Elisabeth Anne was born nine days ago.
My second baby girl came into this world on her own good time after all. Although we'd been waiting to be scheduled so we could have everything set for Emma, and even though we were actually scheduled to go into the hospital on Tuesday, my water broke Monday afternoon and so it all began. I could really not ask for a better birth story. I had the afternoon off for the doctor's appointment anyway, so after he told me to report back at 7:00 am (yeah! big smiles!) I wandered a bit. I had a nice lunch, bought a book for myself and a book for Emma and a big pink stuffed elephant for baby girl. I walked, and started feeling some light contractions. By the time I picked up Emma and went home, I started to realize that maybe this was the real thing coming after all. We had already called Mom, so ate dinner and called the doc again... We waited long enough for me to put Emma to bed and give her some extra hugs, Mom arrived, and off we went. After a couple of hours of labor (which was not fun, but not terrible or unendurable), I got a room and my epidural. They turned off the lights, and I got an absolutely wonderful 6 hours of sleep! Since I hadn't gotten more than two at a time for weeks with the pregnancy, this was amazing all by itself. When I woke up in the morning, I was sick from the epidural. For a little while really sick, and I started to be scared whether I could manage to have a baby while throwing up. Glen crawled into bed with me and just held me. The pain finally started coming through the epidural too, but then my doctor arrived and (predicatably) he cheered and told me every horrible symptom was a great sign. At about 9:00 am he pronounced me fully dilated. By 9:30 the room was prepped. We did a practice push, three real pushes, and there was Elisabeth Anne! It was so amazing. 9 minutes??? And unlike Emma, I really felt everything beyond just the pain. I could feel her little head and then her shoulders and arms and legs. I got to see her coming into the world. Completely amazing. She is amazing. A beautiful head of hair like Emma's , but lighter, and she's somehow more dainty, despite being a pound heavier. I got to hear her first cries so soon, and then she was on my breast and nursing for the first time. Her mommy.
I will say that the rest of the hospital visit was not so pleasant. It was so overcrowded, we got stuck in the corner of what should have been a private room. Times with her were wonderful, but Glen and everyone was so angry on my behalf (and truthfully I was so disgusted), that it didn't really feel like a celebration. There was not a single space for flowers or guests, and no sunlight. We ended up using Glen's connections to get Elisabeth checked over by the top docs and we went home a day early. But, she is perfect and I feel great - so much better than when I was pregnant! Finally the flowers arrived and it started feeling right again. Our new life.
It's been nine days since she was born. It feels so much easier than Emma. Nursing her I can enjoy every second, not worrying over whether I am doing it right or if she's eating enough. This morning we had one of those perfectly blissful feedings that happens every once in awhile, where she was awake and looking at me. She would eat, wave her little arms, nuzzle around, and she gave me the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. My new baby girl.
Emma is doing well too. She needs more hugs, but she is also smiling at the baby and practicing naming body parts on her. With my mom and dad here, I have been able to take some extra time to be with Emma, and we make a point of reading together. Still a bit worried about what it will be like when I am on my own with both of them, but gaining confidence each day. It's good. It's all good. Thank you God for your blessings on me and Glen and our little family. Our perfect little family. I could not ask for more.
