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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Birth Announcement - It's a Girl!

After 9 months of anticipation, we were finally able to meet our baby GIRL!  Elise Margaret Eme was born on 9/18/11 at 12:11 p.m. - 8lbs 30z and 21inches long with a full head of dark hair!  She is perfect and healthy and we are just so blessed to have this sweet girl in our lives.  We are proud parents to say the least!  On Saturday, September 17, Ryan and I, my in-laws and sister went to a popular Fort Wayne festival - Johnny Appleseed Festival - and we walked and walked and walked for 4 1/2 hours, and of course we ate some goooooood food too!  Then we went to run some errands, trying anything to stay up and vertical for the day to help myself progress into labor.  That evening, we were eating our last dinner with just the two of us and watching a movie when I started to notice my contractions were increasing in intensity and getting closer together and more consistent (I'd been having contractions since Thursday here and there).  So we decided to time them and for a little more than an hour they were 3-4 minutes apart and 45 seconds long.  And then when I went to the restroom, I *thought* my water had broke but wasn't quite sure what it meant to have a slow leak.  So we called the nurse and they suggested we go into Labor and Delivery (L&D).  

So off we went and they monitored me for about 2 hours, and I was progressing slowly but surely, and my contractions were staying consistent.  They weren't sure if my water broke either.  So since I was progressing and I was going to be induced later that day (by this time it was close to 1am Sunday morning), they went ahead and admitted me to L&D.  They monitored me with out any IV's or anything for a few hours and I continued to progress.  Around 3 am they put in a cervix softener to help move things along and by golly, that REALLY progressed things.  That increased my contractions to be 2 minutes apart more than 45 seconds long and WAY more intense and painful.  It only took about 45 minutes for my water to "officially" break and shortly after, I was begging for the epidural.  I give MAD PROPS to any women who does that without drugs!  Brave, brave women!  

So the ever so amazing anesthesiologist came in, gave me he epidural and life was MUCH better:)  I was able to rest a little bit since Ryan and I had been up for almost 24 hours at this point (it was about 5am).  They also started me on pitocin to get my contractions closer together.  At 8:15 a.m., I was 4cm and about 80% effaced.  By 10:15a.m. I was feeling more pressure on my tailbone so they checked me and to my surprise, I was 10 cm and 100% effaced.  So they started prepping me to start pushing.  I started pushing about 11:25ish and she was here by 12:11p.m.!  This process was way different than I ever imagined, probably because of the epidural but I was having so much fun, making jokes, and trying to keep things light since I had no idea what to expect.  I had the most amazing L&D nurse(s), especially one in particular that was helping me push.  She truly made this process move quickly and easily.  I wasn't able to have my doctor deliver her because he wasn't on call, but I ended up with a GREAT doctor and she really helped make this process much more enjoyable.   

Ryan had guessed girl the entire time but for some reason, I still thought it was truly going to be a boy!  So I was *SO* shocked when Dr. Garner held her up and I saw it was a girl!  Life with her these past 11 days has been a rollercoaster to say the least but we are enjoying every moment of it.  Despite the lack of sleep we are getting, and trying to just keep our heads above the water, we are as happy as can be!  It isn't nearly as bad as I imagined it being but I'm still adjusting to 2 hours or so of sleep at night.  And trying to get breastfeeding down is challenging but I'm hanging in there!  She is precious!  

Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers during my pregnancy and after!  We have been blessed with so many loving family and friends who have showered us with gifts and food and support during this time in our lives.  We can't express how greatful we are! 

I plan to keep updating this blog with updates on Elise, but it may not be weekly until I can get a good routine established with her.  


My sister-in-law was able to be in the labor and delivery room with us to get pictures of Elise being born!  I can't wait to see them!  Here is one of Elise just minutes after being born.  She also took newborn pictures of her last Thursday so I'm anxious to see and share those too!


Baby Girl Love,

Ryan, Liz, & Elise

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