Welcome Madeline Reese

Alice was 9 months old when I finally stopped nursing. And it would seem that my body, which use to have a hard time getting pregnant, took that as a sign that I needed another baby. 2 weeks later I found out that baby #4 was on the way.

I delayed telling anyone but Shane because Alice was still so little. So we waited a couple of months and shortly after her 1st birthday we made the announcement.

The pregnancy was a difficult one. My pain started coming back, my blood pressure spiked, I was constantly exhausted. But I managed. I started having SVT and had to wear a heart monitor for 30 days. Every time I took my heart rate it was 185! But it was normal sinus rhythm so the Drs weren't worries.

Shane and I were convinced we were having a boy. The pregnancy was so similar to how it was with Noah and we felt that the next girl would be the baby of the family not this one. But the ultrasound proved us wrong. We were so surprised that we could not come up with a name. Months and months we tried but nothing felt right.

We were nearing the end. I was 8 months pregnant, we had no name picked out, I was having non-stress tests two times a week (only because I couldn't fit the 3rd one my dr wanted into my schedule), and I got sick. Then my sister got married and it was a long exhausting (but beautiful and fun) day. Two days later my non-stress test showed I had no amniotic fluid. I was 37 weeks along and I really wanted to keep this baby in at least 2.5 more weeks. I told my Dr that I didn't want to deliver early because I didn't want a sick baby. He replied that a sick baby was better than a dead baby (he used better words) and convinced me to be induced early.

I went to labor and delivery and got checked in. The fellow wanted to give me a med to ripen my cervix then start the pitocin in a few hours. I wasn't having it. I knew it wasn't necessary.  So when I asked to do pitocin at the same time he just agreed to do that instead. He told me it would be several hours and I laughed. I know my body and how I respond to pitocin. I was judging about 3 hrs and I was right. About 3 hrs later I was ready. Again the student Dr/fellow/intern whatever said I probably wasn't ready yet. Luckily my amazing Dr was there because I rolled over and out she came.

Madeline Reese was born at 9:12pm. She was 5lbs 12 oz and 19 inches long. She was healthy and had fabulous apgar scores. But man was she tiny.

I know there is more to the story that I am forgetting. I should have written it before Maddie was 5 months old. The first few months were super hard. Maddie has really bad reflux and she cried and cried all the time. She couldn't be laid down because she would instantly start to choke and aspirate the spit up. But by about 8 weeks the meds were working better and she started sleeping. Now she is a complete angel. Never cries. Is happy being held or laying down. And she sleeps great. She still wakes up several times a night to eat but then goes right back to sleep.

She looks so much like Shane and even smells like him. I absolutely adore her. I can't get enough kisses and snuggles. I'm so glad she joined our family when she did.