Two posts in two days...whew - I'm on a roll! ;)
Rauly-girl

Three years ago today, Chad and I were driving to Memorial Hospital in Savannah,GA for a scheduled induction. We were so excited!! My mom, Chad's mom, and Dennis and Jenny had both come to be with us - both to help us with the kids, but also, to be there when Rauly entered the world.

Based on the size of my belly, the doctor was very concerned that Rauly was going to be TINY - she was measuring at about 4 pounds the week I was suppossed to deliver. Shep was 8.13, and had measured pretty close to that while in the womb....so this was a little odd to us. We were told that there would be a team ready to take her after I delivered her to make sure that she was ok - this was a little disconserting, but to be honest, we were confident she was fine! I personally believed I had not gained as much weight with this pregnancy, therefore my stomach was smaller...and I also thought she was laying in my belly in such a way that made me measure smaller as well....I carried her very low!

Completely unexpected and very coincendantally, on the way to the hospital, my water broke!! It wasn't like a huge gush, but something definitely happened...neither of us panicked, we just got even more excited that this was really happening. When we got to the hospital, we were told that there were no rooms available...there were women laboring in the hallway because there were NO rooms. I hadn't had a single contraction and knew that Shepherd's labor lasted 25 hours...I was in no way concerned. Chad and I very calmly told the nurse that my water had broken, but that I was feeling fine,...she didn't even check me, just sent me downstairs to the waiting room to wait and said it could be several hours. We wound up waiting for about 3 hours...not a single contraction....big surprise - my body progresses sooooo slowly!

When they finally admitted me and checked me, I was dilated to 4 cm and yes, there was amniotic fluid leaking so without even checking me, they confirmed my water had broken. 16 hours later...I've got my epidural, I'm on pitocin and feeling great - only dilated to a 7. The doctor came in at this point and said she had an emergency c-section for twins in a different hospital and that based on the fact that I was moving so slowly, she was going to check me one more time and than go deliver those babies. Chad and I non-chalontly shrugged our shoulders and said "okeedokie!".


But when the doctor checked me, she realized my water hadn't actually broken (grrrr....could they have figured this out a LIL' SOONER YA' THINK?!?!?!). It had merely torn...so she broke it all the way. Within about 5 minutes, I was feeling my contractions and was enjoying feeling them...the nurse walked in and said "honey - are you crazy?!...there's no reason to feel any pain - knock yourself out with that stuff!". To which I smiled and said "ok". :) But than, out of nowhere, I told Chad - "uh...I think I need to push...like NOW!". My mom was there and knew what that meant, but Chad, remembering my last labor with Shep, didn't think there was any way I could possibly have dilated all the way. He got the nurses anyways and they grabbed the doctor right before she left to go to the other hospital - sure enough, Rauly's head was already crowning! Just 10 minutes after my water breaking, and Rauly was ready to enter the world! I pushed twice, and the most perfect little thing was laid in my arms....what an amazing experience (and SO much better than my experience with Shepherd I might add.).


Sure enough, Rauly was 8 pounds even - 20.5 inches! The doctor couldn't believe it! Bless her sweet little heart...she was beautiful and pink and such a healthy size - I felt my heart was going to burst! She nursed beautifully and I just didn't want to let her go for the first two weeks...she was such a little angel baby - she loved to be held, loved to sleep and was content to do both of those things all day and night.

Insert week 3....
"Hey lady...this is my birthday post - let's only focus on the good times, kapeesh?!"
-Rauly

Ok...Rauly's right...it would be wrong to give any attention to the 3 months of sheer horror she put us through with her endless screaming, her constant crying, her never ending bellering. No...for you Rauly-girl, I'll only focus on the good times. ;)

Chad and I could not be more in love with Rauly at the age of three...she's hysterical (to say the least!). She is currently in a phase where she adores me...which is kind of nice because for the past 2 years, she's been such a daddy's girl! She's such a joy to watch as she interacts with her friends, her teacher at Sharing Tree, and her family. And that temper of hers?...she's already learning to control it...she takes deep breaths now (something we taught her to do), and will do that until she's calmed herself down. That strong will of her is turning out to be a beautiful thing...anything she sets her mind to doing she is quite capable and motivated to succeed in! We thank God for our little girl and pray that God will bless her and keep her close to HIS heart as she grows in wisdom and stature.

Happy 3rd birthday Rauly-girl...momma' and daddy love you!