Ella's 1st Birthday!

 

Ella's first birthday 

Let me finish what I started.  It was Thursday morning, I called the hospital, they wanted me there at 8:00 a.m.  While I was getting ready, I started getting these funny painful aches.  Hmm... were they contractions?  You bet they were contractions.  They started out not so bad, then by 7:30 a.m. when we left for the hospital, I started to brace myself because the pains became so intense.  Finally, we arrived the hospital, and into a nice room by 8:30.  The nurse got me all hooked up to the drugs and then checked me. I was dilated to a 4, so I could get the epidural when I was ready.  I was ready! After the epidural, I was able just to sit and enjoy myself, my conversation with my mom and sisters, and watching the contractions on the computer (Brennan was in another room waiting for the "all-clear" sign -- he's not a fan of hospitals/blood).  I couldn't feel a thing.  After about an hour, the nurse checked me again, I was dilated to a 10.  I could start pushing.  I pushed for about an hour and a half, and at 12:45 p.m., Ella came into the world.  It was an incredible experience.  I will never forget that day,  Brennan and I are so lucky to have this amazing person in our life.  She is the joy of our lives.  Ella, we love you and are the luckiest parents in the world.  

Ella minutes after she was born