A family of 4

A friend of mine once told me that when she had her second child she felt like they were a "real family." I now understand what she means! Having a second child makes me feel more complete and instantly more respectable as a mom (haha...true). We are so excited that our little miracle is here. I hate pregnancy and I had a hard time accepting the idea of having another child. I told J even on our way to the hospital that I wasn't ready and I really didn't know if I wanted to do this all over again! But when I looked at my perfect child everything changed.

This baby really is a miracle to us. She was wanted but never expected and she caused me much grief in the womb! Due to my doctor going out of town, trying to find a time for Jason to make it to her birth (because he has been out of town the past month), the fact that I "bake 'em fast", and that I have some TERRIBLE (and nasty) varicose and spider veins in my leg that cause problems my doctor scheduled an induction a few weeks before her actual due date (which ended up being dangerously close to when she would have come on her own!). We arrived at the hospital at 615 in the morning on the 17th. After all the paperwork we got to the room fully expecting to be able to start the pitocin before 7. Well, little miss MJ started causing some concern even before I had any drugs in me (essentially her heart-rate was everywhere it shouldn't be and she was distressed)! So we had to wait for my doctor to come and check me out and discuss the possibility of a C-section and give the go ahead to start the drugs. They started me at 745. My doctor broke my water immediately so he could attach some monitors to her and have fluids continuously flushing through the womb. I had to lay completely on my side the entire time and be on oxygen to get her more air-not comfy. When I was admitted I was at a 3. Two and a half hours later (at 1015) I was at a 4. It was frustrating that it seemed to go so slow! Well, 25 minutes later I was at a 10 and complete. My doc came in and I pushed ONCE and he even had to say "stop." She was born at 1040-less than 3 hours after they started me! (I went from a 4 to a 10 in less than 2 hours with T also and I pushed twice with him).

Someone asked me if I loved her. They asked me this because I had a hard time for the first few months with T. It took me a while to feel bonded to him and really feel like I loved him. This time, as much as I wanted to disassociated myself from the pregnancy,didn't accept it,and wasn't terribly excited about it-at the moment they put her on my chest I instantly loved her. It felt natural. I knew she belonged with us. She just fit.

We love her very much and we are so happy we finally have our little baby MJ. In her short hours of life we have already determined she looks just like her brother, she likes to sleep on her side, she is ALWAYS cold and has terrible circulation in her feet and hands (just like momma), and as terrible and humorous as it is...she is showing signs of having T's gag reflex (many of you know of this little problem...) I have my work cut out for me with these two!