Introducing...our little girl!

Our sweet baby C is finally here!

She decided to come a week early (no complaints here!) and was born Feb 24th. She weighed in at 8 lbs and 3 ounces and about 20 inches long. She has dark brown hair and eyes..we are now two for four with brown eyes! Daddy's so proud!

My water broke at 12:15 in the morning. We called our midwife around 12:30..who told us to wait until the contractions got stronger..apparently he forgot how I told him my labors tend to go quite fast.

So I waited..about 10 minutes! and called back. This time I reminded him and he said he'd meet us at the birthing center. We called on a ward friend (who also happens to be a doula) and she came with her 14 year old to sleep on our couch (she was going with us to be my doula and help me with breathing and pain management).











We arrived at the birthing center around 1:15..I was checked (dialated to a 6) and proceeded to labor. At first I opted to sit on the birthing ball..which worked great for a bit (pain wise) but the contractions were coming fast and hard.













Next I walked around..With H's birth..that is when I knew I was in labor..gravity took control and her head engaged and that brought on labor! So I wanted to make sure C was in position before I got in the birthing pool (yes, you read that right..birthing pool).




















I had a really long, hard one while my sweet hubby held me up. That was the last one..I knew it was time to get in the water so around 2 a.m I climbed in the pool.














It wasn't long..although to me it seemed like forever as each contraction came and intensified and left and then came again. The water worked great for helping me relax and take the edge off the pain..I think it was 20 minutes later I was ready to push! Unfortunately..my cervix had one small section that wasn't completely 'soft' yet so during a contraction the midwife had to push that part up over C's head so her head could come out. SOOOO painful!! Worst part EVER of the whole natural birth..but yet..fleeting!

So after that I pushed 4 times and she was out! (a total of 2.5 hours..even I was shocked)
It was amazing! Such an incredible experience! Never in my life have I felt so close to my Savior Jesus Christ, then I did during C and H's births. It was eye opening! I felt like I got a small taste of what the Savior went through for me in the Garden of Gethsemane.
So much pain, but for a beautiful and noble cause..life!

I will never forget the feeling of complete joy when they showed her to me for the first time


then placed her in my arms.

She was wide awake!! And as she rested near my heart, she would tilt her head back to look at me when I spoke to her. Truly a beautiful experience!
She made one tiny cry but then layed in my arms quietly..taking it all in.

After a little bit in the water, I was helped out and onto the bed..interestingly enough, she was still attached to the chord and the chord was still attached to me. I guess they don't rush the delivery of the placenta so they wrapped us in warm blankets and got us comfy and dry and just let us have that time together..me..R and C. It was so great!

The three of us took a nap then R left around 5:30 to head home and get a last minute project done for his HUGE presentation that day (he didn't go in, but he had to email it). And to get the kids. They all showed up around 9:00 and we were discharged at 9:30 that morning.

Baby C has been such a wonderful addition and blessing to our family! She has had so many moments of being completely awake..we've even caught a few 'smiles'. She is doing so well! We took her in to see the pediatrician the next day..because they don't make the rounds at a birthing center..and they were impressed at how great she looked..coloring wise etc. She had lost 10 ounces so they wanted us to bring her back Monday just to be safe. We did and she was 3 ounces shy of her birth weight.

We have experienced such love from all of our ward family and friends! There has been a never ending supply of meals and phone calls. We are grateful to all!