She's Here!

I've been a little occupied.  Susanna was born September 19th at 2:08 a.m.  She was 7 lbs. 8 oz. and 19 3/4 inches long.  And she's beautiful!  

Here's the story:

I went to my appointment on Wednesday, the 18th with high hopes that my midwife would induce me. She had told me the week before that if it was a week later she would induce me, and I was planning on taking her up on that!  When she checked me she said I was 4 cm and Susanna was very low (a fact I was painfully aware of every single time I sat down), and she asked me if I wanted to have a baby the next morning.  I told her today was even better.  She told me that she couldn't send me to the hospital to be induced until she was on call, which wasn't until six that night, but if I wanted to come in at six she would go ahead.  We figured having a baby while the boys had a planned spend the night party with Papa would be better than going into labor in the middle of the night and having to load the kids up, so six it was.

Final picture on our way into the hospital.

When we got to the hospital, the nurses kept asking me why I was there.  What were my symptoms? Am I having contractions? I kept saying, "My doctor told me to come in to be induced."  I figured saying "I'm really pregnant and really ready for this baby to get off my bladder so I can sleep more than one hour at a time and off my nerves so I can walk without dropping to floor like I was just electrocuted", but I wasn't sure that would go over well.  I'm still unsure about the details, and I don't know if my midwife will admit to it when I ask her at my six week checkup, but I think she bent hospital rules for me.  She wasn't supposed to induce me until after 39 weeks (I was two days shy). She checked me to see if my cervix had changed since that morning, and she said, "Oh yes, she's definitely 5 cm and her water sack is bulging." And then she winked at me.

She broke my water and then...she left to take a nap.  The nurses were saying, "Umm...you're going home? Don't you want pitocin? What do you want us to do?"  She said for them to call if I hadn't started on my own, which I eventually did. It just took a little while.  And then all of a sudden, I was so ready that when the nurse wanted to do a "test push", she looked and said, "Wait! Never mind!" 

The midwife came in and three pushes and a minute and a half later Susanna was born. Did I mention she was really low? So, she would have definitely been born on the 18th with pitocin, but without, she was born on Kris' sister's birthday.  Erica and Susanna will share the 19th.

 Happy in Grandma Clair's hands.

She made lots of funny faces and stuck her tongue out the first few hours.

The boys came to visit us at the hospital. It's a little intimidating when you see them all together.

Luke wanted to love on her right away.

She has seriously long feet and toes!

 

And a sweet, sweet smile.

Judah thinks she's fun, and I love hearing him talk about his "sisser".

This is pretty much what we see right now.  Even at night, thankfully.  She's been waking up only once, between 2:00 and 3:00. Never had a baby like this at night.  So, so, so grateful!

The boys have been good help with her.  Luke even "cooked" lunch for us.

We are in love with Susanna already.  She is easy, sweet and beautiful.  She smiles all the time.  And even though I know it's supposed to just be gas bubbles, I feel like she's hearing the sounds of heaven in her sleep.

Susanna Clair, we are so glad you're here.  You are our joy.  We can't wait to get to know you.