Our St. Patrick's Day Miracle

Well, after all of the scheduling drama, I am thrilled to report that I got my St. Patrick's Day baby!! My delivery story is not as long this time - since "labor" (can you really call it that when you get your epidural before you start feeling anything??) only lasted about 4 and 1/2 hours. Basically, we checked into the hospital at 8 p.m. on Wed. evening. I was the only patient on the floor, so things moved quickly and we had plenty of attention. The nurses and staff got me registered and settled, and the doctor checked to see how I was progressing. I was dilated to a 4, so he ordered the Pitocin to be started. The nurse arranged for me to have my epidural first (love her), so they started my IV fluids, and the epidural was placed with minimal discomfort by 9:30 or 10 p.m. They got the Pitocin running, and broke my water shortly after that. Things progressed quickly from there. The nurse checked me and told me I was dilated to a 7. She checked me again less than 5 minutes later. I thought she was crazy to do that - how much could I have progressed in 5 minutes??? Oh, 2 more cm, making me a 9. They got the room set up for delivery, and about an hour or so later, they confirmed that I was fully dilated and effaced. They had me do a practice push. When the baby's head started coming out, they told me to stop, yelled for the doctor, instructing him to not take time to don a cap or booties, and asked me to stay as still as possible. Cline heard the doctor coming down the hallway and yelled, "Hey Chris! If you don't get in here right now, I'm getting paid for this delivery!" I laughed, and was told to stop. Our doctor arrived in the room a few seconds later, and Elizabeth Claire was born with very little effort at 2:23 am on March 17 - Saint Patrick's Day!! She weighed in at 9 lbs 3 oz and measured 20 inches long!! No wonder that heartburn was so excruciating those last few days of pregnancy! She is my biggest and hairiest baby by far as well as my easiest pregnancy and delivery! Enjoy some pictures of our special first couple of days together!

Ready to go to the hospital and meet this baby!

Our precious angel! Our doctor made us a gift and designed it and hand-made it himself! It's a surgical cloth from the delivery kit with a shamrock drawn on it!

Elizabeth spit up on the cute onesie that I looked everywhere for and finally ordered on the internet within about an hour of me putting her in it. Needless to say, I did not get the 1000 pictures of her that I'd imagined, but this one turned out pretty cute! None of my newborns have looked like each other. Elizabeth has my hair as a newborn, and looks like what I expected Christa to look like when she was born.

Settled in the post-partum room. Can you tell we'd been up for 30 hours??

Abby Kate meeting Elizabeth for the first time. She pointed and said, "Beth," but wasn't too interested in touching her.

Christa, on the other hand, couldn't hold her enough. She was so proud, and really wanted Elizabeth to come home with us that day.

Ready for pictures!!

Ready to go home and begin life as a family of five!

We are so blessed, and I thank God for all of my girls. I am sooooooo thankful that He decided that our family needed this sweet baby girl right now, and let us keep her after a scary beginning of pregnancy!