WELCOME, LYLA JUNE!

Our Saturday started out like any other Saturday.

We had talked about going to Costco, but decided that would be better to do after Marli napped.

So we headed over to visit Grandma and Grandpa King and the cousins!

I started timing my contractions at 11:45 while we were over there. Nothing was especially painful, and even though they were every 3-5 minutes, I wasn't too concerned because they had been that consistent before, and had just fizzled out. 

Evan picked up Killer Burger for lunch, and Marli and I munched on some of his fries - which I promptly threw up. As the contractions continued to be regular (albeit pretty painless), I wondered if I ought to call the doctor on call. I was determined to at least get Marli down for a nap first, and wait until my parents got home from Costco so that they could be home with her. So we waited!

Once my parents got home, we called the doc, and she said it wouldn't hurt to come in and get checked.

On the way to the hospital, Evan kept asking if I was excited, and I told him I wanted to talk about something else. I didn't want to get excited until I KNEW that they'd be admitting me. The level of pain that I was experiencing was still pretty mild, so I wondered if I should have called in at all!

They hooked me up to the monitors, checked me, and I was dilated to a FIVE! I couldn't believe it because I remember being in a LOT of pain when I was only at a four with Marli. 

They officially admitted me just before 3:00pm. I bawled - I was so happy!

I still wasn't feeling much pain, and told the nurses I'd like to hold off on the epidural for awhile. After a couple hours, the anesthesiologist came in and said he was about to enter an hour and a half long surgery, and that if I wanted the epidural, I should get it NOW, because they guessed this baby would come fast.

 So we decided to get it, even though I thought it was a bit silly because I wasn't experiencing too much pain yet. But I was ultimately glad we got it when we did because the epidural insertion took a LOT longer than last time and was a LOT more painful. He tried to insert it in an area that was just NOT working, and after a lot of trial and error and a couple tears, he moved to a different area on my back. Evan got to watch the whole thing! It was so cool to see him connect with so many of the medical staff!

Okay, a little embarrassed about this part...Apparently the epidural administers a steady flow of medication, and you can push a button if you'd like an extra dose. With Marli, for whatever reason, I didn't understand this. I thought I was in charge of ALL the medication through the epidural, so I was the "perfect student" and made sure to regularly punch that button down - whether I was feeling ANYTHING or not! I MAXED OUT on that sucker. For Marli's birth, I couldn't feel a THING below my hips...NO control of my legs or anything. Didn't know any different...blissful ignorance, I guess!

But for LYLA...I only pushed the button once during the whole labor, and OH MY GOSH it was such a different experience! And SO SO COOL!

The epidural made it so I didn't feel any extreme pain, but I definitely felt pressure. I felt her moving through my birth canal...I still had control of my legs...and when the time came, there was no mistaking the intense urge to push - I told the nurse that she'd better hurry because she was coming! 

When the doc showed up, it was 8:15pm

I got to watch the whole thing with a mirror. My mom even got to be there. So, so special. 

She was born 6 minutes after the doc arrived, at 8:21pm.

Lyla June

Named after my Nana

8lbs, 9oz

20 inches long

Full head of wavy dark hair.

And the PLACENTA! I got to see that, too, this time. It was HUGE! And SO COOL!

SUCH a mellow disposition. I remember being concerned when she was first born because she didn't really cry...she was SO alert and just observant...so different than my sweet fireball, Marli - she came out SCREAMING and didn't stop!

I love him.

SO BEYOND BLESSED to have the help of family during this time. Here, they're waiting to meet baby...

Probably my favorite part...introducing Marli to Lyla.

Mark brought me Tillamook mudslide when he and Tama came by Saturday night. 

It sure didn't last long!

SO SO GRATEFUL to be able to eat and smell things again! It's only been a couple of weeks since having her, but my pregnancy already feels like a lifetime ago...I feel like a new person! A VERY VERY HUNGRY PERSON.

Definitely one of my favorite days ever. Nothing brings me more joy than being a mom - especially to these two!

And then...the day we left the hospital, Evan got a text from the orthopedic surgeon, telling him that he could do his surgery the VERY NEXT DAY, if he just made sure not to eat anything after midnight...

So we said, "What the heck!" 

Didn't I say that it was a crazy month?!