Blessed!

We're a family of FOUR! WOW, it happens so, so fast! These past 9 months have really flown by! One day your pregnant and the next your holding a beautiful, soft, strong, healthy baby. It's a surreal thing, that is a true blessing! I am so grateful for the doctors, nurses and family members that have helped us bring Baby Hadley to this world, and BOY did she enter in her own true fashion!

The Birth Story.....

So, Wednesday March 31st started out like any other Wednesday.... Joel and I took Riley to Mother's Morning Out, then we headed to the Doctors office for a routine weekly visit. The visit went just as we had expected- still 1cm dilated and no thinning. So, we set the induction date for April 6th, which was just fine with us. With Easter on Sunday, we were gearing up for a GREAT weekend with Riley and family. Joel and I preceded to go to a local gardening center to get some flowers and pine straw to "spruce" up the yard for the "BIG" hunt.

Around 2 we picked up Riley and had a great time outside. We had dinner and went to bed.... feeling fine. Around 11:30 Joel wakes up complaining of heartburn and within an hour he was paying a visit to the porcelain goddess. Yup- the dreaded STOMACH BUG!!!! I on the other hand moved to the couch praying that I didn't catch what he had..... boy was I wrong!!! Around 1am I was right with Joel! We BOTH had the STOMACH BUG!!! I mean really, how convenient! We went thru the night taking turns going to the bathroom, crying and praying! Thursday morning Joel's dad came up to get Riley- who by the way was let loose in the house, we told her to grab some yogurt and watch Dora- she did and was such a SWEET lil' girl. Thursday progressed and we were both on our "Death Bed", or that's what we called it. We couldn't keep ANYTHING down and the phenegren wasn't working for me! As the day went on I started having contractions and my hands started tingling, we called the Doc and we were on our way to get some fluids. This whole time thinking- "we can get thru this, I'll get some fluids, and then be on my merry way". NOPE!!! Baby Hadley didn't like the situation at all! Her heart rate was all over the place and when I had a contraction her rate would dip, so they held me that night and the next morning (GOOD FRIDAY) our Doctor came in and told us it was going to be her Birthday!

Oh, how you can plan, prepare and pray for things to go the way you want but ultimately it is in the hands of the Lord, he knows all and will guide you to his will. We listened and gladly welcomed Hadley Miriam Edwards. The actual birth went GREAT! They started the pitocin (SP?) around 9:00 am, received my epidural at 11:00, started pushing around 6pm and she entered this world at 6:53pm. For those of you that know Riley's birth story, you know how relieved/excited I was to get an Epidural! I can now say I have experienced natural and pain free births, and I would have to say I prefer pain free :)!

Joel and I were cleared of any signs of contagiousness and were given the OK to LOVE on our baby girl. Riley was a dream, she was a lil' angel who just couldn't wait to meet her baby sister! I have to thank Joel's parent's and sisters for keeping Riley and disinfecting our house from all the germs!

So enough typing.... here are some pictures with many, many more to come!

Riley waiting outside the door, listening for baby Had-a-we.

Sisterly Love!

Sweet kisses!

Now a Family of 4

Proud sister!

Proud Daddy!

Sleeping Beauty!