Ava Arrives!

After eagerly anticipating (and trying to hurry-along) the arrival of our daughter, it was clear that she wasn't going to come on her own anytime soon, so we decided to get induced on Monday, September 20th.  Drew was living in Chicago at the time while he went to Prosthetics school, so it was nice that we knew when she was coming so he didn't have to make a mad-dash from Chicago. 

Here Drew and I are at 6:00am on the big day in the adorable nursery that my mom decorated. 

We may appear calm, but looks can be deceiving!

Here I am just enjoying my Pitocin drip.  Oh, how blissfully unaware I was of the things that were to come . . .

After about 8 hours of labor, 3 very scary and ultimately unsuccessful attempts at an epidural, and only 10 minutes of pushing, our beautiful Ava Michelle was born at 5:36 pm.  She weighed 7 lbs. 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. 

Words just can't describe the joy that Drew and I felt as we were able to meet the daughter we had waited so long for. 

We were blesssed to have my sweet mom staying with us for the week before and the week after Ava was born.  I don't know what I would have done without her!

The hospital stay was overall very nice (except for a long second night filled with a crying baby that wouldn't eat and two very frazzled and overwhelmed new parents).  We checked out of the hospital Wednesday morning and headed home to the unknown.

The proud daddy

Our first family picture
(please note that yes, I am wearing the same shirt that I wore to the hospital.  All that time spent packing for the hospital and I still didn't make it there with an extra set of clothes!)

All bundled up and ready to go home!

After arriving home on Wednesday, Drew unfortunately had to go back up to Chicago for the rest of the week.  Thank goodness I had my Mom there or I could not have let him go!

Here I am giving Ava her first bath.  (I know, I look like death warmed-over, but come on!  I was exhausted and in pain and my husband had just left me at home with a baby that I had no idea what to do with!  Once again, thank goodness for moms!)



What a crazy, wonderful, emotional, spiritual and exhausting couple of days!  Overall, things went so smoothly and we could not have asked for better love and support from family and friends.  We were so excited for this new adventure called parenthood!