Happy Birthday Eva Lorraine

We welcomed Eva Lorraine into the world October 23, 2008 at 10:48 pm. She was seven pounds and one ounce and was nineteen and one-half inches long. We are so excited and so blessed.

Labor and delivery went well in retrospect. It never feels easy or fast while it is happening. On Thursday I had a normal day. Luke was actually at day care so I was finishing up my to do list. I test drove cars big enough to hold a double stroller, went out to lunch with Dave, trimmed the bushes, cleaned the house, and organized the closets. When I picked up Luke I felt some contractions, but I thought that was normal when you are lifting a toddler while pregnant. I made dinner and was planning on taking Luke trick-or-treating in downtown Hartland. Dave was going to meet us at 5:45pm. He called to say he was going to be there at 6:00pm and then he called saying he was going to be there at 6:10pm. Now during this time I was feeling contractions every 4 minutes but I didn't know if it was real labor. I thought it could be when Luke started breathing along side of me while he was eating his fish sticks. I called my sister around 6:05 and asked her if she was home and able to watch Luke. She was actually right at the middle school and she said she could be there in 30 minutes if I could wait that long.

When Dave got home he ate dinner and packed his bags and we decided it was not a night for trick-or-treating. Dave called his parents so they could pick him up from my sister's at 8:00 pm and take him for the next two days. As I was packing, cleaning up dinner, and holding Luke the contractions got to be two minutes apart. I was a little nervous but felt good once we got Luke taken care of. Once in the car the contractions were back to 4 minutes apart and then they progressed back to 3 minutes while in the hospital.

I was admitted once we filled out the paperwork. They were very busy so they said, "Make yourself at home. Since you are still smiling I think you are going to have your baby on the 24th and they walked out of the room." That was the last time I saw that nurse. She was busy with someone else, so I got the head nurse to take care of me. She was an excellent nurse; just the person I would want to help me deliver.

The contractions were worse then I remember with Luke, but I know you are supposed to forget all the hard parts of labor. One of my patients told me to do the "hula" during the contractions and that helped with about one of the contractions. I started at 3 cm when I was first arrived at the hospital and then progressed to 6cm. I asked for the epidural because my water had not even broken yet. The doctor was doing a c-section so he was delayed in coming, but I got to have the effects for about one hour before starting to push. During this hour we called my mom and dad and let them know the state of the events. My doctor arrived at 10:30 and I thought I could try to push. Since the hospital was so busy there were only three staff in the room during the delivery. It was a very laid back delivery. I pushed for about three sets and couldn't really feel anything, but then we had our beautiful baby. I was thrilled that everything went well and that I finally had my girl. (Nine months is too long to wait.)

The name Eva is from the Latin name Eve. It is derived from the Hebrew name meaning "life" or "living one." It conveys that God created woman special, significant, strong, beautiful, and having an irreplacable role in God's creation. Lorraine is my grandmother's name, my mother's middle name, and my middle name. We wanted to continue the tradition for 4 generations. We also wanted to honor each of those women in the process.

My mother and Eva.

My cousin Erin and Aunt Jill.

My sister-in-law and brother and their son.

My sister and her kids. Those who are missing from the photos are Luke, my dad, and Dave's parents. Things were a little crazy when Luke came to visit. Just put it this way, it was not a photo opportunity. He just held onto Dave and wouldn't look at me or his sister. Once I put Eva down and held him, then he just put his head into my shoulder and still wouldn't look at his sister. The rest of the time Luke spent in the play room and running in the hallway.