Welcomed With Love...

Avery Grace Kneifl

October 17th, 2010

9:11pm

9 pounds 1.2 ounces

20 inches

I'm a little behind on this post, but things are a bit busier with two! 

I went to work on Saturday night which was my last scheduled shift before starting my maternity leave.  I had an "office" night in which I did some audits and some other paperwork.  It was nice to not have to be on the floor that night.  I had some contractions during the night, but nothing new or really any different that what I had been having.  I left a little early because I had everything done that I could have done in the office and nobody on the floor needed any help.  I would normally leave at 7:30am and I left at 6:10am.  I was walking to the parking garage and I felt the first little "trickle".  I thought to myself..."holy crap, was that it?!"  I knew I couldn't have peed myself because I had just gone to the bathroom.  The whole ride home I waited for something else to come...nothing.  I went to the bathroom when I got home and...nothing.  I got ready for bed and laid down right around 7:00am.  At 7:05am my water had officially broken...by officially I mean a big ole sheet soaking GUSH!  We were going to have a baby!

We hurried to get Lily packed up to go to my parent's house and also to get a bag packed for the baby and for Jason.  Our house was a complete mess because it was the day we had planned on getting everything done...we weren't expecting a baby until Tuesday. 

 When we got to the hospital I was 3cm.  I walked for about an hour to try to get things moving along, but I wasn't even having any good contractions.  After the walking I was still 3cm so it was decided to start some Pitocin...I hate Pitocin.  Because I was attempting a VBAC I had to have an internal monitor placed to measure the strength of my contractions.  I did pretty good until 3:30 and I couldn't stand it anymore and I opted for an epidural.  I am so thankful that it worked this time!  I sat at 5cm all day and we decided that if I wasn't complete by 10:00pm we would go for a C-section.  At 8:15 I was still 5cm and at 8:30 I went to 7cm.  Avery was still high, face up and turned.   After 14 hours I called it quits knowing she wasn't coming out on her own.  A C-section it would be. 

At 9:11pm we welcomed our second daughter into this world and into our hearts.  It was so nice being awake this time and getting to hear her cry right away and being able to see her right away and kiss her chubby little cheeks!  I almost didn't believe Jason when he looked at me and said "Its a GIRL!"  I think most people had their money on a boy...including me.  Jason says he could always see himself with two girls...I said "do you know we now have two weddings to pay for and two teenage girls to deal with!"

Lily was the first person to hear of her sister's arrival.  Because it was later at night she didn't get to meet her baby sister until the next day.  The look on Lily's face was worth a million dollars when she first saw Avery.  She loves her baby sister so much...a little too much most of the time.  It melts my heart every time I hear Lily say, "Aveweeee".  I am so happy that Lily has a sister and that the two of them will grow up together and hopefully be the best of friends.

At times I think Avery looks like Lily, but they really don't look much a like.  It is hard to tell at this stage.  I look back at pictures of Lily and I can find some where they look EXACTLY alike.  Avery is one week old today and as already changed so much.  I think she may look like her daddy.  They have the same shape of eyes.  She has dark, almost black hair...time will tell who she looks like.

God has given me the two of life's greatest blessings.  I love my daughters more than anything in this world.  Jason and I are lucky to be their parents.

Family of 4

Kisses from big sister Lily

Daddy and his girls

She was 2 ounces "smaller" than Lily, but look at those CHEEKS!

Snug as a bug in a rug...with a bink

Sleeping beauty