New Baby!!

Miriam is here! And we are so thankful - and feel so blessed that her delivery went very smoothly over all! She flipped herself into a breech position again, so it is a good thing we went ahead with a scheduled c-section. I even had a few contractions on Monday night and Tuesday morning!

We arrived at the hospital at 5 a.m. - and were on our way to the OR by 7:30 a.m.! Miriam was born at 8:04 a.m. - and at first, she didn't utter a cry. It was a little disconcerting - but Dan went with the baby and her nurses - and she just needed her nose and throat cleaned out & some oxygen to get her going...after which, she cried VERY WELL :) I listed to her the whole time I was being stitched up and worked on.
Miriam was 7 lbs (and .1 oz!) and is 21 inches long. I finally got to see her for the first time as I was wheeled out of the OR. What an incredible feeling - what a great blessing!! A friend had kept our kids overnight - and she brought them to us in the early afternoon. At that point, I'd already been able to nurse Miriam a few times - and so far, she is a natural at latching on. I'm thankful for that.

Right now we are just praying that we will all get to go back to our little vacation place tomorrow morning. I'm officially released as of midnight tonight - but I get to stay in my room as the pediatrician doesn't want to release Miriam until the morning. She has lost 6% of her body weight, and with the holidays coming up, she doesn't want to send us home with any doubts about Miriam's health - though it appears she is doing GREAT! It is very normal for newborns to lose a few ounces or more before picking up weight.

Otherwise, we just feel so overwhelmingly blessed and thankful for the way the events of the last 2 days have transpired. I have felt pretty much ok most of the time - I have gotten by on just Tylenol for pain control, for which I'm thankful as narcotic pain meds make me sick to my stomach ... and anesthesia already makes me a little woozy as it is. I am sore at the incision sight right now - but otherwise, ready to get on to being a family of 5!

Rejoicing in the Lord - and thanking Him for this wonderful gift, Conny