Happy Birthday Maggie Beth!!

Well, it only took 39 weeks for me to get courageous enough to post a picture of myself for all to see, but here I am at my most pregnant-39 weeks just a few days before meeting our littlest one.

February 17th, 2010 was the day we'd been waiting for! I had to be induced. Go figure. I mean seriously, I really thought since this was the fourth child, I'd be spared the "privilege" of going the full 40 weeks and meet my little girl around 38 weeks. No such luck. She held out and was quite comfy in her little warm bubble of a home. We were instructed to be at the hospital at 6 am on the 17th for induction. We got there on time and to my disappointment (and eventually my doctor's) sat out in the front lobby until 7:15. Being a nurse myself, I knew EXACTLY what the hold up was: no night shift nurse "enjoys" a last minute admission. By 6 am nurses are wanting to be wrapping things up and getting ready to pass off report and get the "heck outta dodge". This is what was going on I'm quite sure. So I sat and waited until day shift arrived and someone decided it was convenient for me to come back and have a baby that day.

I got back and just my luck...I had an orientee for a nurse. Meaning, I had an experienced nurse but she was teaching a new employee who would be doing the bulk of my care. So there I was...torn...I've been there...the newbie. But for crying out loud, I just want to do this cause I've been waiting and waiting and I don't want to feel like I have to stay on top of the person taking care of me to make sure everything goes smoothly. But I repressed my urge to refuse the orientee and went with the flow. By 8:15 I had an IV and yes, there's a story behind that experience. I prefer for my IV to be in my wrist because I HATE hand IV's. I also prefer my left wrist since I'm right handed. You can hit these things quite easily cause being pregnant, they are as big as the Nile and don't "roll.": nurse lingo for they are easy targets and one shouldn't miss them. Well, she obliged and went for it, dug around a while and decided she couldn't get it. She then moved to my other wrist. I was seriously chastising myself for not requesting her superior give me an IV as I'm not fond of being a pin cushion, but as a fellow nurse, I again kept telling myself...she has to learn somehow and at least I'll be a nice patient (for a little while). She put the tourniquet on at my anticubital (the bend in your arm) and I knew she was going to miss again because she had the tourniquet way too high to get the vein to pop up. The nurse in me blurted out really fast before I could stop myself, "do you think if you moved the tourniquet down a little the vein will pop up more?" She agreed and moved it-remember at this point she still doesn't know I'm a nurse and I preferred for it to remain that way. She tried again and after a little more digging struck gold...or well, blood. YAY! IV on the second attempt! She got me hooked up to fluids and started the antibiotics I needed. Penicillin. They preferred for me to have 2 doses before baby made her arrival so they were going to get the first dose in me before they started the pitocin that would inevitably jump start my labor. Good idea seeing as the doses needed to be 4 hours apart and Maggie ended up arriving in 3 hours. I got my second dose just a little early as they were praying Maggie didn't deliver herself as we waited on my doctor to get back from another delivery at the other hospital she was covering. All I can say is thank God for epidurals or that orientee would have been delivering my baby! The rest of the morning went by quickly for the most part and the orientee was in shock at how fast I progressed. All she kept saying when it was over was "man...that was really fast!" I was ready to have her by 11:45 am and had to wait, turned on my left side with oxygen on for half an hour to meet my little one. My doctor walked in at 12:07, suited up and Maggie graced us with her presence by 12:14 after only 3 pushes. She had waited the full 40 weeks (minus a day) but when it was "go time", she wasn't in the mood for waiting any longer! We were both crying when she was finally with us. It was a bittersweet moment as we both knew that this was it. We'd planned on this being our last child. I hadn't however planned on that moment being such a wash of emotion: happy to finally see the child I had helped create, but sad because this was the last time I would go through this experience. One that I have absolutely loved wholeheartedly now 4 times over. There are just no words to fully describe how wonderfully unique and special it is bringing a child into this world. My mind immediately goes to Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Maggie is one special little girl who is fully known by her Father who created her to bring glory to Him. We are so thankful he chose us to be her parents. We are head over heels in love with her already...love at first sight!

12:14-the moment our "baby" entered the world

Getting all checked out after delivery

7 pounds 2 ounces. She was the third "biggest".
Eli was 7 lbs. 15 oz.
Noah was 7 lbs. 6 oz.
Maggie Beth was 7 lbs. 2 oz.
Ella Kate was 6 lbs. 11 oz.

She didn't have a problem letting us know how unhappy she was immediately after delivery.

We ended up staying in L&D most of the day because they didn't have any available rooms. We finally got upstairs and settled in late that afternoon. This was our first pic with just the three of us. The rest of the family would be coming up that night and we were definitely looking forward to that!

Our sweet baby girl happy and content to sleep the day away

We played a little "dress up". I got a bunch of headbands and so mom and I tried several on. This happened to be one of our favs. Brian just rolled his eyes the whole time :)

Here she is ready to meet her brothers and sister for the first time. I made them all matching shirts and a gown for Maggie Beth for the big day.

Getting a good family pic is gonna prove quite difficult for a few years...I have a feeling.

Me and my sweet little ones. I can hardly believe they are all mine. I love them so very much!

"Team Girls"

SISTERS!

This has to be one of my favorite pics we took in the hospital. I absolutely love this hat and there is just nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby. She is absolutely precious and we look forward to getting to know her better.