Welcome, Ellie!

Eleanor Rose Hobbs
"Ellie"
September 11, 2010 at 3:04 am
8 lbs., 2 oz., 21.25" long

I can't believe that it's taken over three months to announce Ellie's arrival on the blog, but I guess that just as the website once replaced real photos and phone calls, and the blog once replaced the website... Facebook has now usurped the blog. Ever-evolving. We like things quick and easy, right?

So it's a few months late, but I just can't make a Christmas post and overlook the biggest event of the year for us. I hope to bring Christmas photos to you soon, but in the meantime, here's the birth story:


We had been on edge for a month, since Bridger was a month early and the doctor told me it could be any day... for almost three weeks. Mainly, I was having tons of contractions and had about six nights when they got into strong, frequent, regular patterns for hours on end. If it were my first pregnancy I would have been in and out of the ER all those nights for false labor, but this being the third time, I just wasn't convinced it was the real deal and went to sleep, figuring I'd wake up if I needed to.



Finally Mom couldn't stand the suspense and arrived. After a few days of learning the routine, it was Friday and there were lots of strong contractions but still no baby. We were considering induction on Monday. I started jumping up and down about 20 times in a row when nobody was looking. Brooke had a "Fun Run" fundraiser at school, so we all went to cheer her on in the heat. That night after dinner, we walked to and home from Scoops, the new ice cream store (I had coconut). Kids went to bed, contractions kept coming.




By around 11:00 they were stong enough to really get my attention, but I still wasn't sure. We arrived at the hospital shortly after midnight. I was checked around 1 and was already 6 cm dilated! I saw no reason to go through the experience I'd had first time around, got the epidural, and our sweet baby arrived after 2 pushes at 3:04 am! Easy peasy lemon squeezy! It was fun and made for 3 fast, esy deliveries for me (thank you, God!). When Dr. Garcia held her up to Brad for him to announce whether we have a boy or girl, he was actually speechless for a moment! I'd suspected the whole time I had another daughter, despite the wives tales predicting a boy (baby's size, heartrate, and carrying very low). How'd I know? The pregnancy just felt like Brooke's, especially with the same endorphin rush I got from sugar.




She is such a sweet, calm baby. One precious moment was right after she was born, I laid my hand on her tummy to give her skin-to-skin contact right away and talked to her and she immediately calmed. During the first two months I only heard her cry a few times; she'd squawk when she was hungry or tired, but no crying!

The big kids are fantastic with Ellie and fight over who sits next to her in the minivan. The cuddle, coo, and sing to her. Whenever I pick Bridger up from preschool, Bridger squeals, "Elllllliiieee!!!" and runs to kiss her. When Gran told him she was a girl, though, his response was, "No. A boy. I wanted a boy." I think his misunderstood when so many people asked him which he wanted... he thought he could pick! I didn't hear any more about it until this past week when he remembered that he had picked a boy and was confused (and a little sulky) because "Brooke got to pick." I tried to explain that God picks and Brooke just wanted a girl and happened to have a lucky guess. Both kids want lots more babies, which is fine by me... start working on Daddy!


We SO appreciate all of the visits, thoughts, cards, meals, gifts, and well-wishes. Mom, Dad, Pat, and Katie and her family have blessed us through visits. Scott and Nancy were a tremendous help watching the older kids, especially toward the end of the pregnancy and in those first few weeks. They also came to our rescue when I was sick in October, and again when Bridger was ill this month. Nancy Messano was on call for the labor night shift for weeks and spent the night with the older kids whe Ellie arrived, so that grandparents could go to the hospital with us. My good friends Kristin Kelley and Allison Malemezian have been especially good to me, hosting a welcome baby shower and being on call to help out with rides and play dates for Bridger. Karen Snell organized meals. Brad has been super-Dad through it all, helping in whatever ways he can.

Here are some highlights from the Dickses' visit:








It's been a rich few months. Tiring (exhausting, really), but so rewarding. I'm so happy that she's here. We always hoped that we'd have at least two kids, and I wanted a minimum of three. Maybe I'm extra grateful this time around because I wondered for so long if I'd even have a third baby. Watching our cousins lose 2 precious baby boys to SMA has shot my appreciation of our babies through the roof; I think of Jacobsen and Hodges every day and am a better mom because of them. I trust that God has beautiful plans for both our family and theirs. My heart breaks for the pain the Manrosses have experienced, yet I'm grateful that He is trustworthy to provide each of us strength, grace, peace, hope, and love -- even in the midst of sorrow and no matter what may come. Their story isn't over; I'm hopeful for their family and their future. In the meantime, I pray for them and love my children more and better because of them.




May we each take advantage of every day, prayerfully asking God to show us to what we are called, walking humbly in His Spirit.