(ok, i know that amy already posted that, but i just had to scream it myself.) and i cannot tell you how excited and happy we are about that fact. it seemed like such a long pregnancy because of all the complications, but now that she's here all the pain hardly seems like anything...
because she is perfect. in every single way...from her tiny fingers and toes to that adorable little rosebud mouth. well, once we finally got the food supply and demand negotiations out of the way, that is. she literally only cries when she's hungry and either sits in her swing and watches us or sleeps. it's so so different and fun to have a baby girl around this time. i forgot how tiny they are...and i could (DO!) spend hours just staring at her tiny little features and expressions.
and she came on valentine's day. how perfect is THAT!? i totally wasn't expecting that to happen...with her not being due till the 18th of march, but now that it did i have visions of heart birthday parties dancing in my head... (and with them, all the romantic mama and daddy dates being flushed down the toilet.) but anyways, it was totally unexpected...until the night before when i just kept telling nate that something felt different. so we started timing contractions (as we had a few times before) which were 26 minutes apart, and this being his first time, he wasn't sure whether is was the real thing or what i'm positive he thought of as another one of my dramatic claims based on wishful thinking. but by 3am i knew. i just knew. the contractions were 6 minutes apart and then continually getting closer. and since i knew it was the real deal and that my friend tisha would be coming to stay with LB as well as my parents coming as soon as she was born, i decided to clean up the place a bit for them. but by 4:30 they were 3 minutes apart and i finally had to wake up nate....who could not understand why i was taking my time showering when he apparently felt we should be in the labor room having this child, not to mention being a little ticked that i didn't wake him earlier. what i wasn't so pumped about was slamming onto my tush the second i stepped outside and my foot hit the ice on the sidewalk. not exactly the kind of added pain i needed at the moment. we made it though, and once we were at the hospital things slowed down a bit. they did, however, confirm that i was in real labor and that there would be an annabelle grace arriving by the end of the day...
as we waited, the contractions were getting stronger and stronger, and while i have pretty high pain tolerance, the combination of the regular labor pains mixed with the back pain from the contractions and falling was overwhelming me so they gave me an epidural (after FIVE hours)...which only took on my left side. so a couple hours later they tried again...still didn't work. after the second one they decided to try just giving me a bigger dose...which resulted in my left leg feeling like an even deader swollen tree trunk than before, but did not relieve any of the pain on the right side. so two hours later they sent the doctor in charge of the anesthesia department to try. and FINALLY i got some relief. words cannot even describe how amazing it feels to someone who deals with chronic pain to have no feeling in the area of your pain, even for a few hours. oddly, the 2 times in the past 10 years since the accident that i've had the least amount of pain have been when i was in labor with my children.
anyways...around 4 o'clock the doctor finally came back in, checked everything, and said i was fully dilated and that the baby would be there soon. by 4:10 the nurse had shown nate how to count with me through the contractions and they both ran to the bathroom quick before she came...except...she came before they got back. nate literally counted to 10 with me 3 times until i calmly told him that she was here. which sent my normally unflappable husband into a full-on crazy attack. he ran out into the hallway and yelled in his adorable african accent "excuse me! there is a baby coming!" and suddenly the door was wide open and with no regard to all my business being out there, there was an entire audience of nurses and doctors rushing around the room trying to catch up from missing out on the actual birth (the doctor came in just in time to cut the cord and glance at the clock in order to call it a 4:20 birth) and baby annabelle was whisked away by the neonatal team to check her lungs since she was early and also they were worried about her breathing (after about a half hour they decided she was breathing fine on her own and wouldn't need to go to the ncu)...and when i lost her to them, i also lost my husband, who was right there beside them just staring at her and saying "hello! hi...hello! i'm your daddy!". it was just the sweetest thing ever.
and when i finally was able to see her closely for the first time i just fell in love. and i also knew immediately that despite calling her anna or annabelle for the past several months, that she was a gracie. it just fits her so much better.
and that, is the story of a beautiful baby valentine named annabelle grace that turned us into a family of 4. (which apparently doesn't help the photo-taking process)
we just adore her beyond words, our little gracie-belle...
awwwwww. lovely story for a lovely family of an absolutely LOVELY baby girl! so you are calling her gracie?~! LOVE IT!
so pretty! I cannot wait to meet her and LB one day! love yoU!
so proud of you little mama!
tara
Posted by: tara pollard pakosta | February 23, 2010 at 03:18 PM
made me tear up!
Posted by: Renee | February 23, 2010 at 03:29 PM
I with Renee! that made me tear up as well. She is absolutely beautiful. Congratulations!
Posted by: Lindsey | February 23, 2010 at 04:04 PM
Love you and your little family of 4. miss you more than you know and can't wait to finally meet her one day soon.
Posted by: amy | February 23, 2010 at 04:11 PM
She is beautiful!
Posted by: Marti | February 23, 2010 at 04:16 PM
She's beautiful! Welcome to the world, baby Gracie! CONGRATS!!
Posted by: jen | February 23, 2010 at 04:42 PM
congratulations!
she is GORGEOUS!
Posted by: erika | February 23, 2010 at 05:10 PM
Congratulations Cheryl!! She's adorable!
Posted by: Jane Hasty | February 23, 2010 at 05:47 PM
oh she's so beautiful (and that outfit is adorable). Congratulations!! And I totally understand how no matter what grief the pregnancy caused you, the minute they're out and you get to hold them in your arms it all seems worthwhile.
Posted by: Natalie E | February 23, 2010 at 05:50 PM
ahhhhh she is adorable!!
loved reading your birth story :)
huge congrats to you guys!
Posted by: caroline | February 23, 2010 at 06:06 PM
She is absolutely beautiful! Congratulations!
Much Love,
Paula in Toronto
Posted by: Paula | February 23, 2010 at 06:07 PM
Oh, this post brought me to tears...so happy for you. There is nothing more sacred and beautiful than the birth of a baby. Have a blessed day.
Posted by: elisa hernandez | February 23, 2010 at 06:20 PM
Wow. What a story it is! Cheryl, I enjoyed reading every word. Such a cool thing to document. It'll be amazing for her to be able to look back at this some day. From you at home, in the middle of the night, counting contractions. To your fall (OMG!) outside your door. To her being born alone (with you, of course)!! I couldn't believe it when I read that your epidurals didn't take. OMG. That's crazy! You poor thing. I'm so glad it all worked out in the end and that you have a healthy, beautiful baby. Congratulations. You have some wonderful pictures here. Love them! Looking forward to seeing more.
Posted by: Samara Link | February 23, 2010 at 06:34 PM
AWWWWWWW....such a beautiful family:) i am very happy for you!
Posted by: arimacias | February 23, 2010 at 06:36 PM
Congratulations Cheryl - she's adorable and that dress is adorable. How super fun that she was born on Valentine's Day! That won't be hard to forget :) Congrats again, your family is too cute!
Posted by: Paige Evans | February 23, 2010 at 06:49 PM
congrats again!! what a sweet family :)
Posted by: Renee | February 23, 2010 at 08:05 PM
Congratulations Cheryl!! SHE is gorgeous! Her name is GORGEOUS!! I love your sweet valentine story...What a beautiful family!! Congrats to all of you!
Leslie Ashe
Posted by: Leslie Ashe | February 23, 2010 at 08:41 PM
what a beautiful, precious angel and what a beautiful, natural mama and papa she has to love on her always! :)
and a super cool big brother, too!! ;)
*
Posted by: lauren | February 23, 2010 at 09:16 PM
She is soooooooooo beautiful!
Posted by: sheri | February 23, 2010 at 09:43 PM
Congratulations to you all! She is beautiful and YOU looked beautiful...how did you manage to look so darn cute so soon after having that precious girl?!?!? Best wishes to you all! :0)
Posted by: Michelle | February 23, 2010 at 10:37 PM
oh my cheryl! i simply ADORE these photos. this post has made me laugh, tear up, giggle, smile big and wish so much i was there sitting beside you with your precious new girl. congratulations, friend, and thanks for sharing the wonderful story of your v-day 2010. :) it couldn't be better!!! oh and i wish i had been there to see nate go "into a crazy attack." seriously. that dude is so quiet and calm. i think i would've paid $$ to see him get loud & crazy. LOL! :) xo.
Posted by: rebekah | February 23, 2010 at 11:17 PM
She is gorgeous! I am so happy for you all! A big HUGE congrats from Kansas!
Posted by: rhonda | February 23, 2010 at 11:24 PM
Absolutely beautiful baby! Congratulations! The picture of Nate with her is heart-tuggingly wonderful!
Posted by: Leigh Ann | February 24, 2010 at 09:51 AM
Congratulations! She is absolutely beautiful. You and Nate look so happy. I'm glad the labor and delivery went well. Becca :)
Posted by: Becca | February 24, 2010 at 01:55 PM
OMG Cheryl! She is soooo adorable!! OK, now I have to come and visit - I can't stay away much longer!
Posted by: Kelly Todd | February 24, 2010 at 03:23 PM
Congratulations again! Wonderful story. And you look great in these photos Cheryl! Wow, it sure doesn't look like you just had a baby! God bless.
Posted by: Sue | February 24, 2010 at 07:39 PM
congrats again!!! She is just gorgeous!!
Posted by: joy | February 24, 2010 at 07:54 PM
Congratulations Cheryl! Such a beautiful pic of you with your new baby girl :)
Posted by: jill | February 24, 2010 at 09:17 PM
Cute cute little baby girl!!! Congrats!
Posted by: Eva | February 25, 2010 at 04:53 AM
she is seriously one of the prettiest babies I've ever seen - and HOW do you look so good after just having her? Cut us other moms some slack, cheryl! ;)
Congrats again! :)
Posted by: Kelly | February 25, 2010 at 09:29 AM
COngratulations. SHe's gorgeous x
Posted by: Rebekah | February 25, 2010 at 10:16 AM
In Jewish, we call the look on Nate's face: kvelling. It means to look at someone with BURSTING pride. She is SO gorgeous! AND looks just like you! Much love and happiness to all of you.
Posted by: Laura Solomon | February 25, 2010 at 11:41 AM
Congratulations! I'm so happy for you all!! She is just beautiful and you are positively GLOWING!
Posted by: Lisa Spiegel | February 25, 2010 at 02:32 PM
SHE IS THE CUTEST BABY DOLLIE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! CONGRATS, you all make the sweetest of families :)
Posted by: Kate | February 26, 2010 at 12:02 PM
awww-loved reading about your sweet baby girl's birth! so, so sweet :) happy, happy for all of you! you look beautiful cheryl!
Posted by: becky | February 26, 2010 at 11:50 PM
She is beautiful!! Ohhhh I just can't wait to see the layouts you do with her pics.
Love to you all!
Posted by: Mary Ann | February 27, 2010 at 08:14 PM
cheryl, she i adorable and i love the name you guys picked out!
so so precious! :)
Posted by: wendy | May 05, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Wow!!! what a beautiful story...and a beautiful baby girl!! best wishes to you and your family of 4 :-)
Posted by: Lisa D. | May 12, 2010 at 11:35 PM