Annabeth Update

Annabeth was three weeks old yesterday -

Some of you will say "Where has the time gone?!"

Mark and I are thinking, "That's it?!"

Annabeth's Top 5 Favorite Things:

5. Screaming instead of sleeping.

4. Cuddling.

3. Eating.

2. Holding her head up to look around at everything.

1. Her Dad. She loves him more than ANYTHING which I love to watch!

Annabeth's 5 Least Favorite Things:

5. Wearing clothes.

4. Changes to her schedule - She IS my child!!

3. Being cradled like a baby

2. Her hat falling down over her eyes

1. Peeing. She screams bloody murder every single time.

*Yes, we've had the doctor check everything and she's fine, she just hates it*

Measurements:

Birth Day (10.05.11): Weight: 9.1 lbs and Length: 21 1/4 inches

Going Home Day (10.07.11): Weight: 8.11 lbs and Length 21 1/4 inches

Two Week Check Up (10.19.11): Weight: 9.7 lbs and Length 21 1/2 inches

We thank God continuously for the incredible blessing of being Annabeth's Mom and Dad.

Thank you to all of you who have called to check on us, brought us food, let us cry/laugh/share stories, and for all of your prayers!

The Longest Minutes

Annabeth Sage Riley arrived Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 8:55 am.

I promise that I am not about to share our complete birth story but will share God's amazing grace!

The Short Birth Story: Arrived at hospital at 2:15 pm on October 4. Confirmed labor. Officially admitted at 4:20. No epidural due to a drug allergy. LONG night of labor. Pushing began at 6:15 am, around 8:52 her heart stopped, and at 8:55 am Annabeth Sage arrived. Some time down the hallway her life began again.

When a baby is born usually the nurses say, "It's a boy or girl" ours looked me in the eyes and said, "You're not going to hear your baby cry right now." And at the place where the usually call out a length and weight, four doctors announced, "No heartbeat. Beginning chest compressions now." Our 2 hours and 45 minutes of drug-free pushing had gone from Dr Franklin, a nurse, Mark, and me to a room full of OBS and NICU staff in a matter of seconds. I looked at Mark, saw the complete and utter fear in his eyes, and I began repeating "Dear God, please save our baby" over and over again.

We had waited and prayed for so long for a baby that when we learned that we were expecting it was the greatest miracle either of us had ever known. We lived in fear that everyday of expecting our little on would be the last. Then in those hours of labor I finally felt like I could breathe, like she was 'for sure' ours. God had other plans, He had planned the longest minute of our lives as doctors and nurses worked for the Lord and through Him our little girl began her life. We thought we heard a little cry and then they rushed her to the NICU. We waited a long time to hear what had happened. We later learned she began to breathe at 8:59 am. Four minutes - an amount of time that seems like nothing but this one time it was everything. Thank you God for Your amazing grace and our incredible miracle! To Him be all the glory!