June 2007

One year ago today, we brought a two-day-old, 7 lb, 10 oz baby girl home from the hospital.

What a difference 365 days makes! It seemed like we had been waiting for her for so long--not just the eight days she was overdue. June 26 last year started with a scheduled sonogram at the hospital to monitor my fluid levels and the baby's growth From that, it was determined that was I to be induced and that a baby would be here that day. My mom was there with us and we quickly went to unload the suitcase that we had (thankfully) packed and made our way to the hospital room, after calling everyone else in our family to tell them to circle the date on their calendars--we'd have a baby today!

Being induced is surreal in that you arrive in the labor and delivery room feeling great. After a few IV's, you're "in labor" but don't feel anything yet for quite some time. We actually enjoyed those few hours--chatting, watching television, and doing what we could to prepare for the next few hours. Then, of course, the pain came, and then the epidural, and eventually the final stages of labor.

The last part was hard on all of us, especially because our yet-to-arrive baby insisted on being born with her hand up by her head. We had originally planned on an unmedicated birth but we're thankful that our midwife had encouraged an epidural for this situation. (That intervention is already written into this baby's birth plan!) But, at 9:27 pm, we were holding our child. The midwife immediately handed us to her and then prompted us to investigate and tell the world "A GIRL!". We had settled on the name Amalia June several months before but hadn't really shared it so many people were surprised.

After a few days at the hospital and several visitors, our little girl was ready to get the rest of her life started. We took her home and feasted on a "Thanksgiving Dinner" that Jonathan had requested that my mom prepare to celebrate. One of my favorite memories of that day is Mali sleeping in the bassinet next to the table with Jonathan quietly moving her closer and closer to him throughout the whole meal.

Fast-forward one year--tonight she feasted with us on pasta, meatballs, and fresh zucchini. Our meal was MUCH louder and messier than last year and the clean-up took almost as long as the eating part. I doubt any of that will change in the near future. What will this next year bring?