Anna Kate's birth story...unedited....

Let me start off by saying I really didn't want to go 41 weeks with this baby like I did with Rody. My pregnancy was thankful free of complications and very routine. At my 38 week appointment, my doctor gave me the option of inducing a little earlier than my due date. This was finally our decision to induce at 39 weeks 2 days--an induction of convenience really. We were scheduled to be at the hospital Sunday night at 10pm for a Monday baby.

Leading up to this induction, I had a lot of varying emotions. I am sure it nothing new for moms. I was scared of how this new baby would change the dynamics of our family--namely Rody. I also knew that this newborn stage would be entirely different since I also had a toddler to care for...

Both our parents came up on Sunday afternoon and we went to eat at Olive Garden. It was a lot of fun for Rody to have both sets of grandparents in town! We enjoyed a delicious meal, loaded Rody in my parents van, and Randy and I headed to Starbucks! My parents stayed with Rody on Sunday night while Randy's parents stayed in a hotel near the hospital. Randy and I got some coffee knowing it was going to be a long night...it was actually a sweet time for me..just Randy and I together the night before our lives were going to gloriously change again!

We got to the hopsital and "checked in"...like a hotel...funny...and the pitocin started at 11:30 pm. I was 3 cm and 70% effaced when I got to the hospital. I knew I wanted an epidural since I've experienced pitocin contractions before and I knew I wanted to get it before I was in so much pain like with Rody. So, I labored for about 3.5 hours before I asked for the epidural. I was still only 3 cm dilated at that point, but my cervix had softened up some more. So, I got the epidural and it was nice...I could relax, sleep (I don't think I really did though) and wait for things to happen. And nothing really did...I dilated to 4cm at 6am...when the nurse checked me, my water ended up breaking, and then things took off...

From 6am-9am, I dilated from 4-9cm very quickly. My doctor came in for his morning rounds at 9am and I told him I was having some intense pressure. So he checked me and said "well, it's because you are 9cm"....Randy and I knew it was go time. It is crazy though. Jenny my nurse at the time came in to get things set up. Dr. C got back in around 9:20 and they got me ready to push. I wanted to really remember this experience. I was out of it with Rody's birth at this time and don't recall a lot of this part of labor. Everything about this birth was just calm and relaxing...hard to explain....but just beautiful.

Dr. Childs had me push through one contraction, looked at Jenny and told her to call the delivery team since this baby was coming on the next contraction. So, the delivery team came in and I pushed 2 more times...then Dr. C told me just to stop...her head was almost through. I remember looking at Randy as her head came out. I wish I could have had a picture of his face...it was just priceless...such joy and amazment at the miracle of birth...then, her shoulders slid out and I was done! I couldn't believe it was that easy. I am so thankful...it was just a blessed delivery.

She started to cry....not as loudly as Rody did...she seems much more calm and laid back at this point than Rody. And she was just about the same size as Rody...just 1 ounce less and 1/4 inch shorter! After they checked her, Randy brought her to me...and my heart's capacity to love just doubled!

We are thankful, blessed, and overwhlemed all at the same time.

Welcome to the world, Anna Katherine! We love you more than you know!