Hey Girls!
  What's goin on? Just wanted to let you know that we had a boy- Julian Guy DeGroat- He was born on Monday morning at 5:58 AM! He was 7 lbs 13 oz and 22 inches !!! As you can see he is ADORABLE..but I might be a little bias! I kinda wrote a lot...so if you wanna stop here that is cool! I just thought you might like some details!!!
   So...let me tell you about the birth to give you hope! It DOES work, and is AMAZING! Every aspect of it! Basically Saturday and Sunday were LAZY days for me..I didn't feel sooo hot, and was having braxton hicks. I slept most of both days, and got up to eat, and change the channel on the TV...I even canceled on a few picnics, church etc cuz I just couldn't sit up and be comfortable- now I know that it was back labor, but it really wasn't painful...just uncomfortable.
  On Sunday, Danny had plans to go to Mayhem Fest at Nissan, but chose to stay home, not knowing what might happen. SOO...of course, I was PRAYING something would happen, cuz I felt kinda bad that he didn't go..(he was REALLY looking forward to it) At 11:45 PM..while watching the olympics..I was like "Honey I think that I either peed or leaked something..maybe my water broke." Then it happened again..and again...Then I said..maybe I will try to go to the bathroom..I took a few steps and it gushed!! I was like" AHHH get me something" He took off his shirt to clean me and it up, and ran to get a piddle pad. I grabbed the trash, and said..let's take a walk :-) We made it around our neighborhood once..and I said let's do it one more time...my contractions were about a minute apart. We didn't get too far, and Danny could tell that the contractions were getting more painful, and said, " I think we need to go back." So..we got back and I laid on the couch (WITH THE PIDDLE PAD) while Danny filled the pool (he had set it up earlier in the day, which was GREAT cuz it took about an hour) My sister and midwives got there around 1 PM- my sister took care of filling the pool the rest of the way, while Danny joined me and we slowly made it to our room. He was AMAZING throughout the entire experience!!! So supporting and soo loving... I could NOT have done it without him. He helped me relax...even when it seemed impossible.
  When my sister had finished filling the pool, she told us that the pool was ready...so we moved back to the main level, stopping for each contraction! The pool felt SOO good...(I had ALL back labor...not stomach pain at ALL!!!) We were in 100s of different positions, but that really helped to get the baby to move down the birth canal! 
   So..the first time the midwives checked me they told me that I was 3-4, but almost fully effaced. I was SOO bummed thinking if this is the way labor is..I am not doing it...though I knew I really was....I thought for sure by this time I was 6-7 cm. From what my sister and midwives tell me, up to this point I was not completely relaxed and fighting the contractions, by not letting my body do what it needed (though if you ask me...I felt like I was doing awesome..he he he) They said at this point, I got determined, my demeanor changed, and I got serious.
  We were in the pool about an hour, before I said was too hot, and wanted to go lay in bed...we were there for an hour or so, and then moved back to the pool. The contractions were tough at this point. It really helped when Danny breathed in deeply with me, which helped me to just allowed me to breath slowly and controlled, as opposed to a quick panic like breath. He did so for HOURS ...cuz it helped me feel as though he was experiencing everything with me. (Honestly HOW DO PEOPLE GIVE BIRTH WITHOUT A HUSBAND COACH???)  So...at this point we are back in the pool...I get checked again, and am 7 cm. I kept telling Danny, "Baby, I have NO break in between, why?" He said, "I know, I know, our little baby will be here soon" (later he told me that I was falling asleep in between and waking up at the peak.) So..we were in the water until Julian was born, another 4 hours or so. 
  Let me tell you pushing is AMAZING!  I pushed for 20 minutes, had only "rug burn"-down there..he he he I didn't feel the contractions at all when pushing! It is SOO amazing and such a miracle.
  Julian did give us a little scare, by not breathing right away. He was on my chest, and just didn't take that gasp of air. After 30 seconds, I said, "take him, make him breath" They gave him mouth to mouth...only a gasp, came from him. Then they used oxygen, and we called 911. We were all praying " God YOU ALONE are the giver of life, breathe life into little Julian! We know you are in control! Please, touch our little guy!" It was scary, but I never freaked out, God gave me a peace knowing he was there with us.  His heart rate was strong 100-130/minute and stayed that way....which PRAISE God is the reason he is well, now! The ambulance arrived within a minute, and my sister left with our little Julian, while I stayed with Danny to deliver the placenta...I told him to go, but he knew I would need him, and chose to stay with me.
  We showered quickly and rushed to the hospital. We were there for 3 days, cuz they took a blood culture that had to grow for 72 hours, and they had to wait for that to come back! It was a very precious few days, where we had NO other distractions, but to just love and care for our little one! 
  Our families have been amazing, a blessing, a dream. They brought us dinner every day at the hospital,(and my mom brought a huge dinner on Thursday, when we got home) we were overwhelmed by the love and support we received. They came to visit, and give up their days for us! How? Why? God is SOO good and has give us more than we could ever dream of!
    I am crying as I write this, and utter amazement of the gift of life, and the love that God gives us to care for our children..how much more does He love us-his children? Why? Will we ever know, until we meet Him in heaven?
           Brittany, Julian and Danny
Oh...and after the birth, my sister, her husband and little Tonchi (1) came back to our house, cleaned the pool (Gross), sterilized it, mopped the floors, did the dishes, Laundry and straightened everything! How can we ever thank them enough? How can we ever give back to those who have touched us so deeply?