Get ready for picture overload! We are so happy and proud to introduce Piper :0) Below is the birth story (of my 1 hour and 52 min labor), so if you don't want to read it just skip down to the photos:
I was scheduled to be induced a week before my due date since my last delivery went so quickly and my Dr. wanted to make sure we had plenty of time. Well, Piper decided to spice things up a bit and not follow the schedule. We went to bed Wednesday night expecting to get a call between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. telling us what time to arrive at the hospital. Instead, I woke up at 2 a.m. with a start from a weird pain I had felt - turns out it was my water breaking, just more painful than my other two experiences. My contractions started immediately at 5 min apart and got strong quickly. I woke Tommy up at 2:25 and we called my mom to come over (we knew we couldn't wait for my dad to get there) to sit with the kids. By the time we arrived at the hospital my contractions were 3 min apart and I was in PAIN!! I have never had the desire to experience a natural birth, so I asked for my epideral immediately. Right when the Dr. finished I complained of pressure and they checked me, and sure enough, I was ready to go. The epideral helped ease my contractions, but unfortunately that is about all. I got more of the experience than I had bargained for. But it was all worth it - Piper was born very healthy on Nov 4 at 3:52 a.m. at 6 lbs 9 oz and 20.5 inches. So far the vote is that she looks like Tommy and he is so proud to tell everybody this :)
unfortunately Piper decided to come into the world so quickly that my mom didn't make it to the hospital in time. This was the first time it was just me and Tommy - I made him keep busy by taking tons of photos and he did such a great job. He got shots of everything I was wanting, plus lots more (we left the hospital with over 200 photos). He was such a great coach and it was a neat experience having just the two of us. Thanks honey!
Yeah!! She has hair!
I am so grateful to my dad for watching the kids from early a.m. to noon. I don't know what I would have done without you! My dad brought the kids to see us after Lincoln got home from school. Lincoln was so excited to see his new sister - he came in the room with a huge smile on his face and jumped right up on the bed to gush over her. Hazel on the other hand was more concerned with me and wanted to know why I had on "those" pajamas and why was I in "that" bed, mine was at home.
I love our first photo of our growing family...
we had a few visitors while we were there - Tommy's dad, stepmom and nephew
my dad...
and my mom..
and Lincoln came a few times :) My sister Charise and Aunt Ruth Ann also came, but we were so busy visiting with them we forgot to get pictures.
Tommy stayed the whole time with me in the hospital (thanks mom for taking the kids!) and he loved to just sit and stare at Piper (and she stared at him - awwwww, so cute!)
Getting ready to go home:
I am so glad to be home with my family and the kids are so excited to finally have there sister at home. Now I just need to teach them somehow that she doesn't need CONSTANT attention.
Piper has been such a good baby so far. She sleeps most of the time, even at night. She just wakes up to eat. The only time she has really cried so far is when I wipe her tiny bum with the cold wipes. She is so cute and I am actually looking forward to the adjustment of having a newborn again.
