11/3/11~~~Lucy's Day

Thursday, November 3, 2011
We arrived at the hospital a little after 5am for a scheduled induction at 39 weeks.  The ride to the hospital was pretty quiet.  We were tired.  We both had worked the day before and we got up that morning at 3:30am.  I had lots of excitement and fears rolled into one big belly of butterflies.  For some reason, I was really nervous this time.  I had such an easy labor and delivery with Bella, I thought, 'You just don't get that 2 times in a row!'  I prayed, almost a continuous 1-hour prayer the whole way to the hospital.  We got settled into room 333.  I answered all the admission questions and signed our consents.  My IV was started and the doctor came in shortly afterwards to break my water.  So at 5:53am, my water was broken and I was 3cm.  I was a little nervous because she was pretty high.  She was going the wrong way!!!  At 6:10am, they started the pitocin to get my contractions stronger.  At 8am, my doctor, Dr Mckee came in.  I was 4cm, but her head was still high.  I was stressing.

My sweet nurses (and friends), Dani & Lindsay

By 8:40, I was hurting badly.  At 9am, I got my epidural.  Contractions hurt!  They really do!  It would take my breath away, I had to remind myself to 'Breathe'.  I would feel one coming on & say, "Oh no, not again".  But I know...it's a necessary part of labor.  I would just like to say a BIG "Way-to-Go" to all you natural moms!  That must take some major inner strength.  This 'ol gal, had had enough.  At 9:45, I was 5cm, but still not much relief from the epidural.  So at 10:00, I got a epidural boost...still NO RELIEF!   Finally at 10:40, I accepted the fact that the epidural wasn't going to work and it needed to be replaced.  So I sat up for epidural #2 and prayed the entire time he was putting it in.  It was slow getting relief, but it helped.  Dr McKee came in at 11:00.  I was 6 cm and she was FINALLY well applied to my cervix & in the correct position.  I was so happy because I knew at that point, things would go smoothly.  

 Lindsay & Dani went to eat lunch.  I sat up tall because I had a little hot spot, but sitting up helped that.  Then I felt TONS of pressure and knew that she was ready.  I was patient & let them finish eating lunch.  (I know how it feels to miss lunch because your patient is ready to deliver...I wanted to at least let my friends eat)!  Sure enough at 12:00, they came in to find that I was 10cm dilated and she was VERY low and ready to make her grand entrance.

 While they quickly set the room up, Jacob and I were in a state of disbelief that the pregnancy was actually about to be over and I was going to deliver our 2nd daughter.

At 12:15, I pushed with 3 contractions...and at 12:23pm a healthy, beautiful baby girl was born.  

 She weighed 7 pounds even.  I was shocked by her size.  Bella weighed almost 2 pounds more and I just knew that she would at least weigh 8 pounds...well I was wrong!  She was 21 inches long.

 This picture reminds me a lot of Bella.  Their lips are the same when they cry.

 Jacob & Lucy's 1st touch...precious!

 The 1st time Jacob gets to hold his 2nd daughter.  Look at the joy on his face!

 Oh, I think she's just beautiful!

 We wanted to get Bella's unbiased reaction, so Jacob went to the waiting room & brought her in before anyone else.  She was so excited.  Jacob had his hand on her chest & said that he could feel her heart pounding fast.  I know that Bella fell in love with her little sister at this moment.  She hugged, kissed and wanted to hold Lucy.  It was so precious.  This is the video of her reaction.

Bella cut her eyes at me and said "Be easy".  She heard us say that many times that day!

 This was Bella's reaction to Lucy's umbilical cord, "Ewww!"

 Jacob looking down on all of his girls.

Lucy's birthday was a perfect day.  I feel completely blessed and honored to be this little girl's mother!

Lucy's 1st week was amazing too!  We settled in and enjoying getting to know our newest angel.

Pin It

Lucy's 1st bath at home

Lucy might not have loved her 1st bath at home, but I sure did.  I bathed her, washed her hair, wrapped her in fresh out-of-the-dryer towels, then put that sweet smelling lotion on her soft skin.  Then I just cuddled and took deep breaths of that perfect smelling newborn.  Oh, I'm in heaven!

Pin It

Lucy's BIRTHday

Introducing the Lovely Lucy Lee

Born Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 12:23pm

Weighing 7 pounds 0 ounces

21 inches long

Healthy and Beautiful

We are so very happy and thankful.  I'm excited about sharing all of the details of Lucy's big day...but for now, I'm enjoying these first few days.  

Pin It

During this pregnancy...

For this to be such a medically uneventful pregnancy, I feel like my life has been very eventful the past 9 months!  We found out that I was pregnant on Sunday March 6, 2011 and we couldn't have been any happier!

7 weeks - We saw a strong heartbeat.

8 weeks - I ran a half-marathon.  Please understand that I am NOT a runner.  After I had Bella that was the easiest form of exercise at the time: put her in the stroller and (oh, so slowly) jog around my neighborhood. My friends (aka. The Lunachicks) decided to do an 8K in our town.  I joined them.  A half-marathon was my end goal of this new form of exercising.  I had no intentions of doing one just months after my 1st race. But out of peer pressure and ignorance, I signed up for this one too.  I had talked Brynn into joining me.  She reluctantly agreed.  1 month before the race I find out I'm pregnant.  However, I did not want tell anyone.  You see, Brynn had been trying for 2 long years to get pregnant and had been with me through my 1st pregnancy and I had just always imagined that she would be the next one with the little + sign.  I knew that she would be very happy for me, but be heartbroken for her.  I just kept thinking, I'll wait a little longer and maybe she'll be pregnant when I tell her.  So after the approval of my OB doctor, I put on my shoes, fought the overwhelming urge to vomit with every step and I ran.  My time was horrible.  There were all kind of people passing me, some that had to be in their 70s and others that were at least 50 pounds heavier that me!  But I just kept going.  I am very proud to say that I didn't vomit once and I did complete the race!  Little Lucy and I can add that to our "Proud that I did it, happy that it's DONE" list.

Notice in the picture that I am the only one crossing the finish line...that's because almost everyone else has already finished!
Embarrassed by my time, but proud to cross that finish line!

Cassi, me, Brynn

11 weeks - We told our family and friends on Easter.  Bella wore an adorable shirt that said on the front, "This little chick has an Easter secret..", on the back "I'm going to be a BIG SISTER"!  Everyone was excited!!

18 weeks - I felt the baby move for the 1st time.

19 weeks - The day after Father's Day and Jacob's 27th birthday, we found out that IT'S A GIRL!!!  We had a "Reveal Party".  We invited our family over.  I wrapped a box with a surprise that would reveal our gender secret...

21 weeks - Jacob and I decided on a name while we were on vacation during Independence Day...LUCY LEE EPPERSON.   Lucy was Jacob's favorite that we were tossing around and the more he called her that, I loved it just as much.  Lee is after Jacob and my Papaw (Virgil Lee).

30 weeks - I started feeling mild irregular contractions, usually after my 12 hour shifts or carrying around Bella most of the day.

34 weeks - I felt Lucy's hiccups for the 1st time!

36 weeks - We went to the beach for our Shrimp Festival vacation.  I said good-bye to my best friend, Brynn who moved to Tulsa, OK.

37 weeks - My precious family threw Lucy a diaper shower.  Mama, Lindsay and Caitlin went all out!  The decorations and food was great!

 38 weeks - I received a wonderful shower from my friends at work.  I feel completely blessed to work with this group of thoughtful women.

I celebrated Halloween with this cute little Fishy.  We did a Fall mini-photo session with Kamin.

We can't wait to meet you LUCY LEE!!!   

Pin It