Etta Loy

She's here!  After all the waiting and all the anticipation, our little bundle of joy has arrived!  We are so blessed that baby Etta has joined our little family.  She makes an absolutely perfect addition to our crew :). 

So, though everyone probably doesn't need all of the details of her big arrival, I feel like I need to write it all down.  So that some day, when the little details are forgotten, she can read and know everything that happened on her big day:

Saturday the 23rd, Jon had taken the boys out fishing with Grandma Glen.  Before they left, they decided that they were also going to camp with Jon's cousin Chris that night.  Chris had his camper out at Smokey's, so they just grabbed their sleeping bags and pjs on their way out to the lake.  I warned Jon before he left - "Keep your phone handy.  You just never know."  I had been having random contractions off and on all day, but this had been happening for weeks, so I wasn't too worried about it.

So, I enjoyed my quiet evening at home and went to bed early.  About 11:30, I woke up, definitely having a contraction.  So, I just laid in bed for awhile.  About 10 minutes later, I had another.  So, I started timing them.  After about 40 minutes of regular contractions, I texted Jon (reception stinks out there).  I said "I think you better come home.  I think this is it."  His response - "Are you sure?"  All I thought was NO, I'm not SURE.  But I am making a pretty educated guess... :)  So, he loaded the boys up (who were already sleeping), took them to my mom's, and got home in record time.  Later, he tells me all about the fiasco of him and Chris and their camping buddies all frantically trying to round up the kids and their belongings.  It sounded pretty comical!

Jon got home about 1 or 1:30.  By that time, the contractions were every 3 to 4 minutes.  I wasn't too worried, though, because they were really short in length and didn't hurt all THAT bad (remember, I have never had a "real" contraction without labor-inducing medicine, so I had no real perspective).  So, I am leisurely getting ready - took a quick bath, shaved my legs, finished packing up.  All while Jon is looking at me with fear in his eyes, I think afraid he was going to end up delivering this baby in the truck (we live 3 minutes from the hospital - surely that wasn't going to happen!). 

We arrived at the hospital about 2.  By this point, the contractions are starting to hurt a lot more!  The nurse checked me, and got a bit of a frantic look in her eyes.  She told me I was dilated 6 cm.  And then she asked if we could do the admission paperwork later.  To me, I took that as the baby was coming soon!  Then she asked if I wanted an epidural.  I said "Yeah, I think so."  So, she said, "Sounds good.  If we have time." 

Fortunately, they was quick on the draw.  I had my epidural at about 3.  It must have slowed down labor quite a bit, because then not much happened for awhile.  That was probably a good thing because Jon and I got to sleep then from about 4 to 7.  At 7, the doctor came in to do rounds.  He checked me quick, told me he was going to break my water, and then I was going to have a baby!!

So, about 4 or 5 pushes later, there she was!!!  A perfect baby girl!!!  Labor was awesome, baby was awesome, mom felt awesome!  She came out nursing like a champ.  And has been a great little baby ever since.  At our weigh and feed thingy two days after release, she ate 2 1/2 ounces.  She slept 6 hours her first night home from the hospital.  Now, a week and a half later, she is sleeping up to 9 hours at a time.  She definitely has an affinity to her mama, but I don't mind.  I'm just learning again how to do everything one handed :).

The boys are adjusting to her great.  It is amazing how they just accept her as part of the family, no questions asked.  Automatically, they tell her they love her and smother her with kisses.  Never once have they acted jealous or angry about the time she takes.  Maybe that will come, but so far, they are doing great.  We are so far enjoying our summer home.  It has been terribly hot, so Etta and I haven't gotten much time outside, but hopefully things will return to "normal" soon and we'll get to do that.  We've made a few ventures out of the house together - we're planning a trip to the grocery store this afternoon.  Here's hoping that our new little family continues to do well and grow together!  I am SOOO blessed!!