Madelyn Ruth has arrived

Thursday, August 4th, started like any other day. I had a doctor's appointment that afternoon and was hoping for good news, but trying not to get my hopes up at the same time. Bryan dropped me off for my appointment and he headed out to his last knee appointment. It just so happened they were only 30 minutes apart so he had to miss my appointment. I was nervous waiting for the doctor. I was 2 cm dilated at my last appointment, and I had been having lots of contractions over the past week. I was hoping she would check me and say "it's time!". But of course that didn't happen!!!

Once she checked me, I had only made it to 2 1/2 cm. I was disappointed to say the least. I think Dr. Walsh could see it on my face! She knew that we were an hour from the hospital, so she wasn't quite ready to send me home, but she also wasn't ready to admit me into the hospital either. So she told me to shop and walk for a couple of hours and then to head back to the hospital to let her check me again.

Since Bryan had his appointment, mom picked me up from my appointment and we hit up several stores and walked for a while. I was starting to hurt so I was glad my time was up and we headed to the hospital. When she checked me this time I was now 3 cm. With slight progress she wanted to hook me up and monitor me for an hour. If I made any more progress in that hour she would admit me, if not she would have to send me home.

I knew my contractions were coming more often, so I was praying for progress! At the end of the hour I was at 4 cm, so it was time to have a baby!!! I finally got admitted and checked into a real room. By this time it was about 6:00 and I was starving!!! I have not had anything to eat since about 11:30 that morning. But, unfortunately I still couldn't eat!

My mom took Cale to her house to hang out with Poppy. We knew it would probably be a while before Madelyn actually arrived so there was no sense in trying to keep him entertained at the hospital. Bryan made the call to his family and they headed to the hospital.

With it being late and no sight of baby actually arriving in the near future, we only had our immediate family at the hospital.

This is us waiting for Maddie to make her appearance.

I got my epidural and we all tried to settle in and get some rest.....yeah right! I didn't sleep at all. Everyone else was able to get some sleep, not much, but a little is better than none. My epidural caused my blood pressure to bottom out, which was quite scary for me. I got really light-headed and thought I was going to be sick. Luckily our nurse was in the room when it happened and she took awesome care of me! So she was in and out all night continuing to monitor my pressure, so sleep was not possible.

Dr. Walsh broke my water a little after midnight and from there things progressed fairly quickly. They checked me the final time at 5 am and I was 10 cm and ready to start pushing. The nurse called for them to set up the room and she did practice pushes with me through 2 contractions and said it was time to get the doctor. I pushed through 3 contractions with Dr. Walsh and we had a baby at 5:26!!!! It was such an easy labor for me this time and I was so glad!


Madelyn Ruth Libby - 8 pounds - 20.75 inches - born at 5:26 am on August 5th.

Trying to burp for the first time.


I could kick myself because we did not get a picture of all four of us!!!! But here is one of the 3 of us.

Proud Nana :)

Holding his baby sister for the first time!

On Saturday they had to put her on the phototherapy light for her jaundice. Luckily it didn't get high enough to have to do it at home.

Finally getting ready to go home!

We are all home and settled now. It is hard to believe that I was not supposed to have her until yesterday. I am so glad that I didn't make it that long. I can't imagine what she would have weighed if I had not had her 10 days early!