A year ago this very day

I was sitting in my hospital room looking at my beautiful baby and praising God for her safe arrival. This was my first night as a mom of three and I was so very happy. Still in utter disbelief that I was holding a baby girl. My entire pregnancy I was convinced that SHE was a boy. I had a strong intuition and I don't think that you could have told me otherwise. We have never found out the sex of our children until birth, but I KNEW that she was a boy. I guess mothers intuition was way off this time around, huh?

I remember walking the halls at the hospital and in between I sat and listened to my hypnobirthing cds. I was so relaxed and things were going really well. Until the dr wanted to break my water. I panicked and got my epidural. In hindsight, I so could have done it. I just lost faith. Oh well, maybe the next time around. I did go VERY fast and within 20 minutes I dilated from 6 to complete and was ready to push. The nurses didn't believe me until I had Jay running the halls to find them. Must have been quite the sight. The dr was called as I literally sat with my legs crossed. I knew the baby was there and I had to push. Sure enough the dr walked in and I was ready. I was still totally in shock that it was time to have a baby and remember saying as Jay grabbed one leg and the nurse the other, "I can't believe I am having a baby right now." I pushed twice and the dr lifted up a baby. I fully expected him to lift up a baby boy. I looked once and then again and cried out, "It's a girl. Are you kidding me?" I couldn't have been happier at that moment. I felt so blessed to be the mother of THREE girls. I have two sisters and I know how close we are and I was so thrilled to know that my girls would have each other like I have my sisters. Not that brothers aren't cool, but nobody can have the same relationship with you as your sister.

First call was my parents. I told them the news, but made sure that they didn't tell Em and Elle what kind of sibling they had. I wanted them to find out for themselves. My parents brought the girls up to the hospital as soon as they woke up and had breakfast. We have always had a rule that no one was allowed to meet the new baby until the older sibling(s) did. The girls were so excited to have a new sister. I was so proud to show her off and introduce her to the important people in her life. What a glorious day. We had a few visitors, but mostly it was just Jay and I enjoying the first day with our new baby.

I remember feeling very overwhelmed at the thought of having 3 kids in 4 years. I remember thinking, "What was I thinking??" That lasted for such a short time. Cecelia melded right into our family as if she had always been with us. I ventured out quite a it on my own with the three of them and actually had fun. Cecelia just kinda jumped in and went with the flow. She has been a very easy kid from day one. She was the kid who got me into baby wearing hardcore and I swear that she spent the first 5 or 6 months of her life snuggled up next to my boob in the moby wrap. She was also the baby that got momma and daddy on board with co-sleeping (who'da thunk??) I slept for 5 straight months in a rocking chair with her to help with her reflux. She has been cloth diapered since birth (shocking, I know!!)

What a delight! I am so blessed to have Cecelia in my life and thank God everyday for her.

Happy Birthday, Lil Pumpkin. Momma's third little princess and Daddy's Lil Girl! We love you more than you can ever imagine.