Picture
Wow.  So I suppose I kinda left ya hanging there at 38 weeks.  Sorry about that!  I’ve been busy!  So, let me fill you in on life these days with a newborn little sister.

Can I just say that birth was magical?! Our doctor suggested induction at 39 weeks along and we gladly accepted her offer.  We checked in at 7ish and the IV was in place and Pitocin started by 8:15 am.  My water was broke at 10:30. Not much progress at 12:30 when the doctor returned to check on us.  She thought it would be awhile yet and planned to return in a couple of hours leaving us to assist in a surgery.  Soon after that a nurse came in and started flipping me back and forth to my sides.  Baby was having variable decelerations and possible cord compression was suspected since I was not progressing quickly.  Fluids were returned to my body to replace what was lost when the water broke to try and float and cord problem happening but without any change.  I could still hear  “thump…. thump…. thump….” as the heartbeat slowed with each contraction.   It was scary.  All I could do was try and keep calm and stop thinking that now I’ll have a cord accident and bury child number two!  The nurse gave me oxygen and stopped the Pitocin to give Baby a break.  All of a sudden I felt a great amount of pressure.  I looked at the nurse and told her that I knew it was time to push and I would try my best not to while they got everything ready.  She checked and sure enough!!! Get the doctor!  Everyone was scrambling to get equipment and my body into place.   I remember laughing that the doctor had just been here and asked the nurses, “Will there actually be a doctor here to deliver her?”  It was raining outside and my doctor had to run from across the street from assisting surgery.  Her shoulders were soaked as she jumped right into place.  “One, two three, PUSH!” Three rounds of pushes and there she was.  

I cannot put into words what it felt like to have a tiny body placed on my abdomen after having had the cord cut and a baby taken away.  Overwhelming joy!   Her tiny body balanced across my belly.   I remember touching her so unnaturally, like I was fumbling a ball.  She was surprisingly clean.  I gave her kisses.  My husband cut the cord.  The nurses all wowed as they took her to weigh her.  “She has red hair!”  Yes she does!  “She looks just like her dad!”  Yes she does!  While the nurses went on and on about how tiny she was, we cried.  We saw her eyes open and heard the most beautiful cry.  These are two things we will never forget.  Two things we never had with Maggie.  Even among such joy the sorrow seeps in.  We are almost used to that.

June Scarlet Colwell.  Born on the first day of summer, June 20th 2012.  1:27pm.  5 lb. 15 oz.  18 ½ inches long.  She has a face to match her fathers and brilliant Auburn red hair.  We love her!