Kahlan Elizabeth Brown

Born January 20th 2011 at 12:32 pm, 6.6 lbs and 18 1/2 " long.  My doctor finally decided it was time to get the baby out on the 39th week.  We knew it was going to happen that week but didn't have a date set up yet so that was driving me crazy.  We wanted the baby to be OK, with all the complications I felt she had a better chance being out than staying in my tummy.  It is really scary when you are considered high risk and wonder at every moment if the baby is doing OK.  After having to go through a tough week of painful contractions I finally made it to the hospital last Thursday at 7 am, we were schedule for induction at that time and were told that they were going to break my water around 12 pm.  We dropped the kids off at Steven's house early and then drove to the hospital, we were both very excited and could not wait any longer, of course it seemed to me like they were taking for ever.  When they checked me I was already 3' dilated and 50 % effaced, I guess those painful contractions were doing something after all.  They hooked me to the IV and started the Potocin right away and as soon as that started the contractions got painful but manageable.  The doctor came in at 10 am to check on things and before we knew it she was braking my water, they asked if I wanted my epidural right then but thinking that I could handle it I said no but 5 minutes later the contractions got really really intense and I told them to go ahead and get me the epidural.  It took for ever to get that done and Dan's hand got squeezed really hard every time.  The nurses said that they couldn't tell if I was having contractions because I was so quiet... I hate screaming :)  The anesthesiologist finally came in and I have to say that it was the most horrible experience I have had getting the epidural, I was supposed to get numbed but could feel the entire thing and for that I did some screaming, it was so painful and I had to tell the guy to stop because it was hurting me, so he started all over again.  He said my back is crooked and that is why he could not find the right spot... I have had 3 epidurals in the past and was never told about this problem, oh well.  The epidural was not working at all and I could still feel everything pretty much, specially when they had me laying on my side, I kept pumping that stuff every ten minutes to make the pain go away but there was no success, so finally around 11:30 the guy came back and gave some other pain medication through the IV and like half an hour later it finally worked.  By the time they were going to check me to see how far along I was the nurse didn't even get to do it because she said her head was right there, so they called the doctor and I started praying that she could make it there on time, it was happening way too fast.
The doctor got in the room and 5 minutes later they told me to push, I did just once and they told me to stop, I did but Kahlan did not want to wait and came out all on her own, they put her on my tummy right away and I can not tell you what a sight of relief it was to see her those first few minutes.  She was perfect, she was crying and moving her arms and legs.  I can't explain how I felt at that moment but I know Dan felt the same way because neither one of us could talk to each other, tears were coming out of my eyes and whenever I wanted to talk to Dan tell him she was OK I just kept crying.  The nurses probably thought we were weird for crying so much, but my doctor knew and I think I saw her eyes get teary at some point.  When you are told there might be something wrong with your baby, even that 1% chance, it changes everything, I am just so grateful that she is here, that she is perfect in every way and that my Heavenly Father knew that I was willing to accept what ever he wanted for us at the end of this pregnancy.  Dan told me a couple of days after she was born that maybe it was a test to see if we would accept the challenge, I believe we passed it :)
She has been a good baby so far, she pretty much sleeps, eats and poops like any other baby, she is loved by everyone in the house and hardly ever on her own, yes we are spoiling this baby to no end.  Shayna has been a little sick so she can't really kiss her for now and she is suffering but at the very beginning she was just enjoying her self holding her sister whenever she could.
Dan was able to stay this entire week and was able to bond with Kahlan a lot, he is in love with her, he keeps telling me I did a good job with her.  I honestly think she looks just like Shayna did when she was first born, tiny and beautiful.

 The day we left the hospital

 6 days old

 On the way home from the hospital.



So here we are, enjoying the first few days of the newborn stage, loving every second of it and I still have not had a meltdown, ask me next week when Dan is not here anymore and that might be a different story :)  I am just so glad to be done with the issues of my pregnancy, to be able to eat again and not worry about the insulin anymore.  Also in this entire week I lost all of my pregnancy weight and 3 more extra pounds, I don't know why is going away so fast but I am grateful for it too, if only this could have happened with the other pregnancies I could be one of those skinny moms out there :) 
Thanks to everyone for their concern and prayers I know we were blessed because of it too.
Pictures soon :)