FINALLY!

I no longer look like this. I didn't purposely make my smile look so fake...I think another contraction was starting.So on Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment at 4:00. I kindly asked the doctor to induce me that night. He laughed and said, "How about tomorrow morning?" Sigh. Okay.

However, Hannah didn't want to come on anyone else's terms but her own. At about 5:00 a.m. I felt my first contraction (but doubted it's validity considering how many "first contractions" I've felt over the past month). By 7:00 they were really really hard, 45 to 60 seconds long, and less than 5 min apart.

When you schedule to be induced they put you on a list and then if they have room for you, they'll call you and tell you to come in. The hospital called at about 7:05 and told us they had room for us. We told them it was a good thing because I was in labor and we were heading there right then.

Here is our last family picture with only three members of our family (outside of my stomach anyway).

For those of you just interested in the pictures, scroll down to the bottom, there are a bunch. For anyone else, by all means, continue. (Don't feel bad if you scroll to the pictures without reading...I do it all the time). :o)

We checked in at about 7:30, they broke my water at about 8:00, and I got my epidural at about 8:30. Last time they broke my water after I had the epidural. Contractions after your water breaks hurt. The other ones hurt too, but the ones after your water breaks hurt more...in case you didn't know.

My epidural was perfect. I could still tell I was having contractions, but they didn't hurt hardly at all...until I got dilated to about an 8. Then they started to really hurt again. I pushed my blessed button (for those of you who haven't had an epidural, there is a button you can push to give you more medicine)...well, Bart pushed it for me actually, but it didn't help. So the anesthesiologist came in and gave me something that did work. Which made me happy...and numb.

I was only had to push four times this time (about 15 min) and my 8lb 11oz, 19.5 inch chunky little Hannah Lee came into the world at 12:13 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27th. A day after her due date. (Addison was also born on a Wednesday, but it was the day before her due date).

I had no tearing and no episiotomy! And I am feeling great!!! I'm still a little tender, and I get tired quickly, but other than that I feel totally normal. I get tons of contractions when I nurse Hannah that hurt like heck. I have taken Motrin for that, but that's it, and I really do feel great. It has been an awesome recovery so far...let's hope that lasts.

As for Addison, she LOVES her little sister. When she came to the hospital and saw Hannah, she was so excited. She gasped, her eyes got wide, and she smiled from ear to ear. Then she looked meekly at Bart and I as if she was going to say something she wasn't sure she should say, and mumbled something we couldn't hear. We asked, "What Addison?" She repeated, a little more loudly this time, "I want to hold her." We happily obliged. It was so cute.

Maralee called while they were there and Addison excitedly told her, "My friend Hannah is here!"

We came home today and Addison was upset because Hannah was asleep. She wanted to play with her. She just adores her. :o)

So far almost everything has gone great with Addison and Hannah. We did have one little hiccup though. Today Addison was in the room while I was nursing Hannah, and Addison flipped! She started crying frantically and saying, "No mommy, I don't want her to hurt your tummy." I was so confused until Bart reminded me that the other day I had mentioned to him that when I nurse Hannah I get terrible cramps that hurt my tummy. We've been telling Addison she needs to be careful because my tummy has owies, so she can't climb on me like she normally does. She was so concerned that Hannah was hurting me. It was so sweet. I love my little girl.

And...here are some pictures:

Me and my baby girl right after she was born.

A proud daddy.Me and my girls.Our first family picture.

Grandma and the girls.

In what has become a family tradition: Bart changing Hannah's first diaper.

Hannah and her Daddy...okay, I have to say, I LOVE how Bart interacts with his new babies. He just loves them so much! He's so cute! I think for both of the girls he's been really torn. He knows that breastfeeding is the best and that he wants what's best for them, but he also wants to be able to bond with them while he's feeding them, something that's kind of hard for a guy to do with an only-breast-fed infant. (Hence the first diaper change. He's great about changing diapers while I'm breastfeeding) I love my hubby.

Hannah went home in this outfit Amy got her in London. I'm sorry you couldn't be here this time Amy! I'm glad you were watching waiting for Godot though...te he he. Oh, and the adorable blanket is from my young women. They gave it to me at a surprise shower they threw for me and another member of the presidency who is pregnant. They're awesome! I love them. :o)