We tried to get pregnant with Ella for about a year. Just when I was ready to go to the OB and ask her to "check me out", we got pregnant! (May 2008). I don't remember why I took a pregnancy test, but I do remember walking down the stairs and shaking all over while I told Brad. He could barely read the pregnancy test because I was shaking so hard. We were so excited!!
I felt great at first, then the nausea started. I never did get sick, but I felt awful for about 6 weeks. I ate a lot, and I slept a lot. I literally went to bed at 8:30 some nights. About half way through the pregnancy, I began to have major back pain. I'm not sure what caused it, but I lived on a heating pad for about 3-4 months. I really think I might have just pulled a muscle. I also fell once at work and had to be monitored at the hospital for several hours. Ella decided that she didn't want to move, so I got worried. Naturally, as soon as we sat down in the waiting room, she starting moving around. :) We were so relieved.
It was exciting when we found out she was a girl. Neither one of us cared, and we already had the name "Ella" picked out. Ella is for my mom (Eloise) and my great-grandmother (Ella). We had a hard time with the middle name, but finally decided on "Rae", which of course is my middle name. Now that I look back on it, I don't know why we didn't decide on Rae earlier.
I was not a particurarly happy pregnant woman. Some women love being pregnant - not me. I love my baby girls, but I was ready for them to be out of my stomach. Anyway, I was induced on January 28, 2009, which was my due date. We arrived at the hospital around 8:30 pm on January 27th and were told to come back later because they were slammed. We came back about 11 pm, and they set us up in a room. I found out later that they didn't think I was going to be able to be induced on that day since it was elective and they were so busy.
The hardest part was getting my IV in. The nurse dug around in my arm awhile, and I got kind of quesy. Normally, it doesn't bother me so I'm not sure what the problem was. I couldn't sleep that night - too excited I guess - so they gave me an Ambien. Worked like a charm! It also snowed in the night, so Ella was born on a snowy day.
At around 5 pm the next day, I starting pushing. Brad was in the delivery room with me of course. She didn't make a peep when she was delivered at 5:48 pm. My OB called it the quietest labor and delivery ever. Her eyes were just wide open; she was taking it all in!
Birthday: January 28, 2009
Time of Birth: 5:48 pm
Time of Birth: 5:48 pm
Weight: 7 lbs, 13 ounces
Length: 21 inches
All of the grandparents were in the waiting room and very excited! Poppy thought she was looking at him; Daddy thought she was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. We were happy to have little Ella Rae in our lives.
I love this picture because it shows her weight on the scales:
I love this picture because I think she is looking at me and thinking, "there's my mommy!"
Her adoring Daddy (still is):
She had the best hospital newborn pictures I've ever seen:
She had lots of visitors while in the hospital: Jim Holland (our pastor), Mimi and Poppy, Nana and Paw-Paw, Beth and Wayne, Bill and Cheryl, and Chris. She was prayed over several times too.
My favorite memory in the hospital is from the first night. Everyone had left, and the nurses brought Ella back in our room (from having her bath). She started crying, and Brad and I looked at each other like "now what?" We literally almost buzzed the nurse for help. Luckily, we realized that she was hungry.
It's amazing that any one can have kids with no training whatsoever. :)
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