Sweet Baby Grace

Grace Elizabeth was born Friday, February 20th at 12:54am weighing in at 8lbs. 4 oz. and 21 inches long to a very happy mama and daddy. She is absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way!

3am and still full of smiles!

After many false contractions and days of thinking this could be the day I finally had very consistent contractions starting on Thursday afternoon. Because I had a few days where even the most consistent and sometimes painful contractions putzed out Adam and I still were not sure this would be the "real thing". Around 8:30pm my contractions were getting closer and stronger so a quick call to the midwife and a few tears through some of the pain and the pure aw that this little person would soon be in my arms we set out for the hospital. I kept thinking that we may be going a little early but with a longer drive to the hospital this time around and with how quickly things progressed with Adam (who was born 20 mins. after arriving to the hospital) we decided not to take any chances. We arrived at the hospital around 9:15pm at 3 cm. dilated - most of you are aware that I normally arrive closer to 7 cm so I knew we had a ways to go. Our midwife, Kathleen, and all of the labor and delivery nurses were amazing - with us every step of the way. I started off very chatty in between contractions and soon had to concentrate with every ounce of my being. One of my fondest memories was that we said forget about the relaxation music and instead put on 92.9... I will never again listen to the Beastie Boys without thinking about the night Gracie entered the world. It, amongst all of the pain of natural childbirth, was such a happy room. Adam was a great coach, there every step of the way, his strong hand in mine as if trying to bear some of my pain. I am truly lucky to have such an incredible partner in life.

When the time came to push and Grace entered the world the midwife excitedly asked Adam, "Did you see that?" She put Gracie right on my chest and she was perfectly clean.. unlike when the other babies came out. Grace was "born in the caul". That is she was born with her amniotic sac still intact around her body - something that occurs in fewer than 1 in 1, 000 births. Of course midwives seem to be a bit on the more spiritual side and I was told by Kathleen and Valeree, the other midwife, how legend has it that a baby who is born in the caul is good luck and is destined for great things. How appropriate then, that our little girl, born in the caul, be named Grace.