 at 6:35pm weighing in at 6lbs 5oz and measuring at 18.5 inches. 
After he was born they did the gross pushing juices out of me and such while Daddy got to give him his first bath. I was happier than I have ever been in my entire life. 
The next day we still hadn't named him. So I asked him, "Is your name Texas Michael Tom?" and he didn't say anything. Then I asked, "Is your name Talon Michael Tom?" and he said, "Mmhmmm." Michael thinks I'm crazy but my mom heard it and I know that I had to name him that! 
So that's my story. 
Things to know Danielle: 1. Get an epidural. 2. Be prepared to feel like you have to poop while laying on the table because that's what it feels like when the baby is coming. 3. Afterwards, you will have to poop before they let you leave the hospital and it is super scary because you think if you push out poop that you will push out everything else too. 4. You will have to use a water bottle to clean yourself after pottying, ew. 5. You will get swollen and that's super weird, do not try to ride a bike right after having a baby, I sat on our spin bike and Michael had to pull me off haha it was awful. 6. Finally, your body is amazing. Getting pregnant changes your body but in the best way because it creates new life! However, it does have its limitations. After you have your baby you will feel like a million bucks and that you can do anything but you can't. When you feel like you need to get that pot down from the top shelf, do not jump onto the counter! Ha I had to learn that the hard way. 
Babies are the best! Talon is the cutest, smartest, most wonderful little man in the whole world! Having him has changed the dynamic in my life, my marriage, my thoughts, my everything. It is an adjustment and sometimes I don't think that I can do it, but it is the absolute best blessing ever. I did have a really bad bout of postpartum depression and it got really bad for a bit. I didn't sleep for the first two weeks after he was born and that had a huge part to play in it too but it's not wrong to seek help. I have been in counseling ever since and Talon comes and makes the visits interesting haha. 
Anyway, love you both! Miss you! Let's get together soon!!!