Because Time is a Hot Commodity with Three Kids...

This post will be short but filled with great pictures from Jamie. She specializes in newborn photography and is amazingly talented! Check out her website: www.jamierogersphotography.com.

Norah's Birth

Because of the false alarm the previous week, I had requested to be induced early in the morning on Friday the 29th. This would insure that Matt would be present at Norah's birth. They admitted me at 6 a.m. and started Pitocin around 7:30.  I knew it would be after noon before I would see my doctor so I settled in for a long morning. Thankfully, I was a 3 and 50% effaced and thus the nurse (sweet Melissa) said I could go ahead and have the epidural. It was honestly the most comfortable I had been in 3 months! 

Melissa continued to check me every hour or so. I was progressing but slowly because my bag of waters was still intact. My nurse said if my water had been broken I probably would have already had her. Before the doctor arrived I maxed out at 6 cm and 60%. At 2:30/3:00 p.m. the doctor broke my water.  At 3:30 they checked me...9.5 cm and completely effaced. I was to have the baby soon. 

I could "feel" the pressure and knew it was close. The nurse checked me (this had to be around 3:50) and immediately said, "oh, we're having a baby!" She called in every available person and my doctor. They got one stirrup up but Norah wasn't having it. She literally delivered her head and shoulders by herself. The doctor was there, thankfully! I remember feeling her in my abdomen, feeling a contraction and then feeling her "disappear!" It was truly wild.  Much to my delight there were no "repairs" to be done. This makes all the difference in recovery!

She weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. (exactly what her Momma predicted) and measured 20 inches. She is beautiful, of course :) I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Early that morning

Waiting...epidural was working, if you can't tell :)

Getting ready

She's here!

Daughter & Daddy

Sweet story: Audrey was incredibly tender at this moment. She was literally overwhelmed with joy and awe to the point that she started laughing and crying. So precious...my heart swells every time I think about it! She later told Matt, "Daddy, I feel kinda funny. It's like I could laugh and cry at the same time!" *sniff* *sniff*

She's Here!!!

Norah arrived Friday, May 29th at 3:51 p.m. weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz. and measuring 20 inches. Details and photos soon!