Right On Time

McKenzie Grace Stallings
Arrived December 29, 2008 at 3:08pm
Weighing 7lbs 1oz and Measuring 21.25in long
Born EXACTLY nine months to the day Daniel arrived home from Iraq.

She is our joy and delight! Every precious gift comes from God!

I have to admit it is still a bit surreal as I sit here with my baby girl curled up in my chest while writing a blog to let everyone know she's arrived. It has been quite a journey.

Sunday afternoon I started having contractions about 3-5 minutes apart. The intensity was mild to moderate so even though they were close together I figured I'd better wait it out. That night I had a horrible time trying to relax enough to sleep but I was optimistic thinking about my already scheduled appointment I had Monday morning at 8:30. I woke up at 6 and got ready to go...and of course...low and behold...the contractions stopped! After going all night! I was seriously about at my wits end considering things had been progressing like that all week long. Daniel and I loaded all the bags in the car just in case and went to the doctor. I was preparing myself the entire way there that they were just going to send me home. After being checked and dilated to 4cm and 90% effaced they told us to go to Labor and Delivery. Daniel and I tried not to get too excited not knowing if we were yet to be sent home we went straight to the hospital...without "yet" collecting $200 for passing go (tax break baby anyone?) according to Daniel (LOL). When we arrived we signed all the necessary paperwork and were taken back to a room. Upon meeting our nurse and asking what we were going to have done (since they were going to augment labor) she replies with "Oh you're being admitted...we're gonna have a baby." I was almost giddy with delight and completely terrified at the same time! We had been checked in to our room around 10am. After getting settled with IV in the midwife came to see me. While checking me she asked if she could break my water with which I gave consent. She started me on pitossin drops to help my contractions come back and increase. Now I had every intention of going "all natural" but I was open to the possibilities. It was all fun and games for the first 30 minutes and then the fun was over. The pit drops had fully taken hold and my contractions were coming less than 2 minutes apart and reaching up to a 9 on the "Richter" scale. They were so intense that my body began to shake uncontrollable. I begged for the epidural! Right before I received my epi I was dilated to 5cm and after receiving the miracle drugs...I was already dilated to 8cm after only 20 minutes. I was relaxed and tried to catch some extra zzzzz's while I could. I was still able to feel the contractions on my right side a little but it was barely enough to report. After about an hour the nurse came in to check me to report to the midwife where we were and she was like "oh we're having a baby!" McKenzie was already on her way out the birth canal! I woke up with nurses breaking down the bed to the delivery table and setting me all up to push. Once the midwife arrived it was bing bang boom. 15 minutes of pushing and she was here! It was truly an amazing experience. I was able to watch her come out. She had a true knot in her umbilical cord...which I don't doubt considering my little acrobat. Daniel cut the cord and they cleaned her up on my tummy. Afterwards she was off to get her stats and bath on the other side of the room while I was being stitched up...yup that's right...that right should of hers tore me on the way out. I guess it was fitting considering she's been a pain in my right side from the beginning :) She began nursing so well soon thereafter and we were moved to our Mother & Baby room where some very excited family members were waiting. Oh and so much for that peach fuzz...my little girl has a head FULL of hair! Daniel and I love her so much more than we could have ever imagined.

So far the murmur they heard in her heart at birth is gone now. Her right foot is turned inward right now so we are keeping an eye on it. The pediatrician thinks it could just be from where she had it positioned so long in the womb...which was above her head by the way :) She passed her hearing test and all the other tests with flying colors. We are keeping an eye on her bilirubin levels to make sure she doesn't become jaundiced. We are working on nursing at this point which is slow going but I'm told that's pretty normal. Daniel and I are looking forward to taking her home and getting settled in as a family to bring in the New Year.




More pictures to follow these are just a sneak preview :)