Our little Girl!!!

June Jennifer Sorensen

July 22, 2009

2:17 am

6 lbs. 11 oz.

My due date came and went- which was a little traumatic simply because you think that's the END, but it's not and you're left wondering and anxious. Monday we left the doctor's planning for induction on Thursday so I was then headed to the pool to distract from the waiting. The doc must have done something during the appointment because I started having back aches with my contractions- These were definitely not Braxton hicks. I called my mom and she, along with 2 sisters, 1 brother and a niece were all headed up.

Around 9 pm we went in to the hospital and were monitored for an hour but sent home since I wasn't making any progress with dilating. However, I did get a nice morphine shots to ease the pain and allow me to sleep for couple hours before I was feeling the contractions every ten minutes again. Tuesday I was hating life as I just had to wait for my contractions to get close enough together. Finally around noon I was so uncomfortable that I figured if I went to the hospital and got sent home, at least I could get another shot.

At the hospital I was at 3 cm and I got to stay!!!! Not long after being there, the nurse was getting my I.V. set up, my doctor was breaking my water, and I was getting my epidural- all at the same time. Oh, how I love epidurals! I was so numb, but could now relax, think, and hold a conversation, although it would be 12+ hours till she was here.

At the time I didn't realize how serious our little problems were. June didn't respond well when I was put on PIT but then I didn't contract well without it. Later into the night I STILL wasn't making progress and there was some serious mention of the "C" word. With a final make or break attempt with the PIT *fighting tears and saying some major prayers in my heart* We dodged that bullet. FINALLY, when I was fully dilated and with one attempt to see how pushing would be, I was stopped and the worrying began again. Once my doctor arrived, I was told we didn't have the hours it might normally take, so somehow, with an episiotomy and some excellent pushing, she was here within 20 minutes. My epidural was starting to loosen up so I could feel the pressure, but not really the pain (YET). As June was born I could feel a bit of the relief as her head and the rush of fluids, then I could feel her little limbs as the exited- Sounds a little gross, but was pretty amazing. They plopped her up on my chest and I remember thinking "Oh, maybe I should touch my baby"- even though she was all gross, so I grabbed her little hand. After Mike cut the cord (which had been around her neck and the cause of all her distress), she was taken over to get cleaned off. They brought her over to me for another second after she was all bundled up, but said she was going to the NICU for a little evaluation. I still wasn't clued in on things being serious or needing to worry. I was really out of it, but can you blame me- almost 32 hours of not being able to eat and in labor, 14 hours in the hospital, 20 min of pushing with all my heart, LOTS of med -which were waring off and I felt like I was going into labor all over, tons of monitors (I had 10 different things attached to various body parts) and then I was just suppose to comprehend that this was my daughter or to be able to observe the concern of other people in the room?

I was so out of it and was feeling the ache of the contractions (In case you didn't know, the contractions don't stop for a long time after the birth). When they took me to my mother/baby room, all I could think about was needing something for my pain. Again, Yay! for medicine and Yay! for morphine!!! It wasn't until I woke up at 6 am that I really wanted to see my baby. She wasn't released from the NICU until about 8 am, then was brought into my around 9 am.

Mike went in with my sister to the NICU. I'm so glad at the time I didn't see her like this, I would have really been freaked out. It's not as bad as it looks.

WOW, this is MY little girl!!

This little girl is amazing!!! She's been so mellow from the start and smiling from the day she was born. She rarely cries and has been so good at nursing and sleeping and even is sleeping through most of the night- while I'm still up paranoid that she needs to be eating. I really feel so blessed *tears*- You've got to love all the emotions and the quick trigger tears that are part of this, let alone the humility and awe that comes with having such an angel come into my life.

My sisters Dessa and Delyse, brother Dane, niece Hazel, mom Jenny with our new little family.

Mike has been so cute and adores June so much, and has made me feel wonderful with his encouragement and compliments.

On our way home!! I've never seen Mike drive so cautiously.

Her first bath at home.

My two angels. I love these too so so so much! Sometimes I just can't believe how much and how fast this little girl can bring so much joy and love into a home. I finally can comprehend why women willingly go through pregnancy more than once. Now I just hope that I can be the mom that this little girl deserves and that I can meet all her needs. I am so blessed to have such a good happy little girl that's been such a fighter and is so peaceful and has made becoming a mom so easy.