My Sweet, Loving, Baby Girl...

She's One. One! :*) I'm happy, and sad... I don't plan on having any more children (at least not within the next 5 years), and my baby girl is already one! Caleb just turned 2 in July and it's hard to believe she's going to be running around, singing, playing and talking, just like Caleb is, in just one more year.

She was born Oct. 8th, 2007 at 8:30 PM. We had an appointment early that day with my OB. We discussed how she was measuring right on target, how I finally had gained the minimum of 20 lbs. that I was supposed to, how I had envisioned the birth to be, etc... She made a remark that I was 37 weeks 3 days... I thought about it, and Caleb was born at 37 weeks 4 days... which I thought was interesting. She asked if she could strip my membranes, which is where she pushes the placenta up and away from the cervix and it can sometimes trigger practice contractions or it can put me in labor if my body and the baby is ready. I said, "sure!"

Right after the appointment I had contractions just walking to the car. We had been through a couple false labors, where the contractions dissipated with time, so we thought if we could we should go for a walk. It was a bit cold outside so we went to the mall. As we were walking I could feel them, I started to time them but they were still pretty sporadic.

I started to get them more regularly and because we lived 30 miles from the hospital we figured it would be best if I were at home and getting my stuff together just in case.

When we got home I packed everything, the contractions kept coming quickly. I was getting the house ready for my mom to stay with Caleb at and packing his bag to go with my mother in law also. They were getting so strong that I decided I better lay down, and because I learned my lesson with Caleb that you ALWAYS go to the hospital with your make-up and hair done BEFORE you go so that you'll look decent in the birthing photos!

So as I was laying down I was curling my hair with my Chi and watching TV. They were getting so strong that I called my sister and told her to meet us at the hospital so we could go straight to triage. She had a plan to go there and stick around, but we nixed that lol...

They took us up to triage and checked my cervix. Earlier I was at 4 CM, 80% effaced, then when we got to the hospital I was almost 5 CM and 100% effaced. They recommended we walk around the hospital for 2 hours to really get things moving. We walked.. and walked.. and walked... every floor and space we could walk, we walked. Brian walked with me the entire time. He got me water and massaged my feet when we'd take a break. At one point we were stuck in an elevator, and that was interesting lol..

After the 2 hours I was having a hard time talking through them. They admitted me right away and checked my cervix. I was now 7 cm. Brian hooked up my computer and I played games and tried to relax and get comfortable. After about and hour of laying there, I was starting to feel a LOT of pain. At that point I started meditating, and I did well for that time and then after about an hour of intense pain I was crying and upset and wanted an epidural. I thought I'd try for a non-medicated birth but if I needed an epi I was going to go for it. They told me they couldn't bring in the anesthesiologist because he was going to be prepping a c-section. I pushed the nurse button until they brought him in. They had Brian leave and put me up on the bed and inserted it. The same guy that did my epi for Caleb did mine the second time lol. With Caleb, I had instant relief.. But this epidural only took slightly to my right side. They tried putting me on my left side but then her heart rate was dropping... So, I told them I could feel EVERYTHING and that I needed to push. She lifted the blanket and yelled, "Don't PUSH! The head is RIGHT THERE! Don't even sneeze!!" To which my wonderful husband said, "Do I have enough time to get juice?" LOL.. I was so mad.. he later said he didn't hear her say anything about not pushing lol. And the Dr. ran in (the same Dr. that delivered Caleb,) and got suited just in time for me to make 3 pushes and she was OUT! She weighed 6 lbs. 14 oz. She had light brown hair and was bright red! (She was jaundiced). She was so cute.. we called her our little lobster! She breastfed right away and had no issues with it.

It's hard to believe how much she's changed, grown, come into her own.. She's the sweetest baby girl. She requires a LOT of play time, A LOT of cuddling, love and attention.. and I love it. When you hold her, she holds you back. She'll hook her little left hand around your neck and lay her head down. She's so affectionate, in the morning she loves to just be held and loved. She will play with her own shadow, she's so outgoing. She's small for her age, but we just say she's "dainty." Her wave is so sweet, she bounces her little wrists up and down and smiles with her little tongue out, it melts my heart. When I think of the person I pray she'll be like when as she gets older, I can't help but feel excited... though she'll always be my baby girl. I love her and her brother and sister more than I could have ever imagined loving anything. They are the reason I demand the best of myself... and I hope that I will model courage, strength, love and faith for them so as they grow they will always be proud of the time we had together, bonding, learning, playing and loving each other.

Here is a video of my silly girl playing with shoes this morning on her FIRST birthday!