Meet Piper Delaney!

After a long, hot summer-the hottest on record since the summer of 1980 to be exact-Piper Delaney made her way into the world on August 16th at 11:42am. By the time she arrived I felt as if I had been pregnant for 2 years. I had an easy pregnancy, just as I did with Owen. I craved sweets like no body's business. I mean I could. not. get. enough. sweets. It's amazing that I didn't gain 100 pounds with all the doughnuts and such that filled my daily diet.

Unlike my first pregnancy, this time we found out what we were having. A little girl~how exciting! We had really thought Owen was going to be a girl, and had planned to name him Piper, so that was a top name this time around as well. I actually liked the name Harper better, but hubby and Owen insisted on Piper. Owen would almost cry if you called her by any other name. It was as if he already knew her, and that was supposed to be her name.

By my 8th month I had full blown insomnia and would be awake for days with only a few hours sleep here and there. At 36 weeks and 5 days I was hospitalized overnight due to severe dehydration that made my blood pressure, and more frightening Piper's blood pressure, skyrocket. I went to the hospital because I just didn't feel right, but certainly wasn't expecting what followed. Hubby stayed home with Owen and my BFF took me in to get checked out. Thank god she did. When I arrived at the hospital Piper's heart rate was over 200 beats per minute and sporadically flat lining off the monitor. The nurses went into fast forward hooking me up to machines and IV bags of fluid. One nurse stayed in the room, staring at the monitor for hours. EE spent the night on the pull out "bed". (Shout out EE! Love You!!) Had I been 37 week, they would have just delivered me. Instead, 24 hours and 4 bags of IV fluid later we were sent home. And in case you are wondering how much weight one gains when pumped full of 4 bags of IV fluids...10 POUNDS. That's how much. 10 freaking pounds. I looked, and felt, like I was a water balloon that was about to pop. Here is a picture of me the night before she was born...ridiculous!

So by 39 weeks (and 45 inches around!), I was MORE than done with being pregnant. We went in at 7:30am on August 16th for the scheduled induction, and prayed and prayed that the epidural would work this time. My OB put together a great team of doctors, including the chief of anesthesia and his head nurse, to ensure the epidural was placed correctly and working properly. The nurse was great...she looked and acted just like Callie from Grey's Anatomy. At one point we were all discussing tequila shots. What?!?!

Anyway...Epidural goes in and holy moly it works! This is awesome!! So my mom, Brian, "Callie" and I are all hanging out talking and laughing. A complete 180 from my last experience!! Around 11:15 the nurse checks me...dilated to a 5 and moving right along! 5 minutes later...and I do not exaggerate here...FIVE minutes later epidural had worn off and I was ready to push! I see my mother streak by as she cannot get out of that room fast enough! She was not up for witnessing the miracle of life while seeing her daughter screaming in pain. Fair enough. "Callie" then yells at me to NOT push because she "isn't trained in birthing babies!" and yells down the hall for the doctor. A team of people rush in...my doctor is in what looks likes full riot gear...where did all these people come from so quickly??? 20 minutes later, at 11:42 Piper was born.

She was PERFECT. 7 pounds 9 ounces and 18 inches long. Very close to the size Owen was when he was born. Her face was scrunchy, but she looked just like I imagined. I instantly knew her and loved her and was so happy to finally meet her face to face.

Brian picked Owen up from school that afternoon and brought him to the hospital. He was so excited to meet his baby sister. The first thing he said when he walked into the room..."where's my Piper?" He hasn't left her side since. Nana took Owen home for the night while hubby, Pipes, and myself got acquainted at the hospital. The following day we were released to go home. It was so nice to be at home, our whole family together.

I never felt like our family had a missing piece, but Piper filled the hole I didn't know was there.

Welcome to the world baby girl. We all love you so much and can't wait to get to know you more and more each day!

I love you baby girl!

Big Brothers

My dear hubby is both a big brother, and a little brother, being that he is number 4 of 8 total children. However, he grew up as the youngest child in a set of 4, so he acts more like the youngest child, than a middle. As the oldest child myself, I find humor in the things his older siblings did to him as a kid. He however, does not. Example: when playing "house" with his 2 older brothers and 1 (and only) sister, they all had assigned family roles. His assigned role, if he wanted to play with them, was that of the family dog. I find GREAT humor in this...well played Higgins sibs, well played. Here is another little gem I learned this morning while playing Batman with Owen.

Owen: Mommy, will you play Batman with me:

Me: Ok, sure.

Owen: You can be Robin...I am the two Batmans.

Hubby: He's always Batman...you will always have to be Robin.

Me: Ok, that's fine. Piper can argue that one when she's old enough.

Hubby: It's like when I had to be the Japaneese.

Me: HUH??? When were you Japaneese?

Hubby: When I played army with (older brother) Kevin. He was always the Allies and I had to be the Germans or the Japaneese. (I know, he totally dated himself with this...)

Me: Fell on the floor laughing!!!!!!! THAT. IS. AWESOME.

Again, I say...Well played Higgins siblings. Well played.