And Now We're Four!

80 days getting sick all day long
at least half of those days accompanied by extreme exhaustion
debilitating heartburn
countless sleepless nights from discomfort
lack of bladder control with every sneeze
stabbing pain in my hip for weeks
a cough that wouldn't go away
pulled muscle near my ribs from coughing
late pregnancy vomiting
waiting on pins and needles for two weeks
going four days past due date
pacing the hospital halls for hours
advanced labor pains
squeezing Jason's hand so tightly, I nearly broke it
two separate epidurals after one failed

It seems as though pregnancy doesn't really agree with me...

... but I wouldn't change a single second of any of it- because it gave me you; my Emilie Mae.

My heart doubled and tripled in size the moment I met you. Ours lives will never be the same. We love you so much!

The day Emilie was born now goes down along with our wedding day, and the day Marin was born as one of the greatest days in my life. Molly did an amazing job once again of keeping everyone updated on the progress as it happened. Everyone was calling for a boy by the end, but Molly and I held firm in thinking she was a girl. Marin was thrilled! She is completely in love with her sister, asking to do everything with her and for her. She is quite the little mommy. Watching the two of them together has become the great joy of my life.

I think I'm a rare bread of freak that loves giving birth. Granted, I have been very lucky in having nice experiences both times. My doctor was able to deliver Emilie, which wasn't guaranteed this time, so I was thrilled by that. I love the whole day.. the fanfare, the anticipation, the wondering, the gathering of all my loved ones, the jokes that inevitably are made when we're all together, and at the end of it all- a beautiful, perfect, amazing little miracle in my arms. In fact, during my final push with Emilie, as the doctor was counting to ten and I was pushing harder than ever, I suddenly burst out saying, "Ahhh! I'm so excited!!!!" My doctor said he's never in all his years, in all his deliveries, ever had a mom say how excited she was, mid push, as the baby's head was crowning. It's an amazingly emotional, joyous, incredible moment to see your child be born. I am convinced that there is nothing else like it in the whole world. And the instant love amazes me every time too. The reason I am so sick during pregnancy certainly has to be merely because I'd have waaaaaay too many children otherwise.

Life is good. It's hard to imagine what life was like before we were four. Emilie has put a smile on our hearts and has brought more love to our home. What could be better?