Penelope Annmarie

We welcomed our sweet Penelope November 24th.  She is the most beautiful, calm baby.  An answer to so many prayers.  We love her so much.

I went into the hospital to be induced in the morning.  I hardly slept all night, but I wasn't tired as we went in. We were so blessed to have the same doctor and nurse as when we had Thomas.  They perfectly understood where we were coming from and wanted to make sure we were comfortable with everything going on. They began the medication around 9:30, and I lasted about two hours without an epidural.  I was so happy, as I have been with my other babies, to have an epidural.  I was able to sleep off and on, and Andy was so supportive as he always is.

Around 2 the nurse came in to check me and I was almost to 6 cm, about 20 minutes later I felt the urge to push and was about to push the nurse call button when my nurse and doctor came into the room.  They said they were concerned with Penny's dropping heart rate and were going to give me oxygen, but they checked me first after I told them I was feeling the need to push.  I was dilated to a 10 and Penny was well on her way out.  I pushed 3 times and our little Penelope was here.

Hearing her cry was the most heavenly sound I have heard in my entire life.  I felt like I had been waiting to hear a cry for the last 2 1/2 years.  The spirit in the room was so peaceful.  I could feel Thomas there with us, helping to welcome his little sister into the world.

They immediately placed Penny on my chest for skin to skin, and I was in heaven.  After a while they took her to do all the measurements.  She weighed in at 5 pounds 13 ounces and 17 inches long.  She is a small little girl, but doing so well.  They were initially concerned with her weight and blood sugar levels.  They checked her blood sugar several times during our stay at the hospital but it was always well within the normal limit.

She also had a little bit of jaundice, but thankfully her bilirubin levels have gone down and she won't require in other intervention besides just making sure she eats a lot.

She is such a calm baby.  She loves to eat and sleep, and hates having her diaper changed.  She sleeps so well, that  I have to set an alarm at night to wake her up to eat.

Ellie loves her very much, and has done pretty well with adjusting to having Penny home.  She has been a little emotional, but we've been sure to give her lots of one on one time.

We love our Penny so much!