New Addition!

Hadley made it! She was born June 10th, just three days before her due date, at 5:21 am. It was a LONG night! She was 7 lbs 10 oz. and 20.5 inches long and she is the most beautiful baby I've ever seen (but I'm probably a little biased). I stuck to the plan and did it natural, although there was a time when I was like "Ah, I can't do this!" but my Aunt Penny (my doula) got there just in time and helped me breathe through a few contractions and try different positions and that helped so much! and I made everyone remind me why I wanted to do it natural and then after that I didn't think about it again. I'm so glad I did it, even though it was hard and I had to push for over four hours. The beginning went really fast, I was already dilated to a 5 and a half when I got there and was to a 10 just about three hours later (I kept asking "how much longer" but time is irrelevant when in labor, I had no idea how much time had passed and suddenly it was light outside and she still wasn't here and I was exhausted!). The last part was definitely the hardest. I just kept thinking, she's almost here, maybe after the next push. But then she would never come. I was so tired and kept thinking that I just wanted to curl up in my blankie and sleep, but afterward the adrenaline kicks in and I couldn't sleep the whole next day. It was a good thing that everyone came to visit that first day. Jake was tired but I was wide awake. I couldn't sleep even when I tried.

Here are the reasons I am so glad I stuck with the plan and did it natural...

Bonding- we got through it together

Empowerment- now I feel like I can do anything

Next time will probably be faster and easier than this one was

The experience- women have been doing it since the beginning of time, why couldn't I?

They say the recovery is better but I don't know since I haven't tried with the epidural

It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and probably will ever have to do and now I have it behind me.

Coming Soon!

Well I've been wanting to start blogging for some time now but just have not gotten around to it. I really wanted to start it before the baby came, so here I am, finally starting a little more than a week before the due date. What can I say, I'm a master procrastinator!

I cannot believe that I am going to have a baby within the next couple weeks, hopefully one week. My in-laws are going on a pioneer trek that they are in charge of and have been planning for the past year. They will be gone the 10th through the 13th so are urging me to have her before they leave, or I will have to wait until they get back and I DO NOT want to do that! There is definitely a reason that women are pregnant for 9 months. I was terrified of giving birth and although I am still scared, I am getting to the point where I just want to get this over with so I can be skinny and comfortable and not get out of breath putting on my socks and shoes and most importantly I don't want to wait any longer to meet this wiggly little thing that has been living and growing in my womb! I think about it all the time!

Plus I am getting bored now that school is out, internships over, and I have been released from Young Women's. My last day of work is tomorrow and then I really won't know what to do with myself. It's going to be so weird for me not working! I have worked since I was 14 years old. It's going to be hard for me to get used to completely relying on Jake financially. He is such a good guy and is working so hard right now to make money for the babe and our little family. He has to help out at the sod farm because of his stake in it, and can't quit the gym because we have insurance through that job, plus he hasn't been released from his calling in Young Men's and he has to pick up dead bodies to pay our rent. I'm so worried he won't be able to spend enough time with Hadley and we are going to miss him so much!

We're just hoping this little one hurries and makes her appearance and that she is healthy and strong!