Welcome to the family, Emma!

On my due date, December 4th, nothing was happening. I think I visited the doctor at least 4 times that week. Not for any reason other than normal routine visit stuff -- a sonogram, check of fluid levels, and to estimate Emma's size. I was completely 40+ weeks miserable, but very confident with our decision to wait as long as possible to induce. I was really hoping Emma would come on her own...and obviously she would have, but we ended up speeding up that process because of some size estimates (8 pounds 12 ounces) and fluid levels! Our doctor happened to be on call Saturday December 7th and she convinced us it would be nice to be at the hospital on a weekend. We had our doubts. It also happened to be the weekend of a major cold front and possible icy roads. More doubts.  

My parents and sister drove in the night of the 6th. Forrest and I went out for one last date night -- we enjoyed a great, relaxing, filling dinner at Piatti. Italian, carb loading, I'm sure it helped with labor the next day! We casually made our way to the hospital, 5 bags in tow (jackets were in one bag, camera gear in another, you get the picture), the morning of the 7th around 7:30am. By 8am, we were checked in, getting blood work done, and hooking up to an IV. Before the Pitocin I was already 2cm and 70%...a good starting point! Around 10am, it was decision time, epidural or not? I was feeling strong contractions at this point, but getting through them fine. My nurse told me the anesthesiologist (only one available on a Saturday, grrr) was about to go in for a C-section and wouldn't be available for at least another hour. I've heard stories of labor progressing so quickly, by the time an epidural is wanted, it's too late. I had hoped to keep going, let the contractions get more intense, then decide. But I didn't want to take any chances. What if I was about to be in labor for 12 hours? What if I was about to push for 2 hours (like I did with Davis)? Not in the mood to gamble, I went for the epidural and then we waited. 

Forrest had the football games on and I napped on and off for a couple hours. He was making bets whether we would have the baby before or after the Baylor - UT game. Pattie and Richard were watching Davis for us. They passed the time by baking Christmas cookies. They visited us for about an hour. Davis had so many questions about all the buttons on my bed and the IV going into my arm. 

By 1:30pm I was at 8cm and frantically calling my mom -- she was stuck in traffic! At 1:55pm it was time to push and sweet Emma was born at 2:03pm. She was a healthy 8 pounds 5 ounces (not too far off from the estimate they got from the sonogram) and 20 1/4 inches. My mom, dad, and sister did make it in time. They had brought lunch for Forrest, but I ended up eating half of it. They weren't expecting me to have Emma so early in the day! The two hours after Emma was born, she spent it with us in our room. I got to hold her, feed her, and watch her while the nurses took her vitals. Emma also got to meet her big brother! It was a moment we will never forget.