Ella Jo

Looking through pictures to post on the blog always remind me of how much I have to be thankful for. The last few days of pregnancy while I was waiting for Ella to come felt so long and miserable but then I look back and remember it was filled with sweet moments like this and I feel so darn lucky.

Little Ella's labor was different then my previous three because it was super slow. I had some false labor on Monday night that sent us in to get checked out but with no dilation they sent us home. My contractions slowed but didn't stop all through Tuesday and Tuesday night and we went back in early Wednesday morning only to be told I was STILL not dilated and I should go back home. But that was totally not happening. I knew I was in labor and that grouchy old nurse wasn't sending me anywhere. She called my doctor who offered to give me some morphine and let me stay and sleep for a few hours to see if that would help dilate me. I took the offer because it seemed better then heading home and having the baby on the sidewalk but after that rest I was dilated enough to be admitted. A few hours later they broke my water and found Ella crooked (though thankfully head down) and floating way up in my uterus probably caught up in her cord. She was not at all planning on coming out which was why I was so slow in dilating. After breaking my water I had another hour of waiting and pitocin to get her down and straightend out but then it was two pushes and out she came about 5 o'clock. Best feeling ever!

The first words from the baby nurse was "Oh my! Are all your babies that big? " She was 21 inches and 8 lbs 9 oz. Which is not that big, jeez lady! Naomi got off of her first day of school in time for everyone to come up and see Ella's first bath. It was such a sweet time! Naomi and Leah  were both very interested though Leah was a little more standoffish. Silas was slightly interested but more interested in the Slurpy they brought for me. He said "She is the same size as (our dog) Red."  Eve wanted to look but was slightly unsure. She would look for a while, get down and then request "see red baby" again.