Pics

Here's baby Kylee in the hospital.  She has a washcloth under her head because she kept spitting up amniotic fluid.  The pediatrician there suggested putting a tube in her stomach and siphoning it out, but the lactation specialist told me to encourage gagging and throwing up and that it would stop at 24 hours.  24 hours later she was fine and super hungry.

Kendra loving her baby sister:

Look at all that blonde hair!  

This is Kylee in my belly cast...how in the world did she fit in me?!?!?!

When we are outside we let the chickens out of the coop.  Here's Megan tackling and choking our Rhode Island Red.  Good thing I got calm chickens.

I was shocked to see Kendra actually pick a chicken up.  She was so scared of them at first.

Not sure what Megan was doing.

So friendly.

Kylee

Kylee Ann was born on January 31st at 4:00 pm.  Mark and I went to the hospital to be induced at 8:30 that morning.  They had to monitor me until almost 10:00, then my doctor put the pill in my cervix.  Between 11 and 12 I had regular contractions but they stopped by noon.  I walked the halls for an hour, but nothing.  When my doctor came back in I told him I wanted to have contractions (let's get this thing going already!)  So he suggested he break my water.  At this time I was dilated to a 3, 60% effaced, and Kylee was at a -2 station.  I had a long way to go!  I didn't really want to have my water broken as I knew the contractions would be super intense, but I wanted to have Kylee so we proceeded.  This was at 1:30. 

By 2:45 I begged Mark to let me have an epidural.  I have decided that natural child births just aren't for me!  I had to wait a half hour for a bag of IV solution to drain into my body before I could get the epidural.  The pain was so intense that I clung to the bed rail for life.  It was like I was paralyzed in that position.  Finally the anesthesiologist came in.  The relief felt so good.  Kylee almost pushed herself out and was born at 4:00.

Even though her hands were clasped together (maybe she was praying on her way out?) and came out with her head (which tore me and made recovery longer) it was my easiest and best birth ever.  I'd do it again if I wasn't so old!  I'm too old!  My body takes longer to recover than it did in my twenties.

She weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long.  Largest kid I ever birthed.  There is a huge difference between a baby that is under 6 pounds and a 7 pounder.  I think that is why I'm enjoying Kylee so much. 

The girls love her.  As soon as we walked in the door it was, "she's so cute!"  "Can I hold her?"  They just dote on her and love to show her everything.  Megan puts things right in front of her face to make sure she can see them.  They love to rub her head and tickle her feet.  Their voices are so cute and soft when they talk to her. 

I love snuggling her and feel she just wants to be loved.  She's so precious and we're so happy she's finally here!

I'll add pictures later.