Our New Addition

As most of you know we had our baby!
Tuesday November 5, 2013 10:42
My sister Jill called me pretty early on Tuesday morning and said she was in the hospital and going to have her baby! We chatted and I was so excited for her and wished so badly I could be with her and share in her experience. (I was in tears when we hung up, and I really think talking to her released something in my body that sent me into labor, or God knew how terribly I did want to share this with her and he figured a way it could sort of happen.) Hearing her talk about her contractions made me come to terms that I had been having steady, though not close together, contractions for about three days. I talked to Nathan and we decided I should probably call the doctor just to see what was going on. At my previous doctor appointment, about a week earlier, I had been dilated to a 2 and about 30% effaced. We said if I wasn't going into labor we would go see Ender's Game. About an hour later they said I was dilated to a five and almost completely effaced. I was sent to labor and delivery never to leave the same person again.
I had a much better time managing my panic attacks at the needles, I only really freaked out at the epidural but even then I was able to relax my body even while sobbing, enough they got it in perfectly and quickly.
I had excellent nurses who were firm and exact-just what I needed, no Ruth Dayhuff, but as good as it gets in Arkansas. I tested positive for a fairly common infection so I needed a few doses of antibiotic. They started those at 4pm, broke my water around 9. I was so grateful that Nathan was patient and willing to stay with me for hours to not miss a thing. It was extra great because my sister in law Sarah had stopped in to visit and we were all having such fun :) she ended up still being there when the doctor came in! I could feel plenty of pressure even with my awesome epidural button and suddenly mid conversation the nurse took one look at my face and called for the doctor. I put my feet in the stirrups, laughed at a joke from Nathan, felt a contraction, pushed three times and heard a little cry.

 After all the needles and blood we were feeling pretty good.

 

They keep a warmer in the room, Nathan found it after they turned it on.

She came out fast and perfect. We liked a lot of names for her but when we looked at her sweet round face and said them out loud both Nathan and I felt like she was a Miriam. I am glad we agreed. It was surprisingly hard to stop calling her Rue, and when I was on my pain medications I actually couldn't pronounce her name so that made me wonder if we had gotten it right but now it fits perfect and I can say it without a problem.

6 lbs 14 oz 19 inches long

 I am so grateful for the wonderful friends and family who have stopped by and for those sending love long distance. Asher is adjusting, he seems to enjoy her as long as he can be held too. Tucker doesn't know what to do when he hears her little whimpers but he is good and stays at a distance. My recovery is going well and is so much faster than with Asher (even without the kidney and blood infections.) 

Mercy hospital has tracking security devices they put on all the babies that shut down elevators and lock doors if one gets too close to a stairwell or elevator. When her discharge nurse came and cut the band our room filled with nurses and the phone started ringing. Come to find out they had discharged the wrong baby in their computer system so when they cut the band it set off the alarms, Nathan was stuck on the first floor because everything had gone on lock down till they figured it out.

I felt like it was a little extreme but looking back I'm glad no one would be able to take my baby!

 First diaper change!

 Reunited finally!

 Asher is not sure what to make of her at a distance,

 and is really weirded out up close!

Her grandma hat that was made by hospital volunteers, and a blanket made my Grammie Childs.

Grammie and Grandpa Childs are staying with us to help and they sure have! Its been fun to watch them with my kids (cause I have two! Super crazy!) Asher has been enjoying the extra attention and fun snacks and I don't know what we are going to do when they are gone. 

We are home, healthy, exhausted, and happy and couldn't wish for a better situation than she has put our little family in. 

She is now five days old and Adam and Sarah let us use their nice camera to get some pictures, I snapped these this morning. Hopefully I can get more and some with Asher later.