Having a Baby

We're home from the hospital and it feels so good! It's amazing how much life can change in just an instant. As I look upon the pictures of the last 2-1/2 days, I fight to remind myself that it's only been that-----two and a half days! This picture of me getting ready to walk into the hospital Tuesday morning at 10:30am, seems like a year ago. But boy...does my belly look ready to have a baby, doesn't it?



After arriving at the hospital, it wasn't until 12'oclock noon that things actually got started. And it did start...with pitocin. After a few hard contractions, they broke my water, a few more hard contractions and I was able to get an epidural. At 1 pm, the said I would be meeting my baby within the hour! So here we are pictured below....pain-free and relaxed, being goofy for the camera before we get to meet our little girl!



The girls were very obedient and sweet, so we allowed them to stay for the birth at the last minute! Here they are, in a chair behind the delivery bed. They were so happy to be there and quietly sat until they were told they could get a closer look at our new baby!



At 2:07pm, our lives changed forever with the birth of our sweet Reese! I think child birth becomes even more amazing with each child. Precious baby...nothing short of a real live miracle!



This sign was placed inside Reese's basinette. The poor little thing came through the birth canal so fast that her head was all one big, bruise. They didn't want other nurses to see her face and think she needed extra care.



Here Reese is getting weighed. You can see the stark contrast of her black and blue face with her pink little body. I felt so bad for her. You could tell her face was tender and the doc said she probably had facial pain and a headache. Her eyes were also bloodshot and we need to take her to her pediatrician tomorrow for some hemorraging in one of her eyes. All because of fast labor! You would think it would be the opposite....that longer labor would cause the most damage, but apparently that's not the case!



Reese is our chunkiest girl so far. She weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. and is the shortest at 19" long. But I love her chunkiness and we tell her that all the time. :o)

I can't get this picture to rotate but you can really see her blue face here!


Brian brings Reese to the girls so they can inspect her. They approve! Holland said, "Ree-eeeese! I'll never stop loving you!" And Liv couldn't stop smiling and saying, "I can't believe Reese is here!!!"



Here's our first family photo...and what will have to be Reese's favorite candy.



And an all-girls photo is a must. :o)



The biggest sister!



I love taking pictures of Brian after the birth of our children. He's always so proud and you can see it so well in these pictures. I have similar ones of him holding Liv in 2003 and Holland in 2005 in the hospital.





Speaking of Brian....he's the greatest. He always knows the right thing to do and say during labor and after. I'm so grateful for him!



Just 2-1/2 days later, Reese's bruising has gone down a considerable amount. It's amazing how resiliant babies are!


Thank you God for this amazing blessing of Reese.