It's always Good to be Friday!

There are a few monumental things that occurred on this particular Friday that I feel I have to mention. And no, sorry to all you avid catholics et al., I am not referring to the guy on the cross.

Defining myself as a mother takes transitioning, time and patience. Like, for example, right now I'm typing with my left hand while pumping breast milk with my right. Who'da thought this would be me? Also something interesting to note and completely off topic, did you know your thought patterns change when typing in a manner other then you are used to? it's harder to process easily flowing thoughts because you are so focused on the task of typing. Try it.

Ok forget that shit, put pump down, back to two hands, that was really frustrating!

So, in honour of all things being GOOD today, (again, sorry catholics, I still don't get why you guys call this day good if it's so sad in your world?) here are a few highlights from today that made this Friday especially good and notable of putting down in the books.

1. I had 4 hours of sleep in a row. This is huge. 12 - 4am.

2. Olivia did not throw up all over me during her 4am feeding. This too, is huge, it means I only had to half wake up.

3. I pumped 2 oz. of breast milk in under 5 minutes!! I am officially in the "Let Down" club. And no, I will not explain this. If you are a mother, or have an inquisitive mind, you'll know. Anyway, it's a huge frickin' deal and I can now see freedom peeking it's head around my front door!

4. Daddy gave Livie her first bottle AND she didn't throw up. DOUBLE WHAMMY!!!!

5. I, for the first time in over 5 weeks, or maybe even 6, put on a pair of thong underwear. Bliss!

6. We went out for dinner and drinks at my sister-in-laws for Huzby's birthday and Olivia was an absolute gem. No tears. No cries. Just a sweet little happy face in a brand new party dress. We were out for 5 hours. I had a glass of wine. I am almost human again.

7. To add to point 6 and because of point 7, I put on makeup for the first time in over a month. This may not seem like a big deal, but I really and truly honestly forgot that I had such nice eyelashes! Mascara. Who knew?

8. I drove the car home and was happy to do so. Google "Rules on Healing with a C Section" for more info. Apparently you're not allowed to do a fucking thing for 6 weeks. Ass. I'm at week 4 and am cancelling the rules. Cancelled.

9. Otis did not eat anything he should not have today.

10. The sun was shining all day and we went for a nice family walk. Even if this were to have been the only thing to come out of today, it would have been enough. I consider the last 9 points bonus rounds. Walking in sunshine with the family is better then chocolate.

A Life Lesson

I was pretty sure that Otis would adjust quickly to our newest addition to the family. For all of his crazy lab-like characteristics - the couch eating, the digging, the stealing of all undergarments owned by me. He also has a very kind temperament, is gentle (ok, unless you are a stuffed animal) and has only ever barked once. And that was at the vacuum cleaner.


Upon Lady O's arrival home Otis awaited us with great poise, as if he already knew his role in our pack had changed:





We quickly introduced him to Olivia, and as expected, he greeted her with curious looks and gentle kisses.



He immediately took to the babe and assumed the position of guard dog. Not leaving her sight; running to her when she made a sqweak, gurgle or cry; walking gingerly around her, abandoning his usual bull-in-a-china-shop type demeanour.



Huzb and I, completely taken by Otis' new attitude, teared and welled up at each of these actions. Wasn't it amazing, we mused, at how much an animal can change once the dynamics of his surroundings are altered. What happened to our curious lab who was always getting into trouble? Where is the Otis who steals Mommy's boots every day at the same time, who jumps up on counters to lick butter and snag an oven mitt, who can sniff a dirty sock, or worse, out of a laundry hamper at the bat of an eye, who can tear apart the arm of a couch faster then you can spell UPHOLSTERY? Otis had changed. We briefly mourned and then rejoiced!



And then...it was Tuesday.



Tuesday was Day 7 of us being at home with the Livster, and Day 2 of Huzb being back to work. Things were going pretty smoothly all things considered. It was around 9am and time to get up from our 6am feed and do it all over again. Diaper change. Check. Sleeper dry? Check. Receiving blanket and spit up cloth. Check, Check. I let Otis out on the way to the couch and decided to grab a glass of water before getting started. For some reason, I glimpsed out the kitchen window which looks out into our backyard. That's funny, I thought. Otis isn't in sight. Sometimes Otis likes to hide behind the garage and eat stuff, so I figured this was it. I turned to go to the living room. Must feed baby. But something was bugging me. Something wasn't right. I put my water down, and Olivia down in her bassinet and opened the sliding glass door in the office which also looks out into our backyard. OOOOTTTTIIISSSSS! Let's go in the house! Nothing. He wasn't coming. Stubborn little bastard I think to myself. He's totally chewing a log behind the garage. But that sinking feeling in my gut was slowly growing. I ran and grabbed some kibble in a bowl and started shaking it at the door. OTIS! LET'S GO! IN THE HOUSE! COOKIE? YOU WANT A COOKIE?? This'll get him in. Silence. Nothing. Terror started to hit me as I quickly ran to check on Liv, she was sleeping in her bassinet, temporarily forgetting it's time to eat. There's no fucking way I think, I panic and run to the back door and throw on my boots. I fly out the door and swing open the gate to the yard. Otis! I cry...OTIS where are you????

He was gone. I circled the entire yard, back and forth, zigzagging across the lot, and no Otis in sight. OTISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I screamed! Shit! Olivia, I can't leave her alone in the house! I run inside and pick her up as she is now starting to stir. 'Feed me' she gurgles. I call the Huzb: "Huzb, Otis ran away!" I am hysterical. Sobbing on the phone I manage to get it across to the Huzb that I think he's gotten out behind the garage where there is a build up of snow. I see tracks. I am sure he's gone. No he is 100% gone. My Dog Is Gone!!!!!!!!! Huzby tells me he is on his way home and to call the neighbour and get her to go check the nearby hydro cut. This is where we always walk Otis. It is a large green-space in the city. It is ideal for dogs but it is not fenced in. It is also close to a very very busy street. I am sure that my dog has been hit by a car and killed.

I call the neighbour in tears. She goes to the hydro cut. Huzb calls me back to tell me he is in a cab and that sis-in-law and dad-in-law are on their way over to help search. Olivia is crying and hungry. I can't control my emotions. I call Dax in mad hysteria. She does a really good job of calming me down. She starts by telling me to put the baby down. This, in hindsight, is a very good call. Put down baby when in panic. Muscles might give in and drop baby. Need to calm down. Dax offered to come over. I said hold on that. Let's wait and see what happens.

There really is no way to prepare for any type of loss. Your mind really doesn't know how to process the information so instead it goes from uncontrollable crying and sobbing to numbness. My thought process from the time I realized Otis had taken off to this point went like this. Oh my god Otis is not in the yard. Otis ran away. Otis is dead. It is all my fault. I killed my dog. I miss him so much. Why did I let him out to pee? Oh Otis I miss every single stupid thing you do. What I wouldn't give to have you here right now, I would let you eat every sock, oven mitt and couch in the house. Please come home Otis! I pace. I wait.


My neighbour comes back. Nothing. She didn't see him. She leaves again, this time driving the other way. I pace some more. This is a living nightmare I think to myself. I look out the door to the empty yard and think, we bought this house with this yard for you Odie. Then I think, I am never getting another dog again in my entire whole life. Never. Ever.

The front door opens and there is a pause. Then the ever so familiar sound of paws bounding in and onto hardwood floor. I hears claws scraping on wood. I turn and there he is! Otis is home. Huzby is behind him and the in-laws are in the driveway. Otis runs up to me and starts circling me and Olivia who is in my arms. 'Hi Mom! Did you miss me?" he's saying to me with his tail wagging and tongue flying.

Where was he? I sighed and stuttered in great relief to the Huzb. The hydro-cut. He thought he'd take himself for a walk I guess. I leaned over and let him drench me in wet sloppy kisses. My Otis is home. My family is the most precious thing to me. My new daughter is in my arms, my husband who I love more then anything is beside me, and my favourite furry friend is safe and sound. I am suddenly overwhelmed by what the true meaning of life is and how quickly something can make it all change. I am stunned by how precious every moment is and how much impact a four-legged beast can have on our lives. For a moment, I take it all in.

Otis, in retrospect, really hadn't changed all that much upon the arrival of Olivia. We're pretty sure he was just temporarily in shock, like us, about the new tenant that was now sharing space with the rest of us. Sure, he'll watch out for her and guard her against all things evil - if by evil you are referring to dust mites and vacuum cleaners. Other then that, our Otis is pretty much same old, same old. But isn't that what life is all about?

Olivia's story...

Dear Olivia,

This is the story of how you were born. It's long. It's intense. It's told through your Mommy's eyes. If I can offer one lesson to you at this very early stage of life it is this: Patience is a precious gift that brings great rewards. Practise it and you will gain inner happiness and strength.

I love you,
Mommy

February 22, 2008.
Friday morning I woke up to the alarm going off. Damnit! I looked out the window to see snow flurrying wildly about. Again. Ah well…time to get up and muster up the energy to get showered and ready for Dr. Sat weekly appointment. Today I was 39 and 3 and scheduled for an internal to see if there was any progression. Baby had already dropped and was ‘engaged’ so I knew it was any day now. At the last minute, Huzby decided he would come to the docs with me. No you don’t have to come it’s no biggy hun…he’s just gonna check me out and if anything crazy is going on I’ll call. But he insisted. With the weather and everything else, he just wanted to be with me.

10:15am.
At Dr. Sat’s. Sitting on his table with a ‘paper sheet’ covering so little of me it’s a joke. Man it’s hot in here, I think to myself. In walks Dr. Sat. and nurse. We chat for a few minutes about baby position, heart rate, timing, are my bags packed blah blah blah. Ok, all great stuff here, let’s see what’s going on inside. Dr. Sat lifts up useless paper sheet and stops. Um, did you know you were leaking here? Looks like you’re water just broke. No way! I don’t feel any different, I laugh, I’m just really hot, it’s hot in here! Dr. Sat motions to nurse to get dip-stick to test liquid on table. I’m now laughing and staring at the Huzb who has put down his blackberry. Are you kidding me? What are the odds of that? I shriek. You would be surprised, he takes off on a tangent of stories about how he and his wife were looking for a condo and bam! Water breaks in living room, about the full moon and how crazy it always is and that the hospital is going to be crazy busy this weekend because truly there really is something to be said for mother nature. Oh for fuck sakes already!! I’m lying here with my legs open can we wrap this up? Nurse comes back in with dip-stick and it’s confirmed. My water has broken. On the table at my 39 and 3 week check up. Things start moving very fast around me. Words and instructions are flying and I keep saying to Huzb “you getting this?” I thought to myself what a little gem, baby is so nice to make this happen while I’m actually at the doctor. But I feel nothing!? No pain, no contractions, no anything!? We’re instructed to go home, take a very long walk, eat lots of food and NOT have sex. Odd, they always tell you to have sex. Waters have already ruptured, could be cause for infection, nothing goes in now. Check. I’m told to come to the hospital first thing in the morning, unless contractions bring me there sooner, to be examined and most likely admitted. You are going to have a baby this weekend! Congratulations! Says Dr. Sat as he leaves the room – Good Luck says the nurse. I look at Huzby and at the same time we both laugh and say Holy Fuck, now what?

The rest of Friday was spent in a state of pregnant manic-ness. We popped out and did some errands, checked out a central vac sale at Home Depot, went for a long walk with Otis, talked about baby names. I remember being completely obsessed about returning curtains that I’d bought for the nursery and didn’t like…nursery had to be complete! So we also made a quick trip to Kitchen Stuff Plus. So tired by the end of the day I don’t think either of us registered that really and truly, baby was on his or her way – like tomorrow.

Saturday February 23, 2008
8am. I woke thinking this is weird. I’m preparing to go to the hospital to potentially have this baby. Am I having this baby? Today? So many feelings rushing through me. Fear. Anxiety. Excitement. Anticipation. Joy. Fear. Fear. Fear. Huzby was already gathering bags at the front door. I hopped in the shower and stood there for a long time letting the heat soothe me.

9:30am. We arrive at St. Michael’s Hospital, L&D, 15th floor. I walk up to the nursing station and explain that my waters had ruptured the morning before, and Dr. Sat had called ahead to let them know I’d be arriving first thing for a check up. Sheba, the nurse (named by Huzb for her horrible bedside manner) told us quite abruptly that we were to go home, there were no beds, and we wouldn’t have a chance being seen before 1pm today. Um, WTF lady? My WATER BROKE. Doesn’t matter. Go home. Come back later. We have no room for you. Frustrated, bewildered and in tears, we left feeling deflated and scared. Isn’t it bad to be walking around for so long after your water breaks? What if baby has no water? What if baby is in distress? I tried to stay calm and through tears I remember staring out at the Gardner Expressway thinking, this is not how it’s supposed to go down. At home, I settled, had a bite to eat, and caught a quick nap.

12:45pm. St. Michael’s L&D check-in Take 2. Sheba again. Hi, I’m back. Is there room for me yet? I say a bit aggressively. You’ll have to go sit down. No beds yet. We’ll let you know. Such a precious way of dealing with people Sheba you really are a treat. BITCH! Sheba hated me and I was totally going to get fucked out of being admitted to this hospital. I was convinced.

1:30pm. Sheba appears in the waiting room. Ok. Triage will see you now. Progress! We’re going to Triage! I eagerly undressed into the oversized gown, taking the time to put my hair up into a tight pony tail. This is it, this is how it’s all going to start. I still have no other signs that I am in labour. I climb onto the bed and a nice nurse hooks me up to the belly baby heart monitors. We wait awhile taking in the sounds and conversations of what’s going on behind the other curtains. Behind curtain #2, a woman in her third trimester panics because she fell on the ice this morning. I can hear her talking through an oxygen mask, worrying about her baby’s heartbeat. That’s scary, I think. Really fucking scary. Behind curtain #3, labour pains are taking over as a woman moans and her husband rushes for ice chips. Finally, the doctor pokes his head around and introduces himself . Let’s take a look here. He sounds like Dr. Ted the vet, I say to Huzb afterwards. We laugh. The doctor checks me inside and out, I’d better get used to this I think, so much probing to be done. Ultrasound confirms the state of my placenta is good, and baby is happy. I have lost over 30% of my waters enough to get things rolling. I am not dilated. My cervix is over 80% effaced. Ok. Let’s get the show on the road. We’re going to admit you, and commence induced labour. It’s baby time!? I say. Well, not quite he says, but we’re getting there.

Sheba was not joking when she said the ward was full and there were no beds. We were instructed to go for an early dinner for an hour while they prepped my room. Jesus what if I were at 8 cms by now, would they have been able to sacrifice a gurney in the hallway?

5:00pm
After a quick soup and bagel at Timmy’s we returned to the nursing station to “check in”. Nice Nurse sees us coming and grabs my paperwork and leads us to our room. I smile at Sheba on my way past the desk. We drop our bags in our room and for a brief moment I feel like we really did just check into a resort. Smiling faces all around us, a room with a view, a hospital bed, right – reality check. I grab a quick shower, it’s already been a long day and I feel disgusting. I stand in the shower under the heat again, and breathe.

6:00pm
Nice Nurse whizzes in and hooks me up to IV. This is a first for me. I’m a little nervous. She then gets me started on the Oxytocin, the hormone that will trigger and induce contractions. They tell us that they will start raising the levels every 15 minutes over the course of the next several hours. I should begin to feel contractions soon. We wait.

9ishpm
Contractions are starting to kick in but they are manageable. I can track them on the screen beside me. Huzby is close by and I’m starting to feel ill. The contractions move up and down like a lie-detector test. Every 9-10 minutes or so I get a surge of pain. He holds my hands. We wait.

10ish.The doctor checks in on us. I am 1 cm dilated. Slow progress but it’s progress nonetheless he says. I’m off duty soon, see you in the morning. It’s going to be a long night, try to rest and relax as best you can. Right. Relax. Bullshit. Who can rest and relax at a time like this?

At some point someone brought Huzb a pullout chair bed. It is pink leather. I think this is hysterical.

Timelines start to get a little blurry now. The contractions are getting intense very quickly to the point where Huzb can now tell me I’m going to be feeling pain before I know it, by watching the contraction monitor. Get ready hun…3, 2, 1…brrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaathe. I hang onto the side of the bed rail, moaning and squeezing his hand. I picture climbing a mountain and hitting the peak. I imagine I am just about to see something I have never seen before. I breathe. Ok Enough already get me the fucking epidural!!!!!!

4am. Epidural.
The anesthesiologist is a bit of a crusty bitch. Or maybe she’s just super anal and focused. Nonetheless this is the most pain I have felt throughout his entire process. Ok, I want you to bend forward and breathe. Breathe into it. This is what they tell you as they are poking very large needles into your back. You are going to feel a little pinch. PINCH WHAT THE FUCK OWWWWWE! I yelp. Sorry she says, your spinal muscle column is very tight. Three tries and a few local anesthetics later, I feel some pushing and tugging and a coolness set in as the juices from the newest addition of injections start to take effect. There we go. You’re all set. You should feel the effects very shortly. Just try to relax. There’s that word again. Relax. Fucking Relax. Surely enough, a few minutes later Huzb says You feel that? No, what? You just had a massive contraction. Let’s try to get some sleep. I lie there breathing deeply, focusing on the music that was playing on my laptop. Huzb had downloaded some chill-out beats and relaxation music for this very purpose. Thank you Huzb, I love you, this is exactly what I need right now. I start to use my yoga breathing. I think I am asleep.

I hear the sound of heartbeats all around me. Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. My baby is moving around, holding steady, kicking, getting ready to enter into my world. Thump----thump---------thump-------------------thump-------------BEEP BEEP BEEP…. Huzb what the fuck is going on? What’s wrong with the baby’s heart? In a matter of 5 seconds there were 3 nurses and 3 doctors around my bedside each checking, probing, poking and talking. Someone’s hand was reaching deep inside of me to check baby. I look at the screen, Baby’s heart has dropped to 50 bpm from 149bpm. What the hell is going on???? Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. Ok, we’re ok, someone says. Baby must have just rolled onto the cord, or maybe baby doesn’t like the Oxytocin. It’s nothing to worry about, we have an eye on it. Everyone assures me. Just relax.

Sunday February 24th, 2008.
Early morning. Huzb needs coffee and something to eat. We have not slept. We are waiting. I am starving. Off he goes. Please don’t be long. I’m scared and tired and really hoping the doctor comes soon to check dilation progress. I want to meet my baby so badly.

Huzb returns with a smile and a coffee. A new day he says, we’re going to meet our baby today! Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump----------thump----------------------thump-------BEEP BEEP BEEP. HUZB! Not again! The staff rush in again, Dr. Ted the vet-sound-alike-guy is back on shift. This time his entire arm if thrust up into me and he is toggling baby between his fingers. Ok. Ok. Let’s get her off the Oxytocin he says. Baby doesn't like this. I am having a fucking heart attack inside. My insides are breaking with anxiety and stress for the life of this baby. Can we please get him or her out? It’s ok, your baby is fine. But you’re not dilating. So here is what we suggest. It’s 10am. We’re going to take you off the Oxytocin for a few hours and let things settle down. We’re then going to start you back on it for one last try and see how you progress for the duration of the day. At 5pm tonight we will check you and see how much you have dilated and reassess at that point. I want you to start thinking about the possibility of a C-section. Ok? Ok. Everyone leaves. Is this how the birth experience is supposed to be? Is it supposed to be this stressful and tense? I look at Huzb and burst into tears. I’m so tired. I’m staying positive. He is my rock. I am just so tired.

Nurse shift change. Enter Nurse Kate, my new best friend.
At this point, I was pretty sure that a C-section was inevitable. I was trying to stay positive and think DILATE DILATE DILATE, but in my heart of hearts I knew. Not that this is a bad thing. I always had a thought in the back of my head that a C might be the way we go. Maybe because my brother and I were both C’s. I was fine with the outcome, always have kept an open mind to it. But there was a slight negative tone connected with the C-section birthing option, and I was kind of taken aback by this. I guess because it is a surgery. But they called it a “failed induction by way of C section. How shitty is that? A failed induction. Any procedure that brings my baby into this world safely and keeps me alive isn’t a failure in my books at all. Anyway, I digress.

Kate was the new nurse on shift and would be by my side either way, with the Huzb, for the rest of my delivery process. She and Huzb created a quick and strong bond together, she nicknamed him Papa – Papa go get Mommy more ice chips, Papa are you getting bored? You should go out for a walk, Papa, you are going to meet baby soon! Kate also had a great bedside manner and recognized right away that I was a nervous wreck by this point. She did a great job of over explaining things to my satisfaction and keeping things in perspective. Soon we were on the Oxytocin train again and waiting for the contractions to kick in.

12noon – Contractions are progressing, they are at 80 out of 100 on the contraction scale, had it not been for the epidural I would have felt tremendous pain, I was in active labour without even knowing it. Am I dilating? 5 more hours to go…

3pm – the room is getting intense, Huzb is pacing and keeping me calm telling me that I’m going great and that the contractions are super close together, they are on target, 3 minutes apart at 1 minute in duration. This is great news! Everyone keeps telling me. You are almost there, 2 more hours and we’ll take a look to see where you’re at. Right, I think to myself, keep breathing, stay calm, think open, dilate, stretch, come on baby let’s meet you already!

4pm – Nurse, pain! I need a top up!

I woke up from a 2 minute nap with one thought – who the FUCK took me off the epidural???? Huzb, get the nurse, I need drugs. In a milli-second I was feeling wrenching pain and pressure as the contraction overflowed my insides. What the fuck? Why can I feel this? I grab the nurse button and hit it twice, HUZB NURSE NOW. In comes Kate and I ask her to set me up again. I’m surprised it took you this long to complain, she says, you have a very low tolerance to drugs and usually people ask for more about 6 hours ago! However, bad news. They weren’t going to be topping me up because we had one more hour to go before the internal check to see how much I had dilated. If I had successfully improved, then we would be pushing soon and therefore not increasing the epidural, if I was going to have a C, then other drugs would be administered. I was instructed to hang on tight, ride it out and keep breathing.

For the next 60 minutes I experienced what I now know to be severe labour pain. Women don’t fuck around when they say there is nothing in this world that can describe the type of pain it is. Oddly, I was almost excited to be enduring this, as I knew it was the final stage before meeting baby, one way or another. I think I said Holy Fucking Shit about 50 times over. Huzb rubbed my feet and Kate massaged my back through every one, the monotony of it all helped. Just 57 more minutes….

5:10pm
Where the fuck is the doctor??
Finally, what seemed like forever and a day, Dr. Selk, the doctor on call for today, came in with her team. Time to check me out. Here we go again, more prodding. Huzb was oozing with positivity, it’s ok, here we go, this is going to be great, you’re doing great, you must have dilated let’s think positive. The outcome: I hadn’t change a bit. I was 1.5 cm dilated, 100% effaced, cervix was soft but there was no change or progress. My body was missing something this time around, my body was not going to allow this child to come out naturally. Ok, said the Doctor. It’s our advice that we proceed with the C-section. You’ve given it your best shot but we think it’s best to deliver this baby now, before it goes into any distress. It’s the best time now. Ok I sigh, let’s get moving! Overwhelmed, excited and scared. Man how many emotions can one go through in a 24 hour window? Soon paperwork was flying, signatures and waivers were being drawn up, Huzb stood beside me holding my hand, We’re so close babe…so close to meeting our little bean!

The staff had me prepped and Huzb in scrubs in under an hour and before I knew it I was under the massive lights being moved from the gurney to the table. Nurse Kate appeared. She quickly put the baby heart monitor on my belly and let me have a listen. We don’t normally do this, she said, but I knew you’d be stressing about hearing baby. Here you go, this will make you smile. Thump-Thump, Thump-Thump, Thump-Thump. She winked and grinned at me, I smiled through happy tears and thanked her. How kind and thoughtful. How did she know me so well? There’s my baby, so close to me, so soon will you be in my world, our world. I look up and see the anesthesiologist looking at me as he starts to explain all the things he is administering and what I will expect to feel, or not. He was really nice. He gave me drugs. He made me numb. I remember telling him I was having trouble breathing, then, I wasn’t anymore. Huzb was on my right, talking to me in my ear. You’re ok hun, we’re so close hun, they are almost ready to get started - I am so proud of you. I could hear but not see Nurse Kate on my left. Doing stuff. The anesthesiologist looks at me and said Ok, they are well into the surgery now, you will hear your baby any minute now. What? Really? They are? But I don’t feel anything! Well, he laughed, that’s a good thing! Some incredible tugging and pushing down on my lungs and chest and abdomen came next, like a massive wave over my core and then…the voice. The voice that I will never forget. The first cries of our baby entering into this place. Ok Dad, tells us what it is! Huzb was standing and leaning over the curtain. It’s a Girl! He exclaimed. A girl. We have a girl. A baby little girl. He leaned over to me and said it again. We have a baby girl. Through tears I could see him with the doctors over at the baby table as they did their 1 minute old inspection of her. He was dancing, I swear I could see Huzby dancing.

Baby Olivia Jane Phair was born February 24, 2008, at 6:28pm, weighing in at 6lbs, 1 oz. Welcome my sweet sweet baby girl. We are so happy to finally have you with us. You are worth every moment of this crazy experience and your Daddy and I would do it again a million times over.

We love you so very much.

Olivia

I'm working on the birth story for my daughter Olivia. She is 9 days old today. As I put the words together to describe her incredible entrance into our world I melt. She is pure beauty, precious and delicate, strong and assertive I can tell already. Be back soon, as every new parent knows, I just have to go stare at her for a while.