Welcome to The World!

I would like to introduce you to the newest Dray! She arrived at 3:41 am this morning. She weighed 6 lbs, 11 oz and is 19.5 inches long. Her APGAR scores were 8 and 9.
It all started on Tuesday morning when I woke up at 1:30am with consistent contractions, 3-5 min. apart. Although they were not terribly strong, they were very consistent and getting stronger. We arrived at the hospital at 4am. By 8am contractions were 2 min apart and I was dilated to 4cm.

This picture was taken about 5 minutes after she was born.

About noon (back to the story) I was dilated 5cm and 85% effaced. And then the contractions stopped. And then...nothing. NOTHING. I had been walking almost the entire day to keep labor going and make it faster....I was totally exhausted and then I was defeated. I finally decided to go home...because I could sit and look at a wall at home as well as in the hospital. I have to admit I was angry at myself and really sad to go home. I felt stupid.

Look how small next to daddy's hand!

I went home and rested, spent time with the boys, and went to bed at 10. At exactly 1:30am I woke up and couldn't breathe, I was contracting so hard. I tried to get up and walk it off and drink some water. I tried watching a movie to relax and get my mind off of it because I (in my own head) was not going back to the hospital till my water broke...I was going to be SURE she was on her way.

During her first bath :o)

Well, that plan didn't work. I was in so much pain I had to wake #1 up (I think he would have heard me yelling in the bathroom during contractions anyway, I was SO in pain). He called the doctor and we left for the hospital. The last time I looked at the clock in the car, right by the parking lot it was 2:40 am.

I love that #1 took this picture. It is so sweet! She has really long feet and fingers.

When we got back to the hospital, there were no more rooms in the section I was supposed to deliver in, so I went to regular labor and delivery. I was 7 cm and fully effaced. I already felt like I needed to push.

Daddy got his little girl!

When we got to the room, there was a nurse to be with me from Family Beginnings (where I was supposed to deliver) and I had actually had her the morning before when we were admitted. She was wonderful and kept talking me through contractions. Although it wasn't the big tub like the they had in their section, she had the nurses fill the regular tub and got me right in. Up to this point I was really questioning my decision to "deliver natural".

All cleaned up and "suntanning" in the warmer bed.

As soon as I got in the tub, I felt more in control and more relaxed. Within about 5 minutes I was 10 cm. When my doctor arrived I had to get out of the tub because he doesn't do water births. That was a LONG walk to the bed, let me tell you! He had to break my water because her head was right there, but the sac wouldn't let her deliver. As soon as my water broke, she was on her way out. It was a little tough because her arm/hand was up by her face. She was born within an hour of us getting to the hospital campus!

All of her vitals, and other things like her bath were done bedside, it was so nice! I may have been in "traditional" labor and delivery, but they did their best to make it like it would have been. I was up and around within a half hour, felt great.

Big brothers came to visit...Snug was SO proud.

This picture is my favorite of the three of them. Little Monkey Man was pretty good with her. I don't trust him EVER alone with her, but he really did a nice job.

We have to work on not petting her or touching her face. She has lots of dark wavy hair and Snug kept petting it like an animal :o)

My two babies!

Kisses for sister...

...cuddles for Grandmommy.

She is a good nurser and eats every hour to two hours. She's had several dirty and a couple of wet diapers.

I think there will be lots of kisses and cuddles and time spent together. He has been excited to meet her for a long time. He of course knew she was a "gay-url brother" from the beginning. :o)

There are lots of new things to climb at the hospital. Lots of new things to learn about a baby sister.

Well, I guess that is all from the Drays, today!