On Tuesday morning we checked into the hospital at 6am to be induced. It took about an hour or so for them to get my medical history and set everything up. Around 7:30 or 8 they started the pitocin and I was 3cm dilated. At 9:30 the doctor came in and I was still 3cm, so she broke my water. About an hour later the contractions were getting pretty bad so I got the epidural. At that point I was 4cm. I still hadn't experienced much pain at this point-- the worst thing was actually getting the epidural during the contractions. But still, it wasn't that bad at all. Around 12:30 the nurse checked me again and I was 4.5cm dilated. Over all, they thought I should be progressing a little faster so two hours later the doctor came in to talk to us about possibly going off of the pitocin and laboring down a little on my own. Before she could give us the details, she checked me and was like "Umm, you will never believe this but there is a head down there, your baby is crowning, and you're like over 10cm dilated!" Josiah was on his laptop doing some things for work and was like "WHAT!?" Yes, it was time to start pushing...we were having this baby NOW!

So, everyone scrambled around the room to get things set up for the delivery...Josiah and I were laughing together because we couldn't believe it was all happening so fast. The nurse told me to stop laughing because the baby's head kept coming out every time...haha!

Twenty minutes later everything was set up, the doctor came in, and in 3 pushes she was born! From start to finish my labor was 7 hours-- I could not have asked for a better labor and delivery...and if every one of mine ends up being this spectacular I will probably have 10 kids! The recovery has also been awesome so far. I was a little sore the first and second day, but I feel great now.

We are so thankful to all of those who prayed for a safe delivery-- God heard those prayers and He was so faithful in answering. Here are a few pictures of our sweet pea-- we love her SOOO much!

Greenlee Reese: Born October 5th at 2:53pm. 7lbs 9oz and absolutely perfect!

I think knowing when your baby will be born has it's pros and cons. It's nice to be able to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally, but it can also cause a lot of anxiety. It's also nice to be able to prepare the house, get the laundry done, grocery shop, etc...but once again, waiting for the induction date to arrive can be nerve-wrecking. It gives your imagination too much time to run wild! Overall, we are happy with our decision to induce. It has helped us to appreciate our last moments together just the two of us and to make the most of our time together. It has also allowed us to plan and prepare as much as possible. Most of all, it will allow me to spend as much time with Greenlee at home as possible until I start my new job. That was my main reason for wanting to induce. I knew I had to start my job around the first week of November and I was worried if we waited for Greenlee to come on her own I may only get 2 or 3 weeks with her-- that just wasn't enough time.

Anyways, we are so ready to FINALLY meet our little girl tomorrow. It's crazy that in 24 hours our lives will be forever changed. I think we are ready, though. Although, I am very glad God gives parents 9 months to prepare for this! Please continue to pray with us for a healthy baby girl and a safe delivery. The next post I write will be all pictures of Greenlee...yay!