Ooh birth stories, I love a good birth story! 
You'd think given how generally unpleasant most of the experience is we wouldn't want to relive it wouldn't you?! My two were very different although I was very lucky with both that they were straightforward, quick and with no tearing.
DD1 was born at 42+1 after 5 (5!!!) sweeps, a pessary, ARM and syntocin drip. I was in from the Saturday evening until she was born at 8.25 on the Monday morning, although most of that time was waiting around for the pessary to work. Contractions finally started about midnightish that morning, they moved me into a birthing room at 2.45, gave me a gown to change into and left me to call DH. He then managed the 25 minute journey in less than 15 minutes as I was in such a state on the phone, totally terrified! Everything went really quickly after that and got quite intense, I went from 2cm to 8cm in an hour so was offered and then refused and epidural in the space of ten minutes! She was born vaginally after 2.5 hours 'established' labour with the help of gas & air, a fantastic student midwife and DH's very bruised hand to hold!
DD2's birth was much more relaxed, I went in for induction at 41+5 feeling really miserable as I'd been desperate not to go through induction again and had so wanted a water birth. Had already had three sweeps and a show, they examined and said already 3cm so I could go up to the MLU for ARM and if all kicked off I'd still be able to have my water birth after all, I could have kissed them! The lovely midwife broke my waters at 18.30 and we went for a walk round the hospital grounds, got half way round and had to grab a wheelchair as the contractions were coming so thick and fast I couldn't walk and was throwing up everywhere (yuck!) Then followed comedy moment of DH legging it along the corridors with me in wheelchair trying to point out directions back to the MLU while still having contractions and trying not to spew in my own lap 
. Got back, stuck on my classical birth playlist (pissed of DH but really helped me relax!) used tens for about 40 minutes while pool was filling then had my hallelujah moment as I got in and felt instant blessed relief! About another 40 minutes of breathing with some gas and air and out she popped, all 9lb 8oz of her! It was such a fantastic experience, next time (next time she says...!) I'm considering a home water birth. I did a hypnobirthing course too which I think made a massive difference in helping me relax.
funch yours sounds awfully handled, hope they are able to put things right as far as possible when you meet in January. Adoption sounds interesting, have you always thought you might like to do that?
mrsn we'll keep babylump with us until at least 6 months too, I love having her in our room and I secretly love it when Dd1 wakes up at 4am to come in and snuggle back to sleep with us too. Just wish we had a bigger bed so there was actually enough room for everyone!
Another mammoth post, sorry! Keep the birth stories coming so I've got lots to read later at next feed!