She's HEEEEERE!!!

My sweet angel is here. She arrived on July 14, 2010 at 8:30 am! She was 6 lbs 7 oz. at 18 3/4 in long. The little lady is precious and the lack of blog entries is only because I can't seem to put her down or stop looking at her when she's not in my arms and the one handed typing just wasn't working. But today, right now, I decided I needed to put the little bundle in her moses basket beside me and get some stuff done...house work, bills to pay, facebook to stalk...

Here's what happened on that special day:

Since the little stinker was breech, we had been trying to get her to turn around - I was going to the chiropractor, drinking pure cranberry juice (old wives' suggestion - ew it's soooo sour), swimming and diving, drinking water, drinking water, and drinking water, and even hanging upside down. She wasn't budging and decided on her own when and how she was going to come. We had a Dr. appointment scheduled for that day to check on my fluid levels (hopefully they would be up and allow a manual turn from the Dr.) or they were going to schedule a c-section unless she turned on her own. Wellllllllll, at 4:30 am the morning of my appointment, my water broke. I wasn't 100% sure that was what happened but screamed Evan's name from the bathroom (he had crawled into bed at 3 am and wasn't stirring at my yells) - I went and shoved him pretty hard and told him...pretty sure he thought I was full of it and we tried to go back to sleep. 2 minutes later I was SURE that my water had broken! We actually calmly got up and threw a few more things in our bags, called the hospital and told them we were on our way and that I would need a c-section, and headed out the door.

When we got to the hospital around 6ish a.m., I was terrified. I wasn't having contractions and never had any painful ones but we were pretty unprepared for what was going to happen (but who ever really is?) From the beginning the nurses and doctors were sooooo nice! I loved every minute of the whole experience and still do to this day! The worst part was the anticipation of all the horrible things that were going to happen which never did! The IV was probably the worst part and not even that bad! I was under the impression that hospitals did what they what regardless of what the patient wants or says. I realize now that I read too many bad things and listened to too many people's bad experiences. My experience was wonderful and the worst parts were created by me in my head and too much worrying over nothing!

They bumped me up to the first surgery of the shift change and got things rolling pretty quickly. Boy, that operating room was scary and cold. But once they got the spinal tap going I was very comfortable...even when it dawned on me that I was butt naked on the operating table while people were just calmly doing their business around me! They even covered my arms with warm blankets that felt like they just came out of the dryer! The surgery got going and I smiled the WHOLE time. Evan watched the whole thing! I could tell he was smiling under his mask but his eyes were so WIDE! After only a few minutes of them digging around (they said all I would feel would be pressure and they were right and it wasn't too uncomfortable) I heard Audrey's first cries! It was the sweetest sound! I never knew what it meant to think that a baby's cry was anything but irritating until I heard my own. Now even though it breaks my heart when she cries, I still think it's the cutest little cry I've ever heard! They showed her to me over the curtain and then they weighed her and Evan cut the cord. They bundled her up and brought her to me to touch and gives kisses! Then the pictures started...

Our first family photo!

I was taken to our room and waited for Evan to bring me that little sweetums. I snuggled with her, visited with friends and family, and worked on breastfeeding for the rest of the day and loved every minute. Evan got to give her the very first bath which she loved! She loves the water flowing on her head even now! I loved being in the hospital! It was so fun and even though they told me I could leave on Friday, I chose to stay until Saturday ;) It was fun being taken care of and laying in bed where everything came to me - Audrey, food, family, and friends! It was such a special time and I hope I can hang on to these memories forever!

From the moment I heard her, saw her, held her, met her - I knew I could say every cheesy mom thing possible. They really are all true!! Even though I loved her while she was in my tummy, actually meeting her and being with her was an overflow of so much love! Being a mom really is the best thing in the whole world.

Mommy's First Snuggle