What a miracle!

Wow, what an adventure we have been on this last little while! We are on top of the world with our little girl and couldn't have asked for things to go better.

{Paused during contractions to get one last picture!}

Thursday night I started having contractions that were inconsistent, but painful. Nothing really happened, and this kept going on for days. I tried not to get my hopes up when on Tuesday morning they were getting slightly stronger. We sent Isaac off to a friends house since Cory and I were both sick and no fun for a toddler. An hour later I called my doula who came over to help me breathe through my contractions, which were now two minutes apart, but surprisingly not as bad as I thought they were going to be.

About a half an hour later (around 1:30ish) we headed up to the hospital since my doula thought my labor was progressing quickly. I was still in doubt, but that changed fast when I was checked and was at 6cm and completly effaced. This was it!

It was so nice to have both Cory and my doula Kirsten there to help me though the pain, especially since I really wanted to try natural. With Isaac, I had a c-section and was completly out of it the whole time. I wanted to enjoy this birth and have a VBAC (vaginal delivery after cesarean) and I felt that to be sure that was going to happen, I needed to at least try no drugs.

I was progressing quickly and about the time I couldn't take the pain anymore, I was completly dialated. They wanted me to push, but I had no desire nor urge. After an hour of sheer torture, I felt like I was getting no where. My midwife checked me yet again, and I was actually only at 9cm. I couldn't take it anymore. I felt quite literally like I was dying and didn't care how this baby was getting out. Heck, I would have cut it out myself! Kirsten convinced me to keep going forward, getting through one contration at a time. Cory was a pro and kept me going emotionally and physically and was my biggest supporter.

Quickly I felt her move down and was feeling the need to push. Boy was that something else! One and a half hours later, and my exhausted self about to go under I felt like I just couldn't keep going. She felt as if she was stuck and wasn't budging. I told everyone that in order for me to accomplish the delivery I wanted, I NEEDED the epidural, and needed rest. They called the anesthesiologist and at that moment this little baby decided to cooperate and move down. Her head was right there, and 30ish minutes later (and me fighting every single, painful, neverending contraction) she slid right out (alright, so it wasn't that easy)! I could not believe what had just happened! At the end it all comes so fast, and I tried to take in every moment I could. I was stunned that I actually did it!

She was beautiful, and best of all she was here!!! Her little lungs screamed out loudly and quickly she calmed down being on my chest. My midwife and nurse were awesome and let us enjoy the moment and let me keep her on me for an hour, and didn't even bug us for weight, shots, or anything. What a special moment we were able to share and just enjoy what we had accomplished. It was as big of an accomplishment for Cory as it was for me, and we both were in ecstasy at that moment. She fed like a champ, and is so content. And did I mention she's perfect?

{My awesome support team- Midwife Rachel, husband/teatherball Cory, Doula Kirsten, and great nurse Robyn. Couldn't have done it without all of them}

After the hour of bonding and feeding, she was ready to be cleaned and weighted. That morning before we knew it was the actual thing, I guess she was going to be 8lb 6oz. Talk about a mother's intuition!

Cory was so excited to be able to participate since with Isaac he wasn't even able to see him being born. He got to cut the cord, give her a bath, and be with her every moment. She has him wrapped around her little finger!

{All clean and with a bow! Girls are SO fun!}

It was fun becuase my good friend Sarah had her baby the night before and was there to greet us in recovery. Her little boy Porter is darling, and we have decided they are destined to be married.

Finally named and in nicer clothes than what the hospital provides, we introduce

Audrey Leanne Bird

We are SO grateful to Cory's mom who was able to come up and stay with Isaac and help us out for a few days. She instantly fell in love with out little Audrey, and I know she can't wait until we come home so she can love on her some more.

Our almost complete family. Unfortunately, due to H1N1 going around, no one under the age of 18 is allowed in the hospital to visit, including siblings. Isaac will get to meet his baby sister tomorrow and is so excited to "play dinosaurs" with her!

How can you not love those chubby cheeks and those funny lips?! I'll try to get pictures of her 3 chins soon, because I just want to gobble them up!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who supported us and believed in us (even if you thought we were nuts...ahem Chandi and Jess). We really kept going because of you and are so excited to share out little miracle with you!