Baby Evelyn Is Here!

Evelyn Moiselle Garner
Born February 18, 2012 at 3:46am
6 lbs 7 oz.
19 1/4 inches

Last week, and quite unexpectedly, our sweet, little daughter was born 2 1/2 weeks early due to my blood pressure rising.  We knew this was a possibility because it happened with Rex, but you're never quite prepared to hear the words, "head straight to labor and delivery," from your OB.  We had about 4-5 hours to get prepared and headed in to be induced.

Labor progressed VERY slowly because the little stinker just wasn't ready to come out yet.  After almost 24 hours of trying to start my labor with more natural means, they started the pitocin.  That got things going!  10 hours later, our little gal made her grand entrance.  Actually, it wasn't grand at all...it was quite calm and peaceful.  For the better part of the delivery, it was just Josh and I with one of our nurses (who I would give a million dollars if I could) she was that awesome.  The doc came in just in time to pull our little gal out, unwrap the cord from her neck and finish things up.  It was dark in the room and everyone was so calm.  It was a nice contrast from Rex's crazy delivery.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from her birth and first few days of life!

**Please don't judge me, I was in hour 28 or so of labor

I had to document one of my (what felt like) 1,000 trips to the bathroom while hooked up to all kinds of wires and junk.  

At some point during delivery, Evelyn swallowed a bunch of amniotic fluid which made her have some problems transitioning.  It took them a few extra minutes to perk her up so they took her to the nursery to watch her more carefully while we got settled in our recovery room.  The next morning, she actually choked on her own spit and turned blue, so they had her spend the day in the NICU.  It was sad, but they let me come down and feed her every few hours.  Here are the pictures we took in our room once they let her come back up to be with us.

Since she spent her first day in the NICU, Rex wasn't able to come visit her until Day 2.  He could hardly wait and walked into the room with his arms outstretched, ready to hold "baby sister."

He literally held her for about 45 minutes and didn't want to let go.  He wanted to see every tiny body part and play with her fingers and toes.  He even sang to her (completely unprompted) some of his favorite lullabies.

My mom saved the day, flying into Raleigh the day we were induced to help take care of Rex while we were in the hospital.  

And then, as if her first 2 days weren't exciting enough, on Day 3 (release from the hospital day) they told me she had borderline jaundice and to be safe they would keep her an extra day to put her under the phototherapy lamps.  Luckily, she looked really cute "sunbathing" under the lamps in her cool shades.

Finally, the long awaited day had come and we got to take her home.  This is my favorite picture - Daddy holding his little princess while we waited to be discharged.

It's so nice to be home and be together.  And while Rex has been a little more difficult (no doubt adjusting to having grandparents in town, a new sister, and parents that were gone for days on end) he has continued to be perfectly sweet with Evelyn.  He begs to hold her at every opportunity and does it so gently.  He really is going to be such a great big brother, Evelyn is lucky to have him.