Our Sweet Angel

I don't think I have ever been so happy to be home than I am right now! As nice as all the nurses and everyone are at the hospital, I would much rather be at home doing it on my own. So here is the birth story. It's kind of long because I have to start a few days before we actually had her. So bear with me.

For the past couple weeks my belly had been measuring small and then this last week it didn't grow at all. My doctor was a little concerned and gave me an ultra sound on Friday to measure Kennedie and make sure she was still growing. After the measurements the estimated age was 31 weeks. The scary thing is that I was 36 1/2 weeks along. We knew that she would probably be small because Madison was and I just have small babies...apparently. But the estimated weight was 4 lbs. + or - 11 oz. So the ultra sound was saying that she would be from 3 lbs. 5 oz. to 4 lbs. 11 oz. Either way, teeny tiny and I was terrified. Madison was 5 lbs. 11 oz. and so little, so I couldn't imagine having a 3 lb. baby. Anyway, so my doctor decided to have me go home over the weekend then come back Monday to remeasure and make sure he hadn't messed it up or see if she was growing. That was the longest weekend of my life by the way...I couldn't sleep and I was racked with worry. I didn't really know what to expect and my mind was just constantly consumed. I was terrified of what would happen if I had a 3 lb. baby, I was worried about time in the NICU. All the worst case scenarios were going through my head.

We asked all our family to join us in having a special prayer and fast that everything would work out the way it was supposed to and Kennedie would be okay. Just so you all know, I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your prayers. We definitely felt them and we could feel the Lord's hand in all this. It was a huge blessing.

Sunday I started having harder contractions than I had experienced before, but they weren't regular and only came like once an hour or something. So I didn't really think much of them. That night just before 11:00 they got stronger and started coming 4 minutes apart. I couldn't sleep through them. By 3:00 they were coming every 2 minutes or so and I told Alan that we needed to go to the hospital. We got to the hospital and they started the moniters and sure enough I was in labor. I was dialated to a 4 and my contractions were still coming every 2 minutes and getting harder and harder. They admitted me and around 6:30 I got my epidural...ahh bliss...haha. It was smooth sailing from there. At about 10:00-10:15 (probably at this point I wasn't really looking at the clock) my blood pressure dropped and so did her heartrate. They came rushing in and gave me oxygen and said "Oh we're ready to have your baby!" They called my doctor to come and it felt like an eternity before he showed up. I leaned over to Alan and told him that I bet I would only need to push one time and she would be here because I could feel her sitting right there ready to come out. The nurses wouldn't even let me give a practice push because they were afraid she would come. My doctor finally got there and had me start to push. Then he said "Okay stop. There's her head." Then we had to sit there and wait for what seemed another eternity until the NICU nurses and respiratory therapists got there. So I sat there with half her head out. They finally showed up, I pushed once and she was here! She came out crying which was the best noise I had heard in my entire life. All the fears of under developed lungs and size issues left my mind when my doctor said she looked awesome and the NICU nurses could go. We shouted for joy to see 5 lbs. 3 oz. on the scale. It was an emotional weekend with a great outcome! We are so glad that she is here safe and sound at 3 weeks early.

That is one proud daddy. There is something truly special about a daddy with his little girls.

My parents had Madison and they brought her over to see us once we had her. She was very interested in meeting this Kennedie person I had been talking about for the past nine months.

She proceeded to pointing out her facial features.

Our little family. Alan's just a bit out numbered now.

Alan's parents came by to see us at the hospital too. This is grandchild #50 for them I believe.

Madison also got a new baby that giggles and cries and kicks it's feet. She has been pretty spoiled with new toys from grandmas, aunts, and mommy and daddy. She's doing really well today with everything. Yesterday she seemed really frustrated. None of it, thank goodness, has been directed at Kennedie though. She thinks baby "Kennenie" is pretty dang cool and loves to touch her and share with her. I hope it stays that way.

Kennedie is doing really well. She slept really well last night and only woke up to eat and then went right back down. She is a super content baby and sleeps all the time...you forget how easy they are at this stage. She is perfect in everyway and we feel so very blessed!

Here we are, me and my girls!