Hello friends!  Thank you all so much for the warm congratulations, welcoming newborn Sarah into the world!  I’m so thankful for each one of you, for kindly praying for us during this exciting time.

I thought I would sit and type a little while, as Sarah naps peacefully by me in her playpen, and Rich has all the children outside with him, working and playing together in the garage.

Sarah was born on Sunday morning, after an easy labor.  I went into the hospital at about 1:30, after waking up at home feeling sick and starting to have contractions. 

I requested an epidural as soon as the doctor would let me have one, and it was put in place and working before the labor pains had gotten too intense.  Actually, the roughest part of the whole labor was when the first epidural was placed wrong and my pulse rate increased so much that it made me feel faint and scared.  The second one went in just fine, to my relief.

Rich was his typical quiet, supportive self during everything.  He does such a good job at keeping me calm, just by staying by my side and being there.  I’m so thankful for my husband.

We were both so excited when, in time, the nurses said we were ready to deliver, and the doctor came in.  All the baby-delivery things were brought out, the doctor put his scrubs on, the nurses were buzzing about getting the bed adjusted, all of which are such exciting moments, when you realize you are about to see your new baby.  The moment had finally arrived!

What a thrill it was to see Sarah’s little face as she was being born.  When I first saw her, I could not believe how much she looked like her brother Seth, and I wondered, just for a moment, if she was a boy!  The doctor delivered her so gently and as soon as she was born I looked and saw that she was for sure a girl.  Rich and I were so full of joy, I looked at him often, to see his smile and happy eyes.  After three(of the most wonderful) boys in a row, the joy was even greater, to have a daughter.

 

My sister and her husband watched the children for us on Sunday (and part of Monday, too), and they brought the kids all over to the hospital so they could meet their new sister.  Of course it was a very happy moment, when Grace met Sarah for the first time……….

Now we are nine…………

(the day she was born)

The hospital stay went well.  The nurses were so nice and thoughtful.  Rich went home to the children, to sleep at night, and during both of those nights, I had the nurses care for Sarah in the nursery so I could have a sleeping pill and try to sleep for a few hours at least.  As it was, I was very restless and didn’t get much sleep.  Sarah had to have one bottle, but it all worked out so that we only missed that one feeding together, during the night.

During the days, she was with me every moment, and I held her as much as I could. 

On Monday morning, when Rich came back to the hospital to us, he brought one of Sarah’s special blankets.  I didn’t tell him to do it, and I thought it was especially sweet that he thought of her.  This blanket was made by one of my friends that I met here on xanga, my dear friend Angie.

Rich left the hospital on Monday afternoon to go home to the children.  He ended up taking them out to dinner that night and I called him, lonely and crying a little, to ask him to please please stop by to see me.  I’ll tell you, it only took about 20 minutes of having all those busy children of mine around me before I was feeling back to normal again, and ready for them to leave.  Seth was running amuck, opening and shutting things, David was getting his sneakers all over my bed, etc, etc….it was so funny to send them away again, with a cheerful “Good luck!” to my slightly frazzled husband.

I did get this cute picture of Sethie, though.  He was impressed with his sister:

 

So, I got home Tuesday morning.  Today is Friday.  It’s been a pretty good couple of days.  Sarah’s first night was rough, I was up every hour of the night with her, she wasn’t crying a lot, but the two of us just couldn’t settle down.  I am having trouble sleeping, but I’m always like this with a new-newborn, the first weeks/month are somewhat nervewracking, especially the night hours.

Rich took this next picture.  I love how he adores her.

He also took this one:

I took this one Tuesday afternoon, right before I snipped off her arm band:

Did you notice the picture in the beginning of this post?  I love peonies, and that picture was the last one I took before having Sarah.  I had wondered this springtime, as I watched the flowers growing, if the peonies would be in bloom when she was born, and they were.  They are such big, feminine pink blooms and will always always remind me of the time she was born to us.

Yesterday afternoon (Thursday), Rich and I took Sarah to her first check up at the pediatrician’s office.  Everyone there was so encouraging and happy to see our new baby.  Doc said Rich and I were a winning combination of genetics, to have yet another healthy baby.  God gets the glory for all good things and I can’t express how humbled I feel, when I think of how GREAT God has been, so merciful and gentle with me, His daughter, and how He has blessed our family.

Sarah is 6 lbs, 9 oz, and she is actually measuring 19 1/2 inches, rather than the 21 inches.  I thought that was pretty interesting.  Apparently the hospital uses a tape measure and runs it down the back of the baby, curling it along…..the office uses a straight ruler type.

After the appointment, we came home just in time for an edible bouquet delivery, from Rich’s workplace.  We took this picture, to send along in a thank you email.

It sure hit the spot!

Rich has been home this whole week and it has been such a relief to let him take care of everything while I rest and concentrate on the baby.  Sarah has been eating and sleeping wonderfully, and the times we share, snuggled together, are precious and never to be forgotten.  There is something so tender and sweet about caring for a newborn.  I look at her….her tiny hands, ears, feet, and marvel.  I kiss her and feel her softness.  I smile at her little noises and savor the times when she is alert and trying to make her blinky little eyes work.

The rest of the children have been a delight.  They make me laugh; the laughter is healing, and feels so good.  Jacob, Ethan, and Grace get to go to a friend’s house today and I’m so happy for them.  It’s been such an exciting week for us all, and the older children have been especially helpful.  It will be fun for them to get out of the house for a while.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope each one of you has a wonderful day, and a happy weekend. 

Much much love~  Shanda