Introducing Emma Claire Robinson!

This has been the best week/whirlwind of my life. Tuesday, May 10th at 2:49pm we met our daughter for the first time. 

Emma Claire Robinson

9 lbs 12 oz

22 inches long 

We were instantly smitten. Here is her birth story:

Monday morning (the ninth) I had my last prenatal appointment. I had been having contractions every 20-30 minutes but wasn't dilated anymore than the week before. The doctor scheduled our induction for that Wednesday morning and we were on our way. Throughout the day I knew it was just different. I went to lunch with my mom, Claire, nana and Bonnie before heading home for a nap. When I got up I took Cooper for a walk and things started moving. At this point my contractions ranged from 10-15 minutes apart. I started making dinner and after we ate we walked again. Now it was about every eight minutes so I called the on call physician. He said to wait until i was having contractions every five minutes before coming in. Around 7:30 pm we checked in to the hospital and I was hooked up to everything by 8:30. I still hasn't progressed anymore so they had me walk the hospital to get my contractions to be even stronger. Around midnight they gave me a shot of morphine and we tried to get some sleep. At 3 am I woke up to my water breaking (cue strong contractions every two minutes or so). Around five I finally got my epidural and we both went back to sleep. I was only about 5cm at this point so we knew we were in for a long day. At 11am I was 8cm so they called the on call physician to come in. We were told we would be ready to start pushing by 12:15 or so. Well 12:45 rolls around and my contractions in my back were unreal so Tommy went to get the nurse. We started pushing at this point and boy I've never exerted so much energy In my life. By 2:30 I was so tired and she was face up we needed extra measures to get that last ways out. The doctor had to use the vacuum to help her get out. At 2:49 after two hours of pushing she finally made her arrival (with a very swollen head. Poor baby). There were a ton of people in the room at this point because of using the vacuum and they had seen merconiam in my water. She came out screaming and relief set in for me. When they weighed her the whole room said "say that again?!"  Boy oh boy I did not realize just how big she was. No wonder! She was full of chunks and the cutest thing I'd ever seen!

Tommy went out to get our families once she was all cleaned up and we had had some time just the three of us. She came in God's perfect timing (and punctual! On her due date!). Over the previous two weeks I had gotten myself in a state my brother and sister were going to miss meeting her before they left on their travels for the summer. Claire was able to spend about 1.5 hours with her before needing to leave for the airport! I couldn't have planned it better myself. James was finishing up his finals in Athens (poor guy was in the dark about me being in labor. He finished his final to find out she was here! It was his biggest final and I didn't want to distract him. We got lots of time with both our families that night before we made it to our room. Once in our room Uncle Brett (who shares her birthday!) came to meet Emma since he had to work that day. 

We were so tired we both slept hard very early that night. The next morning Bonnie came with breakfast and James and my dad came for a visit on the way to the airport for James to leave for New Zealand. We had tommys sister, Beth  and his dad come by with lunch. Then Aubt Marsha and tommys mom came by in the afternoon. Wednesday was a busy day of visitors. We had friends who wanted to come see her but being during the week everyone could only come after work so from 5-8 we had Elizabeth Sullivan, Ansley and Matt Reynolds, Caroline and Drew Stelling, Kyle and Andrew Hartman, Elizabeth and Brad Mitchler, Lindsey Harvard, Catherine Dickinson and my mom. We had a full house!! We are so lucky to have such great friends and family to love on our little lady. 

Thursday we started our final arrangements to be able to go home. She had her check with her pediatrician and the cardiologist. The doctor could hear something during his check that he wanted checked out. She has a slight murmur that they didn't seem worried about. Apparently babies who have a stressful delivery which she definitely had sometimes have it and it clears itself up. He said the echo sounded really good except for a small leak in one of her valves so we have to go back at one month and prayers that it's fixed itself by then. He stressed with us that we shouldn't worry. We were able to finally leave and get home around 2pm. 

It's been a whirlwind since then. Collier came to meet him yesterday and he was so sweet! 

Breastfeeding is such a challenge at the very beginning. We are getting there. She's getting better at sleeping in the bassinet at night. I'm managing to get some sleep just not in longer stretches than two hours at a time really. We have our newborn pictures tomorrow and Tommy goes back to work on Tuesday (which I'm seriously dreading). We are so blessed and so in love with Emma. 

Now a photo dump: