Emma's Arrival

Our sweet little girl decided to grace us with her presence on Tuesday, October 23.  We are overjoyed to welcome her into our family, and are loving getting to know her!  My labor experience with Emma was so incredibly different than with Calvin.  Everyone told me it would be, but I didn't want to get my hopes up, expecting a quicker and easier delivery.  I wanted to be realistic.  With Calvin, I was in labor for about 30 hours, from first feeling contractions to actually meeting him.  I was up for two nights, progressed super slowly, and was totally exhausted by the time I asked for an epidural, allowing me to rest. 

This time around was so different.  Tuesday morning, I was feeling a little crampy, but not wanting to get my hopes up.  I was still a few days before my due date, and I had already mentally prepared myself to be late.  Calvin and I went to our Tuesday morning Bible study like normal.  The crampiness continued, but remained really light. When Jake headed to work around 11 am, I told him I was feeling a little off and I'd keep him posted, but didn't think anything was going to happen.  By the time I put Calvin down for a nap around 12:30, I was starting to feel pain in my back, similar to what I'd felt when I went into labor last time.  I started feeling really cold, but my palms were sweating.  I called my mom and told her what I was feeling and she knew I was in labor.  Around 2:30, I called Jake to come home, and within half an hour, I was really having to breath through the contractions.  Jake's folks came to pick up Calvin and I could hardly talk to them. 

We arrived at the hospital around 3:30, and after throwing up in the lobby, I checked in at 4 cm.  Yahoo!!  Last time, they sent me home because I wasn't far enough along and I did not want that to happen again.  The contractions had gotten so intense, so fast, I knew I would need an epidural.  What a wise decision that was :)  Thank you Lord, for modern medicine, and for anesthesiologists! 

Me...in labor! 

I got my epidural around 5:30 and had already progressed to 6 cms since checking in...much faster than last time.  Oh epidurals are wonderful!  My pain was immediately gone, and I was able to have visitors while labor progressed...amazing!  My water broke around 8:45 and they said I was ready to push.  I pushed for a whopping 6 MINUTES and Emma was born at 9 pm on the dot!!  She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/4 inches long.  Piece of cake!  I can't believe how different of an experience it was...everyone was right :) 

Our first two weeks have had their ups and downs.  Emma ended up back in the hospital for two nights with jaundice.  We went through the same thing with Calvin, although we were a little surprised considering what a better eater Emma has been.  We had our two week check up today, though, and she is back up to her birth weight and the doctor (and I) was very pleased.  I think she is a bit colicy (sp?) and has some good, long crying sessions, but we're figuring that out, too :)  I was blessed to have Jake home for two weeks, and today has been my first day at home with both kiddos.  It has gone great!  Calvin has been wonderful with Emma, and a great helper for me.  He tests me a little extra while I'm nursing, but we're working on listening and obedience, as we will continue to do for years to come :) 

We are so glad Emma is finally here and we can start figuring out life as a family of four.  I am already looking forward to the weeks and months ahead when we can get out and about more...as opposed to being stuck to the couch nursing constantly.  But I am doing my best to cherish the moments with my teeny little girl, even when they are in the middle of the night and the little sweety is screaming bloody murder.