Introducing the adorable Nataleigh Grace.

Isn't she lovely?

Thursday late morning we got the call that it was official, my sister-in-law Emileigh's water had broke. I could barely wait to get out of work at 4 pm to get home, pack my bag and make the drive down to the hospital.
Emileigh's labor was relatively quick it seemed. Her water had broke around 8 am. They went to the hospital and had the pitocin started around 4ish. When I got there around 7 pm she seemed to be doing OK, she was having some contractions and they hadn't checked her yet so she had no idea how far she was dilated. Within like half an hour the contractions got a lot worse and she was in a lot of pain. Soon after that my brother Nathan and her decided that she would try some Demerol to help take the edge off the pain, so they gave her that mixed with Phenergan. Their original birth plan was that they were going to try to do the labor as natural as possible. I think it was around like 8:45 pm when she decided that she really wanted to have the epidural. The anesthesiologist was called, but a couple minutes later we were all standing around and all of a sudden Emileigh was like "I feel like I need to push!" I remember for a moment it was like we all just sort of looked at eachother like oh my gosh, this could be it! Sure enough, when the nurses came running in and checked her she was at 1o cm, and there was no time for the epi. I was proud of her, she gave birth with out the epidural! I know that it was probably not very easy, and afterward she said that it was the worst pain that she has ever experienced. She also had a 3rd degree tear down to the muscle.
It was a pretty exciting and eventful evening. Even though I wasn't able to be in the delivery room when she was born, it was special enough just to be outside the door. It was definitely an experience that I will never forget.

Nataleigh was born at 9:37 pm, weighing in at 5 lbs. 13 oz. and 18 inches long. She was 3 weeks and 2 days early.

Nathan, Emileigh, and baby girl Nataleigh Grace (Notice how it's a combo of their names? Kinda cool, huh?) I also thought that Emileigh looked pretty darn good afterward, she doesn't even look like she just had a baby, haha!



Group Photo



We finally got to hold her the next day!





Niece Nataleigh and Nephew Samuel...what a difference 3 years can make in size!



And last but not least, another picture of precious Nataleigh sleeping. She is so cute and so little....such a little peanut!

Mixed Emotions.

I don't even know how to feel right now. I just keep praying, please Lord, be with my family.

My sister Megan had another appointment in Ann Arbor yesterday. This is an excerpt taken from her blog:

Our baby has developed more fluid, now all over---called hydrops. His mitral valve has a more severe leak than last month. I am just coming up to 28 weeks and they don't think that they can help him until he is at least 32 weeks. The odds are really against him. They told me that there is a great chance of him passing away soon. If we delivered him now, I would probably have to have a classical c-section. This would put me at risk in future pregnancies. Anyways, we talked with the doctors and weighed out the risks and benefits. For now, we will keep him inside of me and hope for a miracle. My motherly instincts want to do everything I can to see him survive.

My heart is breaking for them. I wish I could do something to help, I think everyone does. You just feel helpless in this situation and wait and pray, and hope that God will have mercy and intervene somehow.

In other news, my sister-in-law Emileigh is in labor. (This is our brother's wife.) I saw on Facebook this morning that she thought she was losing her mucous plug. I called them right away and she told me it seemed like she kept leaking more and more fluid. I was like ummm...it sounds like your water broke! So they went and got checked out and sure enough, it did. The last call I received was that they were at the hospital, her contractions were 8 minutes apart and they were putting in her IV. I am driving there today as soon as I get out of work and get a bag packed. Not sure if I will stay the night yet or not, since I have to work in the morning. I can't wait to see my family. I missed our nephew Sam being born so I want to be there for this. It is all very exciting.

Like I said, mixed emotions. I don't know how to feel.
One moment I am so extremely happy and excited and the next moment I think about baby Kelly and my heart is breaking.
Please keep our family in your thoughts in prayers.

Another One.

Ok, now I know that I have talked about this before. I know so many people who are pregnant right now. But seriously, I don't think you people believe me.

I just found out that my co-worker Jill is pregnant. I am so happy and excited for her! But it is still hard. Especially since she like just started working here and they were just not using any protection but not trying either. There is also another girl here who is going to start trying, and another who is going to try soon but temping to not get pregnant, for the time being. They say everything comes in 3's right?! I am hoping that Jill triggers it! The other girl who is about to start trying also mentioned that to me this morning. I was like amen sister!

So here is a list of all the people I know who are currently pregnant. Just so you can see for yourself. (And also some people who just had their babies.)

Just had a baby:
-my pastor's wife (a girl, Violet)
-Chris's cousin Derek (boy, Noah)

Going to be born any day:
-my SIL, brother Nate's wife (girl, Nataleigh--they think, but not for sure)
-my SIL, husband Chris' sister (girl, Rowan)
-my SIL-to-be, brother Joe's fiance (boy, Ayden)

-my sister Megan (boy, due in Oct.)
-Chris' cousin Tim's wife Megan (don't know details yet)
-Chris' cousin Erica (just found out a couple weeks ago)

A couple different friends/aquaintences:
-Megan N. (girl, Raegan, due in Nov.)
-Kelly (girl, Chloe, due in Sept.)
-Miriam from church (just found out)

People I work with:
-coworker Jill (just found out)
-coworker Matt's wife
-coworker Neven's wife

Internet Friends:
-Megan N (already mentioned above)
-Jessica aka JLT (due in Feb.)
-Nikki aka Nlvaden (due in Feb.)

Yeah, I know. I told you.

I think there are others. I just cannot remember them right now. Too many pregnant people to cloud up my mind....haha. It is insane.

I love it though.
I just want to join them.

Tick Tock

I *think* I ovulated. (My chart is a little weird this cycle, so we will see.)
I think our timing was perfect.
We used the Preseed, and actually liked it. I didn't think we would.
TCOYF says in the book that you should lay down and not move for at least 30 minutes afterward. -Check!
Also, praying like crazy.

Chris actually said to me a couple days ago: "If we don't get pregnant this cycle, I am going to be so surprised..."
Ditto hubby. Ditto.

And now we wait.

Yipppeeeee

I am about to O any day. My temp dropped again this morning (lower than I've ever seen it) which to me means it's going up from here. Hopefully I get a + OPK when I get home from work. All other signs are present to indicate this and we are ready, Preseed and all!!

Please Lord, we are praying that this month is the month.

Next month in August Chris starts his internship. He will be at the hospital working anywhere from 60-70 hours per week. 2-3 days out of the week he will have to be there from 8 am to 12:30 am. Literally those days, I will not see him. I hate this and it breaks my heart, but he will be done with his BSW in January, so it is a good thing all and all, and I am sure time will fly by quickly. The following days he will most likely be scheduled from noon to 8:30 pm, since he won't even get home until 1 am the night before. Since I work a typical 8-5 gig, our schedules will not match at all and we aren't going to be seeing much of one another. Needless to say, this is going to put a bit of a damper on our so-called "baby making" schedule. It's going to be a little hard to try to make things happen around the time I am fertile, and also Chris is going to be pretty exhausted all the time. I can't just expect him to get home at 9 pm straight out of work on the days he only has to work one shift, and be like Ok honey let's go because I need to get to sleep! Things just don't work that way. I feel bad for him. He is getting excited though, and cannot wait to be done with school.
I guess in ending this post I am just super hopeful. The rest of this year is going to be busy, crazy, stressful....and we would LOVE to be pregnant. That way we can stop trying so hard, and Chris can focus on finishing up school.

Cycle Number Eight.

Well we have officially been trying to conceive for 7 months and 8 cycles now. Although I have my moments of frustration, I am trying to remain patient, positive and hopeful. I know that my time will come eventually, and it will be amazing. Even though I am once again on my period (CD 4), I am thankful for a 26 and a half day cycle. I give credit to the B6 and Vitex that I have been taking for the past two cycles. This month we are going to try something a little different....I broke down and ordered some Preseed. Some of the testimonies I have read about this product are amazing...and my friend Megan swears by it as well, she got pregnant on the first cycle she used it! Yes I realize this could have just been a coincidence, but it gives me some hope, haha. I guess I just don't really notice any substantial amount of EWCM for any long period of time, and for my age I should have a good amount. I honestly probably notice it one time, during one day of my fertile period. Hopefully it will work, that would be amazing!
This week at work we have Friday off because of July 4th. I am looking forward to a nice, long, relaxing three day weekend. And then next week I will be O'ing again. I don't know, I just feel good about this month. Maybe the Preseed is just making me excited. I am still waiting to get it in the mail. I hope it comes by tomorrow, it is making me anxious!
Oh yes, and I almost forgot. We just found out about two more people that are pregnant...one in the family and one acquaintance. Everyone is pregnant I swear!!!