Announcing.....

Emelia Marlowe Blodgett

born Friday, August 13, 2010 at 11:37 a.m.

9 lb 5 oz, 20 inches long

RED hair

Emelia has come to join our family. She is a really good baby and we are all so happy she is here.

Since I like getting all the details, I am going to tell the whole story below. If you don't like to get all the details, here's the short story: Emelia was born. We love her.

There. Now for the long story. We showed up at the hospital, got registered, etc. and sent to triage. Joseph and I watched The Price is Right while waiting to be prepped for surgery. When the Anesthesiologist came, I told him about my first 2 c-section experiences and how I wanted to have something between the two--not puke through the whole procedure like with Jacob, but also not be knocked out like I was with Evelyn. He explained that it was probably due to a blood pressure drop that I get so nauseated, so he said he'd keep an eye on that. I didn't really believe that he could control the nausea much and was prepared to be miserable again.

As I walked to the OR, I wasn't nearly as nervous as I was with either of my first 2 babies. With Jacob, I was terrified because he was my first and I had NO idea what to expect. With Evelyn, I was nervous about what would happen with her. Since we knew that this baby was healthy, I wasn't worried about that and I knew what to expect. So in I went, got up on the table, got my spinal block and laid down. I could feel my legs going numb before I even got all the way situated so I was just waiting to start feeling sick. The Anesthesiologist asked how I was feeling and I responded that I felt really weird and that he'd better get the bucket ready. Well, it was a good thing he did because just a few seconds later I made use of it. A lot. He was holding the little dish thing and I filled it twice. In a lull between barfings he said, "This is extreme. Could you hold this?" BEing self-sufficient, I reached my hand up to hold my little puke container and he said, frustrated, "Not you! the nurse." So he got someone to hold it while he pumped me full of whatever medication he thought he needed. Well, within seconds I was feeling tons better. They brought Joseph in and I was smiling. They started the procedure and Dr. McKernan and I chatted about my parents, the baby, whatever.

Finally, Dr. Mckernan told us that he was about to deliver the baby. He could see the head and announced, "We got a red head here!" When he said that I thought, "yeah, whatever. You've been saying that my whole pregnancy. I don't have babies with hair and I doubt you can already tell."

Seconds later, we heard a cry and the Doc said, "Daddy, what do we have here?" I turned to Joseph and he looked confused and said, "Ummmmmm.....Oh! A girl!" (Later he told me that he looked confused and took a while to figure it out because a nurse was in the way and he couldn't see...not because he doesn't know how to tell the difference.)

They held her over the curtain so I could see her and of course, she was the cutest little chunky redheaded girl we have! The first thing I thought was Whoa! she really does have hair!!!

Then the nursed took her and did their thing, cleaning her up, etc. Joseph did his fatherly duty and took picures and I couldn't stop smiling. They sewed me up and after what seemed like forever got me ready to go to recovery. I got worried since I also get motion sick and with both of my other 2 got sick when they wheeled me around. True to form, I did again. I'll spare the details of recovery, but typically moms are only in there about an hour. My nurse didn't want to release me until I hadn't thrown up for a while. I was in there about 2 1/2 hours. Joseph brought Emelia in for me to try to nurse, but I couldn't even hold her and sent him back to the nursery. All I remember from the recovery time is the nurse changing my gown a couple of times when I missed the bucket. Gross, I know. I'll stop now.

Finally, I got to my room and could see my baby and hold her. I honestly don't remember a whole lot about the first day as I was full of drugs, but I know I was happy to have my baby girl.

I do remember that later in the day, Jacob and Evelyn came to visit. Jacob was super excited to hold his baby sister. Evelyn had a fever. She went home with Grandpa not long after she got there. She didn't feel well at all. It was very sad for me to not be able to help her.

We stayed at the hospital until Monday morning. AS soon as the kids got home, Jacob yelled, "Where's the baby?" and ran upstairs to see her. She was asleep in her swing so both kids went and got her their favorite stuffed animal and baby doll to put in the swing with her. It was very sweet.