Welcome to the World, Hope!...

Ed and I are so happy to introduce you to our daughter.  Our DAUGHTER!!  Dropped straight from Heaven at 5:50pm on November 30th... Hope Margaret came into the world about a month premature. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 1 ounce and her crying as she emerged was music to our ears.

I'm still recovering and slightly loopy from pain medication and exhaustion, so I plan to reveal more details of the day in another post.  But basically, Hope was delivered due to my blood pressure that could not be brought down despite multiple efforts in the hospital... and, much to my surprise, I went into full blown labor!  A first for me!

When Hope was delivered, the NICU doctor examined her right in the operating room and thought she had gulped down fluid which was causing her some respiratory issues.  They suctioned her and gave her some oxygen and she quickly pinked up.  Once she was brought up to the NICU, though, they diagnosed her with Respiratory Distress Syndrome due to prematurity.  As of this morning, she has already turned a corner and has been weaned down significantly.  I am hoping to be able to hold her today - say a prayer that I will?  She will probably need to stay in the NICU for another day or so - but I know better than to get my NICU hopes up.

I was very sick through the night - probably from anesthesia and pain meds.  Let me tell you - vomiting with a C-Section incision is not really all that fun!  But thankfully, I've turned a corner this morning too and am now attempting to eat some Saltines!  Yay!

I'm literally going to dump all the photos below so you can feel like you were there with us.  I am extremely grateful to my nurse - Kris Hoopes - who took wonderful care of me when I was in the hospital to deliver Darcy in 2010... and actually changed her schedule around so she could be my nurse as I delivered Hope.  It was like having a great friend in the delivery room with me.  And I'm also grateful to Deb - another wonderful nurse who volunteered to come into the delivery room with my camera and take these amazing photos for us.

We are feeling very blessed today and can't wait to see Brian this afternoon so he can meet Hope!  Thank you so much for all the love and support!

Headed to the OR with my favorite nurse, Kris Hoopes!!

Daddy arriving for the big moment!

The magical moment.

Here she is!

So happy to have a clear view of the warmer so I could see her and watch what was going on!

As of this moment, I think she's a beautiful combination of Gavin and Brian.  She has lighter hair like Gavin did!

Off to the NICU where she is in very good hands!

Shortly after my delivery they wheeled me up on a stretcher so I could see and touch Hope.