July 15th - Norah Marie's Arrival...

Wow, life changes quickly. I am going to write "the story" down - more so for myself & Norah. If you aren't interested in all the fun details - just look at the pictures.

Monday, July 14th - I went to work as I typically do. I went in early, 6:45am, not knowing if I was going to "save" my extra hours up for later in the week OR just work a typical 8-hour day & be done at 2:45pm. My job is flexible in the summer - so as long as I have 40 hours in during the week - it doesn't matter how I accumulate them.

I felt pretty decent during the day, just really tired - and I was still having quite amount of pressure on my hip-bones/pelvis area, that just made it very uncomfortable to walk. I opted for leaving at 2:45 that afternoon & came home - told Jeff I was tired & I took about an hour nap, since Noah had already been down napping.

The evening was going by as usual - and my cousin Laura happened to stop by around 7pm. I just didn't feel quite right & had told Jeff a little bit earlier that if I felt how I currently did that I wouldn't be going into work in the morning. We all just sat on the back patio & I had mentioned that it was all I could do to walk. Laura later told me that I looked "horrible."

Laura had left & around 8:30pm I told Jeff "Maybe these are Braxton Hicks" - and he said "No, you wouldn't have THOSE this close to your due date!" I started timing my contractions & wrote the first one down: 9:15pm.

I called my parents & told them that I may need them tonight to come watch Noah - so be prepared.

9:28pm. Hmm...this is interesting. With Noah, I started having contractions at 8AM and went into the hospital at 4:30PM - so I thought I had PLENTY of time.

9:40, 9:50, 9:57, 10:06...at which I called my parents told them to get down here & that "HOLY COW THESE HURT!!"

I jumped in the shower - I told Jeff I had to shave my legs!

10:14, 10:22, 10:26, 10:32, 10:37, 10:41, 10:51...got to the hospital at 10:55pm.

(Thankfully, we're an entire 2 miles from the hospital).

Dr. Kaye, my Dr., was already there - she came in to check me - I was at 6 cm already!

I won't share the rest of the lovely details - but there was no time for drugs. I begged & pleaded for an epidural, which they finally agreed to - but there was no time for it to take. Dr. Kaye told me "It's all natural... start pushing!" ...7 minutes & voila! (Yes, I really DO think I deserve a trophy - I'm the girl that thinks a PAPER CUT hurts!!!)

Norah Marie Joslyn

July 15th, 2008

1:14am

7 lbs 13 oz.

20 inches

She is perfect.
We love her - and stand amazed, again, at God's handy work.

Welcome to our home, most beautiful lil'one...