Welcoming our daughter!

People say, "Can you believe it?"....The whole experience from start to finish with Hartley was a surreal process. Her pregnancy at times seemed to fly by and at other times creep by...Watching her so closely for growth and fluid, it was all consuming at some points. Watching a friend lose a late term baby to a cord accident I wanted her "out" more than I did the others..I just had no idea getting her out would be such an ordeal.
Having had 2 prior c sections I wasn't too worried about the procedure. It's unsettling to know that you are going into surgery but nonetheless, the gift that you get at the end is more than worth it. We arrived at East Cooper at 5:30 am and got all settled in for the delivery. Our Dr's, nurses and antheisoligist were all great and in good spirits. The baby was coming, and within the hour! I remember sitting in the pre op room by myself and for the first time I let myself get tearful to think about welcoming our daughter into this world. Had this moment really come?
Sitting on the edge of the OR table the spinal just didn't feel like it did with the boys. I laid down and still didn't feel as numb as quickly as I thought I would. When they went to cath me I could feel her, although it wasn't painful. As they started the procedure I could feel them prick me and so they stopped. They tilted the table all the way back to where my head was near the floor and had you push like you were having a bowl movement, all of this to try to get the antheiia to move to where it needed to be. I wasn't panicking yet, but in hindsight I knew this would be no ordinary surgery. They leveled the table and started to try again. I could still feel them....Backward the table went again and we decided to wait a bit... I guess when they sat me back up it was good enough to begin but quickly the Dr was prepping me to put me to sleep...I was adamant that I wanted to stay awake. Not having pain, but "extreme discomfort" we pressed on. After the surgery, which honestly seemed like an out of body experience, I was told that I could move my legs up and down the whole time ( not suppose to be able to move at all), I also when they moved me off of the OR table I moved myself. At some point right before she was born I heard the Antheiologists say, "Dad's out..." My sweet husband could watch no more and passed out right there in the OR.
Once Hartley was born they put her on me right away, she stayed for a few minutes and then they took her to Tommy and he held her skin to skin until I was out of the OR. She latched on right away and stayed that way for honestly the first 30 out of the 36 hours of her little life. Finally my milk started to transition and she was able to fill her tummy and settled nicely. Born at 6 pounds 1 ounce, 19 1/2" long, she is right in the middle of Thomas and West's weights. They were all the same length:) Looking the most like Tommy she has a head full of blond hair and tiny features like Thomas. The boys adore her and I am afraid keeping her "safe" until she is a bit heartier will be some what of a challenge. Dropping to 5 pounds 9 ounces she is a little peanut! We're getting ready to head home to our new normal with three little people. Praising the Lord all along the way for the whole process. We're so thankful!