With my second baby, I had as good a pregnancy as I had the first time, with no morning sickness or anything. I went into labor at 38 weeks (this, by the way, is two weeks longer than I carried my last baby).

I was 1 centimeter dilated and having contractions every five to seven minutes. This was my first vaginal birth, so I was a little scared. The doctor stripped my membranes as best she could.

My husband and I walked around the hospital for three hours to see if I would dilate anymore. If so, I could stay. If not, I would have to go home.

During those three hours, nothing happened. So we went home, and I lost my mucous plug the next day.

On January 22, my regular doctor told me to be in Friday the 24th for induction at 7 a.m. Yippee, was I relieved! I was miserable!

We went to the hospital on what happened to be the coldest morning on record in my city since a long time ago. We got there. I went in the labor and delivery ER. They waited for a room, and put in my IV. The lady who was supposed to be the best at it busted the same vain twice in my left arm. Finally they got one in and I was on my way to labor and delivery.

I had an enema (which I highly recommend) and then laid down. About 9:30 a.m. after I was settled and they put the external monitors on, I started contracting, but only lightly. At 1:30 p.m. they finally checked me. I was only 2 centimeters. So they administered Pitocin.

By 6 p.m. I was in outrageous pain, with close contractions. But I was only 4 centimeters. So she broke my waters. Yuck! That is a gross feeling!

By 11 p.m. I was screaming because the pain medication wasn't helping. I finally got my epidural. I think that is God's gift to laboring women!

I got to fall asleep and woke up at 1:30 a.m. because the epidural was wearing off. My husband had been calling for the nurse forever. She was in and out for a while and said we were waiting on the anesthesiologist.

Well, 2:40 a.m. rolled around. I told my husband I felt like I had to push. So then the nurse immediately came in and I pushed for 10 minutes to get ready for the birth. She told me to stop and ran to get the on-call doctor because my doctor was in a C-section.

I pushed for five more minutes after the doctor came in. My son was born at exactly 3 a.m. January 25, 2003. He was 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 21 inches. He was perfect. His Apgar scores were 9 and 9.

He is still a healthy little 5-month-old baby today, and his 2-year-old sister adores him!