Blakeley's Birth Day!

This morning at 4:40 a.m. my cell phone rang. Usually you don't want a phone call at that time in the morning, but once I saw it was Jim, I knew what was going on. He said, "Your niece is on her way." He said Cherie's water broke at 3 a.m., they are at the hospital (I already knew. I could hear the heart monitor.), and that she's dilated to a 3. I asked if they needed anything and he said they forgot their camera and the blanket they are going to wrap her in, so Jamie was bringing it to them. I tried to go back to sleep, but after news like that, anxiety and excitement started running through me. I ended up getting up and called Jamie to have her take some card stock up as well so they could get a copy of her footprints. Jamie was at Jim & Cherie's, so she ended up just stopping by my house and I gave her some. After that, I ended up going back to sleep for an hour and a half, the whole time dreaming the baby was born and she was crying a lot. But when I woke up, I realized every time I'd hear Blakeley cry, it was actually the chickens crowing outside. Ya, it was some good sleep, not!

So after getting up again, I called Jim. He said Cherie was still about the same and was getting the Pitocin at the time. I showered, & got me and the boys ready. Jared went to his BYC meeting, and then came home. And we headed to the hospital. We stopped at Jim's to grab his cell phone charger, (where I apparently dropped my phone. I didn't have it with me all day today, and on a day like this!), then grabbed him a Subway Sandwich for lunch cause he was starving, and headed to the hospital. Cherie looked good. She was now dilated between a 5 and 6. We hung out in her room for about 45 minutes. My poor boys couldn't be in the room. They only let kids 12 and older in now, so John and the boys hung out in the waiting room after saying hi to Cherie.

 Even though Cherie is 3 weeks early (they moved her due date back to April 2nd), it's kind of a relief her water broke. Her blood pressure was starting to go up again and she just wasn't feeling very good. I'm glad Blakeley's close enough to her due date that she's OK to come now.

 I was so excited!! Can you tell?!

Jim loved his sandwich even though I forgot cheese, bacon and toasting it. I'm the bestest sister!

The boys did great even though we spent a LOT of time in the waiting room. John made them paper airplanes that kept them entertained for a while. There were the vending machines and the snack room we visited a lot! (which is really only for patients), and T.J. brought his Transformers toys so he kept busy transforming them.

 

It was cute seeing Jim. He was so excited. Cherie was, too, but her epidural was bugging her a bit.

 

At 12:15 the doctor came in to check her. He said she was at a 9 so they were going to start pushing. So we went to the waiting room. We weren't planning on staying, but since she was pushing already, why go home, right?! Besides, I left my purse and camera bag in there, so I was stuck.

T.J. didn't mind staying. He was supposed to give a talk in Primary today and was trying everything to get out of it. His prayers were answered.

 The waiting room. For how big that hospital was , their waiting room was tiny. We all got to know each other pretty well; including another girl who was waiting for a friend to have a baby. John thought she was cute. So Jamie got some info on her and found out she was kind of seeing someone. John was so embarrassed. Good entertainment.

 Cherie's brother Jeff and is wife Kate joined us in the waiting game. Jeff is hilarious!

 My Dad came after work. He's being like the kids and hiding cause he didn't want his picture taken.

 

So he pulls his hat down to hide from the camera.

 T.J. found mini soup cans in the snack room. By this time we'd been waiting for 2 and a half hours. Everyone was getting hungry.

 He opened the can and it splattered everywhere!

After waiting around for 4 hours, Jared left with the boys. He wanted to change out of his suit so bad, and they were all starving. He didn't have his wallet and my purse was in Cherie's room, so we couldn't go down to the cafeteria.

 This was my snack I found in the snack room.

 Finally around 5:15, Jim came out with the good news!!!! He'd text Jamie around 5 and said Blakeley was here, so we all knew. We just had to wait for him to come out now. I called Jared using my Dad's phone and told him. They went to his parents for dinner, and then came back up.

 Jim sat and told us all about it. Even though they kicked us out at 12:15 and said she was starting to push, she didn't actually start until 2. Wish we would have known that. We all were starting to worry that she may end up in a C-Section.

Blakeley was born at 4:40, weighing 6 lbs. 3 oz. and was 18 and a half inches long. Everything went well.

I was going to guess she'd be 6 lbs. 3 oz. Funny.

 Jim & Cherie's friends Tyson & Clarissa were also there.

 Finally we got to go back and see her. Cherie looked really good! And Blakeley is so cute!

 Isn't she sweet! Look at her hair!

 Jim was so excited! I love this picture of him.

 My cute Dad seeing his "Favorite" Grand Daughter. He calls favorites all the time. He was so excited to see her. I love the smirk on his face.

 Dad got to hold her first, then Mom.

 And then me!! She is so tiny! Isn't that the cutest look on her face?! I can see both Cherie and Jim in her. She has Cherie's cheeks for sure. And part of her reminded me so much of my boys when they were first born. It will be fun to see how much they might look alike.

 There is nothing like holding a newborn baby. I love their smell. And cuddling them. I can't wait to watch her when Cherie goes back to work. Oh ya... Jim & Cherie asked me to tend her!!! She's thinking of working 2 full days a week. I'm so excited. I love her so much already!

 

Jeff came later with balloons.

Jared and the boys seeing Blakeley for the first time. The nurse was so nice to stop and let them see her before going into the nursery. They are so excited to have a baby cousin again. They can't wait to play with her.

 Jeff seeing Blakeley.

 Watching Blakeley get her shots and be cared for by the nurse. They opened the blinds so the boys could see.

 Isn't he cute?!

 The boys got to go see Cherie, too. She was looking even better after eating. For getting up at 3, she looked really good!

 Blakeley's cute footprints on my card stock.  :)  I did this with all my boys so I could have a set, too.

 Jim checking on Blakeley in the nursery.

 So cute!

 Getting ready for her first bath.

 Jim got to help bath her. He was so cute to watch with her. He kept looking at Blakeley, smile, and talk in a cute, soft, high pitch voice. He's going to be so cute with her! He already is great with my boys. And now he has his own.

Once her bath was over, we left. By now it was just after 8. Cherie's parents, Willie and Renee, were about an hour away. They left California this morning and drove straight through. We didn't get to see them but we will soon. Every one was pretty beat. It was time to go.

Once we got home, Hunter found his own baby. He wrapped a bag of macaroni noodles in a dish towel and carried it around saying, "Blakeley's born." He loves to copy anything that happens.

I'm so excited to be an Aunt again.

I love my cute niece Blakeley. I'm so glad everything went well today. It was a good day!