The Happiest Moments of My Life

So this last weekend I had the some of the happiest moments of my life. They were the birth of my little baby girl Sophie, and then when my little boys really met her. Here is the story.

Friday I was scheduled to be induced at American Fork Hospital. They called us at noon and told us to be there in an hour. We gathered the boys up and took them to Grandma Morrise's house. On the way there I asked James if he thought the baby was going to look like mom or dad, to which he responded, "She is going to look like me." We laughed, and then dropped the boys off. We got to the hospital and they had to get me started on the anitbiotics first. So they did that and then they started the pitocin. Ben and I were both nervous and excited. I was really nervous about how much pain I was about to go through, but very excited to meet my baby girl. Contractions started and after a while the DR came and broke my water.

A couple hours later they came and checked me. The contractions were getting somewhat intense so I was thinking that I was had dilated a couple cm at least. Nope, nothing at all. grrr. So it was on with the labor. Things got more and more intense. My back was killing, so Ben sat there and massaged it for me. That really really helped. I was having to concentrate more and breathe my way through the pain. But I was feeling on top of things and hoping that things were finally moving along. So the nurse came and checked me once again. As she was checking me she got an odd look on her face, and then went out the door and got another nurse. They continued to check me saying things like "do you feel that?...yeah I do....I can definitely feel the head though..but yeah I can feel that too." I was like, "what!!? What can you feel??" They then told me that they could feel the baby's hand on top of her head. And that I had still not dilated any further. GRRR! At this point, the contractions were very very intense. I remember as each one started I wanted to curse my brains out, instead I held, okay probably broke, Ben's hand and breathed my way through the contraction. It seemed like I would just get a breath or two, and then another one would start. They were so darn painful and so close together, and I was only at 4 cm. This was not encouraging.

The nurse called the DR, and told him about the hand in they way. She then informed us that they would let me labor for a while, and see if they could move that little hand, but if they couldn't then they strongly recommend I get an epidural so that my muscles could relax and they could move her little hand out of the way. Otherwise, it would be a c-section. So I was really concentrating on relaxing as much as possible, but let me tell you something, when you are about to scream with each contraction, and they are only a minute apart, it is really hard to just relax. I have to say though, Ben was really great through it all. He let me brake his hand, he reminded me to breathe and helped me through each pain, he massaged my back....he was my lifesaver. Oh yeah, I forgot, somewhere through all this her heart rate started dropping, but it seemed that if I laid on my left side and didn't move, and had oxygen, her heart rate would stay where it needed. So I was stuck laying on my side and couldn't change position....that was not so amazing.

Okay so after another hour of hard labor, they checked me once again, at least I was at a 6 at this point, but her hand was even more in the way and they couldn't move it. So it was either c-section, or epidural and still possibility of a c-section. So I got the epidural. It was weird, once I knew I was getting an epidural, I couldn't keep in control of the pain. I just started shaking and my patience was gone, I was so tired and man! that PAIN WOULD NOT GO AWAY!!! I have so much respect for all the women in the history of the world that have given birth...my hat goes off to you. The anesthesiologist came and put the epidural in. I was thinking, oh nice now at least these contractions will go away. Nope. Nope Nope. It didn't take. an hour later, epidural #2 was given. This one mostly worked, but I could still feel everything in my back, but I was okay with that and just hoped that they could move her hand I would not need a c-section.

20 minutes later the nurse checked me...oh my goodness I was complete and they were going to try and deliver this baby. I can't believe how fast things went from here. in about 5 minutes they had the everything set up, the DR was there, and was trying to move her hand out of the way...oh and she was posterior...ah that is why my back was screaming...he flipped her over and after a little bit of work he moved her hand and told me to push....so I did, and there was her head! one more push, the rest of her head and her hand..and one last little push and her entire body just popped out! As soon as I saw her I started to laugh because James was 100% right, she looked just like him! She immediately started crying, Ben cut the cord and they put her on my chest. She peed all over me, but I couldn't have cared less. I was holding my baby girl, and she was here! Safe and sound, beautiful as could be. I have tears right now just thinking about it. It was one of the most beautiful moments ever. They scrubbed her clean, weighed her, 6 lbs, 10 oz 18.5 inches long. apgars of 8 & 9. She was born at 12:28 am. (she really did NOT want to be born on friday the 13th) They had me nurse her right away, which she did perfectly. Then Ben held her and as we looked at her together and fell completely in love with her I thought I would burst with happiness. It reminded me of my wedding day, and how happy I was. As Ben and I looked at our beautiful baby girl I was so full of love and sheer joy. It was one of the happiest moments of my entire life.

After we had our time with her we passed her around to my family. My sisters, Amy & Becca and my mom were there for the entire labor and birth. Becca is the one that took the pictures and I love that we have so many of her birth. It was so great to share that moment with my family and be surrounded by people I love. Once I was decent we called my dad and my brother, Jay, in. They all agreed that baby sophie looked just like James. Her hand was completely swollen from being so squished and she had a big red mark on her head from where her hand had been. But she was sweet as could be and I could not stop looking at her. She was just so darn cute! Her little squishy face, her bright beautiful eyes, her tiny little body....I could go on and on! Can you tell I am obsessed? Anyways, I am so grateful that she got here safe and sound, and that we are blessed to live in a time where babies make it here so safe and sound. I am also so grateful for all the prayers in our behalf, I know we were blessed that everything turned out so well.

The other happiest moment of my life this last weekend was this sunday. Susan and Marshall brought the boys home after we got home from the hospital. They had seen Sophie at the hospital, but were scared of me and didn't really pay attention to Sophie. Well, after we got things settled down at home, they came over and both wanted to see the baby. They each sat by me and we looked at her toes, fingers, hair, eyes, ears, belly, she grabbed their fingers.....they fell in love with her. James couldn't get enough of her. Once again I felt so much love in the room. I was surrounded by my little family. My two boys and our new baby girl. It was so beautiful to see our family all together and see how much the boys loved her. I was once again overwhelmed with love and joy.

Here are some pictures.

See, She is a cutie, 100% cutie.

This is when ben and I were just looking at our little baby and happier than anything in the world.

Look at those beautiful eyes....she is amazing. I love to see her look around.

This is the moment when I fell absolutely in love with her. It was seriously one of the happiest moments of my life.

Here is the Dr with her right after Ben cut the cord.

She is a cuddle bug, and I don't mind one bit. I sat and cuddled her most of the time we were at the hospital, and since I have been home, I can't seem to put her down. I don't want to miss out on one minute, they get big so fast! And she so sweet and content, I just want to enjoy her 100%.

I LOVE this picture, it was right after I gave her her first bath and her hair was 100% fuzzy, and yes I am in love with her hair. It is so dark and thick, gorgeous. Yes, I have my little girl, I am completely in love with her and absolutely obsessed. My house may be way more messy than I ever like it, but I am enjoying my baby and one day I will get back to cleaning, but for now I have a little one to snuggle.