4 Years Ago Today- Part 2

So, I started pushing at midnight, but I still had quite a ways to go. At 3:30 a.m. my doctor was ready to give up and do a C-section, but that really

My beautiful newborn Leah Noelle.

pissed me off! Not only had I done no research or planning for a C-section, but I had just spent the better part of 3 and a half hours pushing with everything I had. She told me that she could give me no more than a half hour more to have my daughter naturally. Leah came into the world at 3:56 a.m., just under the wire.

I remember craning my neck to see her as a nurse whisked her to the other side of the room to clean her up and take her vitals. I remember catching a glimpse of her for the first time. She was all gooey and covered in, well, stuff. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My mom caught my eye and both of us were crying.

“I am so proud of you.” she said.Once Leah was cleaned up and swaddled she was placed into my arms and I never wanted to let that little girl go again. Despite the very late hour, the nurses let my Dad, Nick, and Kelly in for a moment. I think they were impressed by the dedication of these wonderful folks, who waited the entire 17 hours that I was in labor to meet my daughter. The visitors were soon ushered out, along with my mom who really needed some sleep by then. A nurse helped me to awkwardly nurse my baby for the first time and then took her to the nursery. They set up a little cot for Dave and he was snoring in seconds. I was exhausted, but I could only doze. I wondered what my baby was doing, and it felt strange not to feel her moving in my belly anymore.

Already into trouble at one year old!

Around 6 or 6:30 my phone rang and it was kitchen staff wanting to know what I wanted for breakfast. When the lady delivered my food it was a glorious moment. I hadn’t eaten in nearly two days and I was famished. Dave continued to sleep as I ate everything on my tray, and then before I knew it, people were milling about, taking my blood, checking my vitals, and bring Leah back to me. I was allowed to get up and shower, and then they moved us to a recovery room where I remained for the next 3 days (due to my blood pressure being elevated). We had lots of visitors, and I spent most of my time holding my baby and just staring at her, in awe that this was the being I felt growing and moving inside of me for so long.

Me and my girl, at age two.

My pregnancy felt long, considering that I was on bedrest and spent so much time just reading books and daydreaming about my child, but now here she was, and she was so perfect. When I was finally discharged I remembered feeling terrified and ill-equipped to take care of my baby without the help of the nurses, but I caught on to motherhood very quickly.

Today, that perfect, beautiful baby is a perfect, beautiful, funny, smart, sweet little girl, and she is now four years old.

Three years old, with ringlets!

The past four years have flown by like no time at all, but they have been the best time of my life. Motherhood is such a precious gift and I have enjoyed each and every day of it. Leah Noelle, I hope that you know how much I love you and how proud I am to be your mommy. Happy Birthday, Sunshine!

Leah Noelle- my most recent picture of my gorgeous daughter!