She's here! Meet Ansley Carolina Crawford

Hey guys! I'm a little late sending this news out, and I know some of you have already heard through the grapevine or seen on facebook, but I wanted to let you know our news!

ANSLEY CAROLINA CRAWFORD is here!

October 28. 2010
7 pounds, 9 ounces
20.25 inches
12:50 p.m.

Here is my story of how she came to be... and our first few days with her.

She surprised us with an early arrival--11 days before her due date, and 1 week before her scheduled c-section. Little girl decided that she liked October better than November. :) Monday night in the middle of the night, I began having contractions--only I didn't know they were contractions because I never labored with Addison. I thought they were "poop pains..." I know, I know... I did begin to notice that their "waves" were about 10 minutes apart, but I was certain that if I could just use the bathroom, they would go away. After a sleepless night, I got up, went to the bathroom again, and lost my mucous plug. Again, something that I hadn't experienced with Addison. So, after calling my mom, I called my doctor, and he did not seem too concerned; he said that some women lose that weeks before they go into labor. I confessed my confusion with identifying gastro-intestinal pain and contractions, and he described contractions as being exactly like what I was feeling...

So, I did what any normal almost full-term pregnant person would do. I went to work. Yes, I am crazy and, yes, I spent all day timing the length of and between contractions amidst "teaching" and getting my room and lesson plans ready. The heightened 6-7 minute apart, 60-second contractions began right during the tornado warning that sent the entire school into the hallways. My friends abandoned their students they were responsible for to check on me. I was laughing--still not certain that I was REALLY experiencing labor pains.

Thankfully, my mom and my mom friends convinced me to go to the doctor, and after sitting with me through 3 of my now 5-minute-apart contractions, he went to call the Labor and Delivery OR and found out that they were booked solid. (Seems that the full moon weekend and stormy weather was causing all kinds of women to go into labor.) So, he gave me medicine to try to stop my contractions and put off my c-section until Thursday. (He also forbid me from working on Wednesday.) By this time, they were becoming increasingly painful, and I was not sure the medicine was working. It finally kicked in during dinner with my family, and I was able to spend Wednesday with Addison, soaking in good time with her and preparing for sweet Ansley's arrival. Wednesday night we celebrated out last dinner as a family of three and "tried" to get some sleep.

After dropping Addison off at school on Thursday, Patrick and I headed to the hospital to check in at 9:30. Then we hurried up and waited. My surgery took place at 12:30, and surreal and nerve-wracking as ever, I still got to meet my newest little girl at 12:50 and hold her in my arms only moments later. She came into this world swallowing some meconium (kind of like her mommy did), but after it suctioned out, her cry was oh, so sweet. She stayed with me through being stiched back up and my 2-hour recovery. They even gave her her 1st bath in my room--something I had to miss with Addison.

We had a wonderful meeting of the sisters, a wonderful 1st family of 4 meeting, and a jam-packed Friday full of visitors. She was sweetly sleeping and eating and purring, and all was well--even though each of us had sneaking suspicions that her skin was turning yellow.

Saturday morning, when the pediatricians did their rounds, we found out that our little girl had dangerously high levels of bilirubin in her blood, would spend the next several days under ultraviolet lights, and there was no guarantee when we could go home. While jaundice is common, nothing about her levels were common. This reality hit me like a ton of bricks and knocked the breath right out of my. For the next 24 hours the only time I saw her was to nurse her every 3 hours for 30 minutes tops. I met with lactaction nurses to come up with a plan for speed nursing, borrowed a hospital pump, and prayed my heart out every time they wheeled her away. Patrick and I were able to go sit with her while in her "tanning" bed. We would hold her hands and talk to her, but she had shields over her eyes, and it was so hard. I don't know if I've ever cried or prayed more in my life. In the middle of the night, her nurse was so encouraging, and even though I didn't want to, I got my hopes up. The next morning, we learned that her levels had dropped, but only slightly... Another day under the lights with no end in sight. This day was even harder, but we just kept on... Patrick and I crawled in my hospital bet together, cried our eyes out and then prayed our hearts out for our little girl who we were missing so terribly. We did the same night, and Patrick, said through tears, "God, I just beg you... I need to take my girls home." Monday morning, we were met with good news. Her levels had significantly dropped, and while she needed to stay under the lights for another 7-8 hours, we would be able to take our girl home that afternoon. It was truly one of the most relieving, thankful, joyous moments of my life.

We are home! We had to go back to the pediatrician's office today, but her levels have dropped even more and we are REALLY home now. Praise God.

This was such a different experience.I feel like I missed 2 and a half days of her life. I don't have nearly as many pictures. I missed by big girl something crazy and ached for my little girl like I could not have imagined. Our reunion has been sweet.

Last night and today have been spent cuddling and getting to know my little precious Ansley girl--and making up for lack of pictures. She looks so much like her big sister with sweet little characteristics that are all her own. She has beautiful dainty little feet with "finger toes." She has LONG legs and sweet sleep noises and funny faces when she poops. She gets the hiccups and doesn't like to have her diaper changed. She has bright beautiful eyes. She furrows her brow and already "smiles" in her sleep. I am in love times 2, and my daughters have become even more precious to me as I have had time to reflect and pray.

Thank you, God, for my Ansley Carolina completing this family of 4 in such a special way.

More pictures to come--promise!

Hey guys! I'm a little late sending this news out, and I know some of you have already heard through the grapevine or seen on facebook, but I wanted to let you know our news!

ANSLEY CAROLINA CRAWFORD is here!

October 28. 2010
7 pounds, 9 ounces
20.25 inches
12:50 p.m.

Here is my story of how she came to be... and our first few days with her.

She surprised us with an early arrival--11 days before her due date, and 1 week before her scheduled c-section. Little girl decided that she liked October better than November. :) Monday night in the middle of the night, I began having contractions--only I didn't know they were contractions because I never labored with Addison. I thought they were "poop pains..." I know, I know... I did begin to notice that their "waves" were about 10 minutes apart, but I was certain that if I could just use the bathroom, they would go away. After a sleepless night, I got up, went to the bathroom again, and lost my mucous plug. Again, something that I hadn't experienced with Addison. So, after calling my mom, I called my doctor, and he did not seem too concerned; he said that some women lose that weeks before they go into labor. I confessed my confusion with identifying gastro-intestinal pain and contractions, and he described contractions as being exactly like what I was feeling...

So, I did what any normal almost full-term pregnant person would do. I went to work. Yes, I am crazy and, yes, I spent all day timing the length of and between contractions amidst "teaching" and getting my room and lesson plans ready. The heightened 6-7 minute apart, 60-second contractions began right during the tornado warning that sent the entire school into the hallways. My friends abandoned their students they were responsible for to check on me. I was laughing--still not certain that I was REALLY experiencing labor pains.

Thankfully, my mom and my mom friends convinced me to go to the doctor, and after sitting with me through 3 of my now 5-minute-apart contractions, he went to call the Labor and Delivery OR and found out that they were booked solid. (Seems that the full moon weekend and stormy weather was causing all kinds of women to go into labor.) So, he gave me medicine to try to stop my contractions and put off my c-section until Thursday. (He also forbid me from working on Wednesday.) By this time, they were becoming increasingly painful, and I was not sure the medicine was working. It finally kicked in during dinner with my family, and I was able to spend Wednesday with Addison, soaking in good time with her and preparing for sweet Ansley's arrival. Wednesday night we celebrated out last dinner as a family of three and "tried" to get some sleep.

After dropping Addison off at school on Thursday, Patrick and I headed to the hospital to check in at 9:30. Then we hurried up and waited. My surgery took place at 12:30, and surreal and nerve-wracking as ever, I still got to meet my newest little girl at 12:50 and hold her in my arms only moments later. She came into this world swallowing some meconium (kind of like her mommy did), but after it suctioned out, her cry was oh, so sweet. She stayed with me through being stiched back up and my 2-hour recovery. They even gave her her 1st bath in my room--something I had to miss with Addison.

We had a wonderful meeting of the sisters, a wonderful 1st family of 4 meeting, and a jam-packed Friday full of visitors. She was sweetly sleeping and eating and purring, and all was well--even though each of us had sneaking suspicions that her skin was turning yellow.

Saturday morning, when the pediatricians did their rounds, we found out that our little girl had dangerously high levels of bilirubin in her blood, would spend the next several days under ultraviolet lights, and there was no guarantee when we could go home. While jaundice is common, nothing about her levels were common. This reality hit me like a ton of bricks and knocked the breath right out of my. For the next 24 hours the only time I saw her was to nurse her every 3 hours for 30 minutes tops. I met with lactaction nurses to come up with a plan for speed nursing, borrowed a hospital pump, and prayed my heart out every time they wheeled her away. Patrick and I were able to go sit with her while in her "tanning" bed. We would hold her hands and talk to her, but she had shields over her eyes, and it was so hard. I don't know if I've ever cried or prayed more in my life. In the middle of the night, her nurse was so encouraging, and even though I didn't want to, I got my hopes up. The next morning, we learned that her levels had dropped, but only slightly... Another day under the lights with no end in sight. This day was even harder, but we just kept on... Patrick and I crawled in my hospital bet together, cried our eyes out and then prayed our hearts out for our little girl who we were missing so terribly. We did the same night, and Patrick, said through tears, "God, I just beg you... I need to take my girls home." Monday morning, we were met with good news. Her levels had significantly dropped, and while she needed to stay under the lights for another 7-8 hours, we would be able to take our girl home that afternoon. It was truly one of the most relieving, thankful, joyous moments of my life.

We are home! We had to go back to the pediatrician's office today, but her levels have dropped even more and we are REALLY home now. Praise God.

This was such a different experience.I feel like I missed 2 and a half days of her life. I don't have nearly as many pictures. I missed by big girl something crazy and ached for my little girl like I could not have imagined. Our reunion has been sweet.

Last night and today have been spent cuddling and getting to know my little precious Ansley girl--and making up for lack of pictures. She looks so much like her big sister with sweet little characteristics that are all her own. She has beautiful dainty little feet with "finger toes." She has LONG legs and sweet sleep noises and funny faces when she poops. She gets the hiccups and doesn't like to have her diaper changed. She has bright beautiful eyes. She furrows her brow and already "smiles" in her sleep. I am in love times 2, and my daughters have become even more precious to me as I have had time to reflect and pray.

Thank you, God, for my Ansley Carolina completing this family of 4 in such a special way.

More pictures to come--promise!