Nothing more amazing!

On Monday morning (11/21/11), I had my last OB checkup where the doctor set me up to be induced at 1:00 a.m. on 11/22/11. All the waiting and planning finally coming to a fast peak! All the things that needed done to prepare for our baby girl's arrival, were finished over the last couple weeks. And to top off all of the perfect planning, my mom made it down from Michigan the night before. So with all the details complete, we decided to go to some stores to walk. A few hours after my appointment, I started to feel contractions that progressively got more painful throughout the day. I did everything from a hot shower to bouncing on the yoga ball in hopes that it would get me more favorable for the fast approaching induction. By midnight, I told my husband and mom that it was time to go and I couldn't wait any longer. The contractions were coming every few minutes and were getting pretty painful. Upon arrival at L&D, the nurses knew by my face that I was indeed in active labor. The nurses were going to start pitocin, but I refused it because I was afraid I couldn't handle worse pain than it already was going naturally. Over the next 7 hours, I did my best to get through all the pain without pain meds or pitocin and dilated to an 8 all on my own. The doctor broke my water and gave me some more time to progress on my own. THEN...I was stuck at an 8 for 3 hours. The nurses finally told me that I must start Pitocin to complete the last 2 centimeters to which I refused to do unless they gave me an epidural. I was at the point of desperation for some relief so I could try to rest. The anesthesia team came very quickly and did the epidural. As soon as they finished, I yelled "I NEED TO PUSH". I couldn't think of anything else, I just knew it was time to push. The doctor came running...10 minutes later, LilyAna LeAnn came into the world! Tears rushed to my eyes as they laid her on my chest and I seen her face for the first time...my heart swelled with more love than I thought I would ever know as I heard her first cries. And I felt so proud as I watched my husband cut her umbilical cord to free her from my body for the first time. It's hard to find powerful enough words to describe how it feels to bring a baby into the world; I am in awe and just so in love.

Just as I thought I couldn't feel any more love and excitement, I quickly realized I could. When my parents brought our son up to the hospital to see Lily for the first time, I thought my heart would burst. Once we got Carter positioned in my lap, we laid Lily in front of him and he looked right at her with a face of wonder. To what extent he understands, I do not know. But to hold both of my babies in my arms all at once, was so perfect!

I could not have asked for things to happen any more perfectly!