i guess you could say this is a ‘birth story’ post of sorts, which means lots of words and even more pictures. so consider yourself forewarned before you sink your teeth in! and while this birth story may not differ much from any other birth story you’ve ever read, there is one tiny difference. it is my birth story. our birth story. HER birth story. filled with joy and love and well…more love.

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my due date was august 10th, but all arrows were pointing to an earlier arrival of our little one. so family flew in. the house was cleaned {and re-cleaned…}. clothes were washed. bags were packed. then we waited. no baby. still no baby. i waited with the patience of a, well, a 2-year-old because the end was near and i was so OVER being pregnant…bring on the baby, bring back the body…know what i’m sayin’? {i know someone out there right now is reading that sayin’ ‘holla!’} so as my due date crept closer, my anticipation and impatience level skyrocketed.

needless to say, our little baby did not want to roll with the punches or the signs for that matter and decided that he/she would not arrive on the designated ‘due date’ and so our induction was scheduled for 1am on august 11th.

*enter : details that are not necessary for the story but seem pertinent for posterity* : we got the boys settled for their ‘baby sleepover’ at our friends house, tucked them into bed, kissed them good night and headed back to our house around 10pm to…sleep? stay up? drink coffee? well, we didn’t end up needing any of those options because at 10:30pm the hospital called to inform me that they were SWAMPED with mama’s poppin’ babies. so swamped that they DIDN’T WANT me to come in at 1am for my induction. in fact, they didn’t even know if they would be able to get me in ANY time in the near future. *tear* literally, tears. i couldn’t help my hormonal self. i. cried….would i EVER get to meet this baby of mine? {dramatic? yes. but at the time, i honestly felt like it was never. going. to. happen. it just wasn’t.} so…we went to bed.

at 6:20am my phone rang. could i come in? could i be there by 7am? my answer : h-e-double-hockey-sticks yes i can be there by 7! the downside? they were just going to check to see if they could/would/wanted to proceed with the induction…if all stations weren’t a ‘go’, i was heading home. oh how i prayed as we drove to the hospital! “please Lord, let it be our turn. i’ve tried to be patient and i KNOW you have a plan, and all good things will come, and all that wonderful jazz, but please, PLEASE for the love, let it be OUR turn to meet OUR baby.”

and do you know, the Big Man delivered! {can i get an ‘amen’?} and by 9am i was hooked to the pitocin and ready to rock. and with a little waiting and a little joking from the doctor {let’s have this wrapped up by lunch time ok? hahaha…} and a little bit of pain meds and a little bit of pushing, our bundle, our baby, our LITTLE GIRL, our sweet pea arrived at 11:57am {boom, baby! what’s up doc? lunch time it is! ha!} cue : singing angel choir, melting hearts and happy dance!

sweet pea’s first portrait…

this was the first time {out of all 3 of my babies} that they placed her right on my chest as soon as she arrived for that ‘bonding experience’ and what a wonderful thing! instead of crying her little heart out, she snuggled right up, warm and content like all was right in the world…and it was.

i adore/love/treasure this image of lover holding sweat pea for the first time. what a proud, handsome daddy and what a lucky, lucky little girl. look at his face, she’s already got him wrapped around her finger.

beautiful sweet pea.

i will never, never forget turbojet’s reaction when he got up to the hospital to meet our baby. when i told him he had a sister, his grin was wide and wonderful and his eyes literally shown and he said, ‘that’s just what i wanted!’ love that boy. my little man, so proud to be the biggest big brother to his new little sister.

how sunshine met sweet pea :0)

sunshine met her ‘for reals’ the next day. i’m thankful he has turbojet to watch and learn from. he watches him love on sweet pea and follows suit. i was afraid he would have a hard time transitioning because he’s such a mama’s boy, but thankfully, so far, i’ve been wrong. he loves her too {even though, he still insists she’s a boy :0) we’re working on that!}

a night in the hospital + finding out you get to go home the next day =

home. where helpful big brother’s with no pants help carry you in.

home. where motorcycles are the first things shared.

{is that not the cutest thing?? how it looks like she’s thrilled to be staring at that motorcycle…like, ‘wow big bro, that is the coolest!’}

home. where monster trucks are a-plenty.

{i have such generous boys…}

home.

welcome home sweet pea. we love you more than words.