SHE'S FINALLY HERE!

I went to the doctor on May 1st and of course I was still only dialated to 3cm :-(  Finally I had decided that I had waited long enough to go into labor naturally so we scheduled an appointment for Monday morning to be induced.  I was very reluctant, but I figured by that point, 11 days late was late enough!  I even told Steve he should go to work on Saturday because I didn't think anything was going to happen....

To my surprise, Saturday morning at about 4:00am I started having contractions!  I layed in bed for about an hour and a half timing them and then at 5:30 I woke Steve up to let him know that my contractions were about 8 minutes apart!  For the next 30 minutes we timed the contractions and when they were about 6 minutes apart I decided we should probably start getting ready to go to the hospital!  I called my friend Kelsey who was going to watch Xavier and let her know that TODAY WAS THE DAY and asked if she could pick up Xavier at the hospital!!

On our way to the hospital we called the rest of the family!  By that time the contractions were 2-4 minutes apart.  We arrived at the hospital a little after 7am.  There was nobody around to check us in so we kept walking and we actually ran into my doctor walking down the hall going to check on her patients that had delivered during the night.  Our doctor was also on her way to coach her team in a vball game that morning in Stanwood.  So she grabbed me and took me to labor and delivery to get checked in!  Once we stepped in I was like ok lets call the anesthesiologist!  EPIDURAL TIME!!

It took forever to get my epidural because I have very low blood pressure so they had to keep giving me fluids and wait until my blood pressure was high enough.  By this time the contractions were every 2 minutes and I was in SOO much pain!  I don't know how anyone gives birth without the epidural, but those who do...you are my idols!  When my doctor checked me I was still only at 5cm so she went to her vball game and said she would be back by 11am!  

Once the epidural starting working the families had started to show up so we all kind of hung out in the room to wait!  When Dr. Garde arrived back at 11:15 I was ready to go!  So everyone left the room except Steve and by 11:35am I started to push!  It was a great delivery!  Harper was born at Noon on the dot!  She weighed in at a hefty 8lbs 12oz and is 22.25 inches long!  As soon as she was born they put her on my chest.  I didn't get to do that with Xavier so this was very special!  Steve was taking pictures and we both thought she looked like Xavier when he was born!

It was such a perfect day and looking back I would do it all over!  Well except for the waiting for 9 days after my due date for her to arrive!  The other funny thing is, my best friend Amanda who was also pregnant and due a month after me ended up having her baby on the same day!  How crazy is that!  She randomly went into labor that morning like me and she had a C-Section an hour and a half after Harper was born...so at least I still beat her...after all I was due a month before her!  

We went home the next day and have loved having Harper around.  She is so sweet and Xavier is starting to enjoy her now too!

The epidural is working so now we can take  pictures!

Mom & Me waiting it out

The "Fun Sisters"

She's finally here!

8lbs 12oz  22.25 inches
We think she looks like Xavier

Steve bringing in Xavier for the first encounter!

When we were explaining to Xavier that this was Harper he said, "She Got Out!"  It was so cute!
Taking her temp
Nakie and sweet
Nana & Harper
Daddy admiring his little girl!
3 generations of "Brown" women
Grandma & Grandpa getting their first look.
EE holding Harper
EEE smiling at Harper
Great Aunt Laurie & Harper
Great Uncle Dave holding Harper
Daddy getting some snuggle time
Xavier & Daddy checking out Harper
Mommy showing Harper to Xavier
Mommy & Harper some quiet snuggle time