She has a name! Introducing...

Lucy Jane Milne

(I was determined to name her before we left the hospital!)

As you may have read in my pregnancy update post, I was due January 14 and hoping not to go a day earlier than that.  All of the boys were late or on their due date-no early ones.  I think that post may have jinxed me after all!  Now that she's here though, I can't imagine her not here yet-if that makes any sense.

Please don't feel like you have to read the whole story below, it's mostly for my mom and sister and because I'm sure there will come a day when I won't remember anything!

So here's how my "surprise" went down on January 4th, 2010:

-Woke up ready to get the kids back to school and check things off my to-do list (most of which had to do with getting ready for the baby)

-Realized I had a "leak" (trying not to get too graphic) and was in some serious denial about what that meant!

-Called doctor, called Brent, was on the phone with a friend who was trying to convince me that I was going to have a baby in the next 24 hours and offered to take Owen and Max so I could go into the doctor and get my "leak" checked.

-11:30 am Brent comes home, friend comes to get boys and "leak" turns into pipe bursting in my driveway as I load kids in her van.  Another call to doctor who says go to the hospital you are having a baby.

-Brent changes clothes and is ready in 5 minutes.  I am not quite ready in 5 minutes. First I pick up the house a little (we had just gotten back in town on Saturday night), get stuff ready for the boys, shower and shave, pack up some stuff and then we head to the hospital.

-I still have yet to feel a contraction so I refuse to call even my mom until the nurse confirms I am in labor.  I've never had my water break on my own or not had good solid contractions going even at the earliest part of labor.  Apparently I'm still in denial.

-Nurse confirms labor and at 1pm starts pitocin because I haven't started contracting.  Then we wait.  But not for long.

-About 45 minutes later, feel first good contractions (by good I mean painful)

-30 minutes later anesthesiologist enters room like a rock star.

-30 minutes later I have a low dose (per my insructions-I hate feeling paralyzed) epidural going and am waiting for pain relief to kick in.

-15 minutes later, a contraction with the edge off-nice!

-Next contraction I inform the nurse that the baby has shifted and is ready to come-call the doctor ASAP!!

-During the next 10-15 minutes the doctor rushes to hospital, I "hold it in", and the epidural kicks in.

-I have a crying/emotional moment because I realize this is my last baby and I don't quite know how to handle that!  Brent is sweet about it but I'm pretty sure he filmed it!  Rude.

-Half a push later at 3:12 pm...It's a beautiful little baby with a head full of dark hair, a big 'ol screaming mouth, and what's that I see (or rather don't see)?  It is definitely a girl!!

She was a little peanut-our smallest by far at 6 lbs. 7 oz.  Her head is so tiny too.  The boys all had big heads.  She looks like one of us, but we can't quite pinpoint exactly how. 

This picture is just for you, Mom. 

I'm pretty sure I dedicated one just like it to you a little over a year ago!

I know some people think brand new babies are a little weird looking but I love the newness of them with all of their puffy features and wrinkles.  They are true miracles don't you think?

  

I didn't get to hold her right away.  They wanted to make sure she was fine since she was a little early.  But I did get to hold her for a little bit before they had to take her to the warmer because she was cold.  After her bath they put a little bow in her hair.  So sweet!

Brent brought the boys to visit and they were sooo excited to see her.  Max didn't come so we didn't get a picture with everyone at the hospital.  Bummer.

The boys were all ooing and aahing over how tiny she was and they all loved her little bow.  It was pretty darn sweet.

Eli said "Her feet are totally creepy!  They are so skinny and wrinkly!  But the rest of her is really cute"

Garrett said "Aawww.  She's so sweet!  And she smells like an angel."

Owen said, in a little quiet voice " Mom, I though she was gonna be gross and ugly.  But she's really cute!"

Luke said "Hi baby!  We're all your big brothers to help take care of you"

 

Owen is giving a thumbs up for baby girls.  He was against them before he had one of his own.

I had to take a picture of the little sign.  We still can't believe it's a girl!

Her first little bling.

Pinkalicious!

She's all decked out and ready to go home.

This pink blanket is one I used as a baby.  My mom saved it all these years!

It is so fun to have a little baby girl, but girl or boy I am so grateful to have another little sweet spirit in our family and in our home.  She will be loved!

So welcome home little Lucy Jane Milne!