Say hello to our newest little reviewer

Baby is here! Our sweet baby girl arrived almost a week ago and all of us are already crazy about her. So far, she’s been a dream. She has spent most of her time sleeping or cooing quietly in our arms while everyone begs to hold her next, and has proven to be quite the good little traveler. She's already slept through a few hours of road trips, a ferry ride, a day exploring the islands, and even made it in time to see our beloved Seahawks in the Super Bowl. All that in 6 short days.  The kids especially are over the moon about her and every time she makes even the tiniest noise they come running to help. I know this super helpful phase won’t last forever, but I’m enjoying it immensely right now. What makes me the most happy is that based on what I’m seeing they are going to be truly good helpers when I need them to be, and that’s more than I expected from a 6 and 4 year old. As for her actual birth, it was quick and went smoother than I ever could have dreamt. Even the nurses who helped me deliver her were commenting that her delivery was absolute perfection and exactly what they want for themselves when they have babies. I haven’t seen hundreds of births every year, or even more than a handful, but based on the stories I hear and have read from other moms, my births are what everyone hopes for and this one was the easiest yet.
Our birth story:

On Saturday night I finished up a big project I’ve been working on for the past few weeks as I finalized some picture boards and frames for my grandma’s celebration of life the next day. I had felt a bit off all day and was having contractions pretty regularly, but I’d been doing that off and on for the past few weeks, so at this point I was thinking I was going to be pregnant forever and wasn’t really paying attention to them. Earlier that day we had tried to get my mind off the contractions so we went on a mini road trip and checked out North Bend and Snoqualmie. The kids were exhausted after our day so we took the long way home to give them a chance to sleep and then we stopped for dinner at a new restaurant. The dinner itself was good, but it was made amazing by how fun the kids were being.

But, by the time we got home I was really feeling the contractions and was thinking I had probably overdone all our walking and exploring during the day. Even though I was exhausted and not feeling well, I made sure all the pictures were in order for the next day as I just didn’t want to have to worry about anything in the morning.

I attempted to watch TV, but gave up when all I was focusing on was worrying about whether the contractions were getting more painful or staying about the same and then stressing about possibly missing the funeral the next day. I had a little pep talk with myself saying that my grandma would understand if I didn’t make it, and she would know how much I cared by the work I put into the pictures. But, I really just wanted to be there to see it all come together and to celebrate her life with my family.

I fell into a restless sleep as I kept having contractions that woke me from sleeping and were hard to fall back asleep afterward. I vividly remember laying in bed and hoping for a sign to tell me that it truly was labor and not have to deal with the is it or isn’t it? inner dialogue every time I started feeling the pain pick up.

And then my water broke in bed at 5:40am on Sunday, the day of the funeral. It wasn't at all like in the movies with a huge puddle on the floor, but there was no doubt what it was. I was definitely in labor.

Hubby quickly went into action ripping off the waterproof pads I had been laying on and washing all the bedding while I showered and got dressed. After I showered I called my sister to ask for help bringing the pictures and decorations to the theater for me because obviously I wasn’t going to be attending the funeral at this point, I texted our families that baby was coming, and made sure we had everything else in order for while we would be gone. Then we got the kids ready, called labor and delivery, and headed into the hospital a few hours later.

At this point contractions were pretty painful and every little bump in the road or stoplight was uncomfortable, but I knew I still had a little time before baby would be here. It wasn’t like you picture going to the hospital once your water breaks where everyone is running and the woman is riding in a wheelchair, it all actually felt pretty normal to how it’s been going to the hospital twice a week for all the NST appointments I’ve been doing for over two months now. Only this time, I wasn’t sent to triage, they had a room already waiting for me.

The in-laws beat us to the hospital, so we met them straight out of the elevators on the labor and delivery floor and we sent the kids along with them as we checked in. We were met in the hallway by the nurses who would be my birthing team and were led to my room where I changed into a hospital gown. The next few hours flew by like they always seem to at the hospital. Visitors came in and out and the kids were alternating between keeping those in the waiting room company and coming in to snuggle us and ask if their sister was there yet. It was getting harder and harder to manage each contraction, so I decided I was ready for the epidural so I could let my body progress. Once I got the epidural, the contractions were one on top of the other and it wasn’t long before I was completely dilated. Unfortunately, the doctor was delivering another baby and I needed to wait to push, so I spent about 30 minutes trying my hardest not to push with my nurse watching over me. When the doctor finally did come in, my room was quickly filled with people as pediatrics, nurses, and assistants all needed to be there for delivery since we were considered high risk.

The most emotional part was when I looked at the clock and realized that in just minutes the funeral would be starting and if everything went as planned I would be holding my babe right as my family said goodbye to my grandma. Hubby and I shared a quick few minutes of tears knowing how happy this would have made my grandma who would have loved that the circle of life was going to make an otherwise sad day into a happy memory.

Then I started pushing. You know in movies and TV how they always show the woman delivering her baby while cutting back to an event that is happening simultaneously to add extra drama to an already dramatic scene? That’s exactly how it felt, minus the overly dramatic music. I know my grandma was watching as there were tears of sadness and remembrance in the theater and tears of pain and joy in our hospital room and I couldn’t help but feel she was looking out for my sweet baby.

I’m sure I have her to thank for the amazingly quick delivery and the fact that it was only a handful of contractions while pushing before I was holding my babe. Naturally, I was crying like a baby as they laid my girl on me for the first time, which is something I hadn’t done with either of my other two deliveries.

We had done our own celebration of life even though we weren’t at the theater with the rest of my family. It had been intensely emotional at times, but it was also a sign of all the positives to come. As you can see, she's not a little itty bity baby. The nurses were all shocked by what a big baby she was and couldn't wait to take her vitals. They weighed her {9lbs 12oz} and measured her {22.5in}, and then everyone was commenting on how long her thin little feet were. A future Nordstrom shopper for sure. Sorry, baby.

It wasn’t long before our hospital room was filled with family that had been in the waiting room or at the funeral, but before all that craziness started we made sure to have our oldest kids in first without anyone else. I’m so glad we did it that way because those 15 minutes or so were magical as we got to watch them meet their baby sister. Hubby described watching them meet as being like a first time parent all over again. It was clear that the older kids were truly experiencing the joy of adding a new sibling and we got to experience that newness all over again through them. Since our daughter was just over two years old when our son was born she was too young back then to really get how special a new sibling is, but this time they both really got it. Even though she was ridiculously excited for a baby and was overjoyed with her brother, this time just felt magical. Aren’t they cute meeting each other at the hospital all those years ago?

So cute, right? These two are closer than I have ever seen any siblings, and that was one of the many factors we considered when deciding if we wanted three kids.

Many friends have talked about that feeling that they got when they knew their family was complete, and up until now I didn’t think I would feel that way. But, looking at my baby now I just know that she was the last piece to our puzzle and we’re ready to close up the baby making shop. Although I have small pangs of “this is the last time…”, I also have a certain peace about it.

Three is perfect, and I truly believe four would be a bit much for me, my family, my home, and definitely for my car. So, three it is, and I’m happy with that. How could you not be happy with these sweet faces?