She's Finally Here!!!

So, Miss Stella has finally joined the outside world! She is such a sweet, precious little baby. She has brought so much joy to our lives already and all she does is sleep!

Monday I had a doctor appointment & when he checked me nothing was happening. My cervix was still posterior and I had no effacement. I was only 1 1/2 cm dilated and it seemed as if she was just not wanting to leave her snug little home. My doctor asked me what I wanted to do at that point. Before my appointment Matt wanted me to ask if I could be induced on Tuesday. I asked my doctor & he said he would call the hospital & see if anything was available. He came back in a few minutes later & told me to be at the hospital at 6 am on Tuesday.

I was so set on Thursday, that when he did say Tuesday it was like a whirlwind for the rest of Monday. I got the things I needed done taken care of, had lunch w/my sister and went shopping.

Tuesday morning Matt & I headed to the hospital at 5:30 am. I barely slept Monday night and I was having contractions throughout the night. Apparently I went into labor on my own Monday evening, but I didn't pay much attention to the contractions since I knew I was going to be induced in a few hours. When we were checking in, a woman was being wheeled on a bed from triage screaming her head off. Obviously she was in labor, and it was hard for me not to laugh. Especially since I knew I would be in that pain in a short while. By time I had my iv & the pitocin it was roughly 7 am. I started having contractions almost immediately. My doc checked me around 9 am and I was 70% effaced. That's when he said I was already in the early stages of labor before we got to the hospital. He broke my water and he said he would be back around noon.

I could not talk through my contractions from the time they started. They were regular every 2-3 minutes and painful! My parents got to the hospital around 10 & I was feeling miserable. I was texting inbetween contractions letting my sister know what was going on. She really wanted to be there & was finishing up things with her work.

At 9 am I was 2 cm. When I asked for my epidural I was 4 cm. By the time I received my epidural I was 7 cm. I literally had just spoke to my nurse & she told me if I felt like I had to poop or if I heard a baby cry to call her right away. My doctor came in the room & he said since the nurse had just checked me and I was 7 cm he would go to his office, then come back in about an hour (his office is 5 min from the hospital). Literally as soon as he walked out of the room I felt the urgency to push! I felt it a couple of times, and I felt silly for saying anything since 5 minutes earlier I was at 7 cm! Finally I told my mom I felt like I had to push. I was so numb from the epidural I couldn't turn my body to call the nurse. My mom pushed the nurse call button, I told her I felt like I had to push and luckily my doctor was right outside the door. He came in, checked me & said "yep, you're complete". He then said I was amazing.

It took a few minutes to set the room up, so Matt & my doctor chatted for a few minutes about sports. When the room was ready I pushed through 3 contractions and she was here! He had to use forceps because her heart rate dropped and he wanted her out. I watched in the mirror as she was pulled out and I saw all of her dark hair. It is all so amazing. I wish I could relive that moment over and over again. There is nothing better in the world than to see your baby for the first time.

I cut the umbilical cord. Matt didn't want to, so my doctor asked if I wanted to do it. Of course!!! I will post a pic of me cutting the cord. There is a few pics I did not put on FB because I don't want everyone to see. Nothing graphic, but there is blood and stuff.

As we were pushing me, Matt, & my doc took bets on how big she would be. I said 8 lbs, my doc said 8 lbs 5 oz, and Matt said 8 lbs 2 oz...when she was weighed & the nurse said 8 lbs 15 oz I was shocked! Since Olivia was only 6 lbs 7 oz I didn't think I would have a baby that big!
Olivia is adjusting so well to her sister. We got video of her meeting her for the first time & it is so sweet. I hope she stays this sweet with her in the weeks to come. I'm trying to let Olivia help me with the baby as much as she can. I don't want her to feel rejected in anyway.

My hormones are so crazy. I hate that I cry over nothing. I mostly cry because I missed Olivia so badly while I was at the hospital. When she would leave in the evening I felt so sad and so lonely without her bubbly little self. Having Stella makes me feel like I love Olivia so much more than I knew. Especially being away from her for 2 nights. Its amazing how much love I have for the both of them. It just comes so naturally and feels so amazing.

We got home yesterday and I am so happy to be home. I was so lonely at the hospital when no one was visiting. Especially Tuesday night, that was awful because no one stayed the night with me. It was just Stella & I and the nurses checking us every few hours.

I will try to post more tonight and get a few more pictures on here.