Eleanor is here!

 

Early Monday morning (May 11th), around 5 am, my water broke.

The next hour was spent jumping in the shower,  laughing, making phone calls, directing Colin to pack things in a bag for the hospital (hadn't done that yet). 

 

My mom came over and got the boys ready for school.   Colin's parents were still in town, too, from Jackson's first Communion.  They came over and brought the boys to school.

 

We got to the hospital and settled in. 

They started Pitocin pretty quickly and the contractions stepped up a notch.

I was holding off on getting an epidural - even though I knew I wanted one - just was a little stubborn.   I'm glad I listened when my nurse suggested I consider getting one when she did - because after I got it, it wasn't long at all before Eleanor arrived.

 

We were both pretty sure we were having a boy.

 I can't believe we really waited to find out.

It was an incredible surprise.

Colin took this of me right before she was born.

 

 

And as soon as she was born, and I heard them say, "it's a girl"

I couldn't believe it. 

Hence, the hand over my face.  : )

My mom was able to be there too ... she's been there for every baby : )

 

 

Beautiful, beautiful baby. 

Every time we have a baby - things change.

This time, they don't even weigh the baby right away.

You get at least an hour of time - skin to skin.

Later they came in and weighed her ...

She was 8 lbs 4oz, and 20" long

Born at 1:05pm

They also don't bathe the babies until 8 hours later ...

because they can regulate their body temperature better by then. 

love.

After a few hours of loving on her, the kids arrived from school.

Their teachers had talked to the boys and told them : )

 

 

Maggie walked in and said, "that baby was supposed to be a boy."

Then she said,"oh, look, she has a nose!"

 

Right after that, the boys walked in ...

 : )

Love their smiles

 

We came home the following day ... 24 hours after she was born.

So glad to get out of the hospital and home to everyone.

squishy face!

 

Don't remember which boy was pointing

at her but her yawn was perfectly timed.

 

Still trying to figure out who she looks like.

I feel like Jackson and Charlie looked a lot alike, and Cooper and Maggie looked a lot alike.

So far, Eleanor looks like Eleanor : )

 

I've called her many different names since we've been home.  

Have to keep repeating, "Eleanor, Eleanor, Eleanor"

It's so strange for us to not have a name before hand. 

It was the night before when we narrowed down the boy and girl name.

Every other pregnancy we had been calling the baby by a name for 20 weeks or so.

Eleanor was Colin's grandmother's name (his dad's mom).

And Catherine came from my mom, of course, and has extra special meaning because of a study in did in the fall on St. Catherine of Sienna.

 

 We all tried to go to church on Sunday morning, but I ended up staying home with Maggie.

She faked us out and was acting like she might be sick.  As soon as Colin walked out of the door with the boys, she was back to her normal self. 

Little stinker.

 

After they got home, I got some pictures of all FIVE children.

It's still hitting me... Five.

 

Everyone took a turn holding Eleanor.

Let's all touch her at one time!

 These faces are in response to Eleanor pooping as soon as Cooper took her : )

 

 

Sisters!

 

We are so overjoyed and thankful for another gift from God.

Welcome to the family, Eleanor Catherine.

We love you so much!!!