A Family of Three Please!

Eric told me I needed to change our blog title since there in no longer just the two of us in this family :) That's right, we finally have our precious little girl with us!

After being about a week over due and nothing happening so far as contractions or dilation I was set on the schedule to be induced Tuesday night. (For those who don't care to know all the details of labor please skip to the end.) Once they gave me a pill to soften my cervix contractions started right away and got steadily more intense. By 1am my water broke and shortly after that I was definitely ready for my epidural! (Just my little plug for epidurals.....they are AMAZING!) Things were moving along faster then the nurses expected and by 7am I was ready to start pushing. Unfortunately the doctor was stuck in two C-sections so I didn't start till 2 hours later but about 15 minutes later at 9:50am Mia Linda Caldwell was born into the world. She was 7lbs 11 oz and was 20 inches long. After everything going so well with the delivery complications started when the placenta wouldn't detach. The doctor had to remove it himself which caused a lot of bleeding and I lost over 1 liter of blood. They were also having trouble getting a second IV in me for a blood transfusion, but luckily the bleeding stopped just short of needing one. Needless to say, since I was already scared of needles, I am now officially traumatized of them after being poked just about in every spot on my arms possible! Anyway, because of the loss of so much blood, without a blood transfusion the recovery has been a slow one. I can honestly say I would have never made it through few these last couple of days without Eric. He was there every second taking care of Mia and me in the hospital.

Now enough about me and on to Mia. Since I was pretty much out the rest of the day after delivering her I barely got to hold her or see her. That night she was taken to the Newborn Intensive Care unit because her blood sugar levels were low and she was having trouble keeping food down. I was discharged from the hospital on Friday and the hardest thing was not being able to bring my baby home with us. Because of this I was really grateful we live across the street from the hospital since Eric would have take me back every 3 hours to feed her as we tried to get her to maintain a good blood sugar level without IVs. Finally we got to take her home Sunday morning. She is doing fantastic now and is perfect!

Becoming a mother has been a more humbling and joyous experience then I thought it would be. Even when I am up in the middle of the night with her I can't help but smile at such a beautiful gift that God has give to Eric and I. There is nothing more eternally fulfilling in life then being blessed with one of Heavenly Fathers sweet spirits. I couldn't be happier or more grateful for the life I have been blessed with; to have an amazing husband who provides and takes care of Mia and I, for a healthy and perfect little girl, and for amazing family and friends who have helped and supported Eric and I through this (especially my Mother who I am eternally grateful to have here with me helping me!)

Oh one last little note that was especially special for us was the Mia was given the middle name Linda after my grandmother who pasted away a couple of weeks ago. Mia was born on my grandma and grandpa's anniversary. What better remembrance of my loving grandmother who I hope Mia got the chance to meet before coming to this earth.