The Durbs Blurbs: 05.15.2011: SHE HAS ARRIVED!! Welcome Avery Marie...

Well, just like we thought!! Got home, changed, relaxed, and got a text from Brent....they are back at the hospital. Alisa was dialated to 3cm...keeping her to see her progress in an hour. An hour later and she was at 4cm....so they admitted her. I packed up my stuff, got some blankets for the (usually) cold hospital rooms. Vince couldn't come because he was flying out to Washington DC the next morning for business and needed at least a little sleep. So, I got to the hospital just in time to miss the epidural....my favorite part! :( I guess Brent got thru it ok though...oh ya, Alisa too! When I got there they were both dosing & trying to get some rest. Well, Brent was snoring...Alisa was dosing in between contractions. About 11pm, she was 5cm...and the nurse said she would come back in a hour or so to check again...but she went on break & someone else came in....didn't check her but just made sure she was doing ok. When the nurse came back in at 2am, Alisa was dialated to 10cm, and ready to blow! Doc was called, and the birthing team went into action! (And I got my camera ready!)

Literally within 15mins or so, the doc showed up, everything was in place, nurses were ready, and Alisa started pushing. I think she pushed maybe 4 times, and at 2:28am, Avery Marie arrived! It was the fastest birth ever...and Alisa (and Brent) did amazing!!!! So amazing that I suggested they have a few more. They do make such cute babies...so why not!? It would almost be a disservice to society by just quitting like that. We need more beautiful people in the world ;)

Anyways, back to the birth....after Avery arrived, Brent got to cut the cord, and they took Avery to the heater area to clean her up and weigh her. She was 8lbs, 4ozs....a big one!! And 21 inches long. Even just a few minutes old, you could tell she was a mellow baby, and already very alert. Her eyes were open and checking everything out. Didn't cry...unless you poked & prodded her. Her hands and feet were big...so big that the nurse made a comment that she was like a little puppy and was going to have to grow into her paws! Althought slightly offended at the dog reference, she was really cute with her big hands & feets...she would spread her toes out all over the place when she stretched out...so cute!!

The doc & nurses cleaned up the room, got Alisa comfortable, and left. They wanted to wait an hour or so before moving them to the post pardem room...so we just relaxed and waited. In the meantime, the nurse came in and gave Avery her first full bath. She even went thru a whole little bottle of baby shampoo...she has so much hair!!!

About an hour later, they moved the group to the post pardem room where they would spend the next day. In the past, they would take the baby to the nursery for the night so the parents could get some sleep, but turns out they don't really do that anymore! So, they settled Avery into her little bassinette in the room, and left Alisa & Brent for the rest of the "morning". About 5am, they got settled, and I left to go home and get a good 2 hours of sleep before I had to take Vince to the airport.

Whhheeewww what a night!!! I would not have missed it for the world (unless Alisa wanted me out!)...being able to be there for the birth of both of my neices (Brianna 5 years ago and tonight) was priceless and something that I could never express how grateful I am that Brent & Alisa let me be in there. I know it isn't necessarily an experience that most people want company in the room for...so am forever grateful that I could be there and share that moment with them.

Post-birth..taking in the moment