Raegan Ellis arrives...FINALLY!

September 12, I went in to be induced at Bristol Regional Medical Center. We arrived at 6 AM, and I wanted this picture taken of me as a preggo momma for not much longer! I was 39 weeks, 5 days.

Big sissy Pyper arrived around 8 AM. Still waiting on the Dr to break my water, so it was uneventful from 6-9 AM. Pyper was so excited to be a big sissy.

My Dr broke my water around 9 AM and I was shocked at how quickly I went into labor! I started really feeling strong contractions within 10 minutes of my water being broken. Instead of getting my epidural immediately, I decided to just get some pain medication to take the edge off. It did...for about an hour. Then the pain became unbearable. I had no idea my labor would progress so quickly. Pyper's took 29 hours. I had figured 6-10 hours for this one. Yeah, right. In this picture, above, my dad decided to take a picture of me during one of these painful contractions. Evil man. I got an epidural around 11 AM, and it worked for a few minutes, but then it stopped. The nurse said I had to wait a half hour to push the button for more medication, and I couldn't wait to hit that button!!!! Finally, I hit the button, and when the pain wasn't alleviated by the medication, the nurse checked me. I had progressed to 5-6 cm, and apparently was progressing faster than the epidural could pump medication.

The pain became so unbearable, I just held on to Shannon's hand and screamed and cried. The pain was the worse thing I have ever felt in my life. Finally, around 12:30 PM, the anesthesiologist pushed one last dose of medication into my epidural, and I was ready to push! The nurse checked me and told me not to move, that she had to call my Dr. Dr. Scruggs showed up with little fan fare, and pretty much told me to push. I pushed once, and out came Raegan's head. I pushed again, and her body was out too! We welcomed Raegan Ellis at 12:44 PM. She was delivered in 45 seconds according to the video taken. It was the quickest delivery! All in all, I was in labor 3 hours and 44 minutes. Wow!

Some skin-to-skin bonding right after she was born. I fell in love with this little angel immediately! She weighed in at 6 lbs, 2 oz and was 18 1/2 " long.

Shannon and Raegan just a few hours later...

Mom and I with our little Ginger Baby. She has the most unusual dusting of reddish-blonde hair all over her head.

Dad and I admiring how Raegan has inherited our ears. It's apparently a dominant Sauls gene. Pyper has my folded right ear, just like my dad, and now Raegan has them too!

Nana and PaPa holding their new farm baby. I wonder if Raegan will love riding PaPa's udden-udden (tractor) as much as Pyper...

Our sweet fair skinned little girl. So unlike Pyper. This is going to be interesting to see what she looks like.

Pyper loves her little sissy. Here she points out all her facial features. She's so proud.

Once we got home, Raegan started sleeping in her cradle my dad lovingly made for his grandchildren. It's so pretty, and she loves it.

Here is Shannon holding Raegan for her first Dr's appts. She passed with flying colors weighing in at 5 lbs 14 oz.

Our sweet girl

The Great Thinker pose. All she's doing now is sleeping, eating and poo'ing. But she's thriving and we are loving her so much!

Waiting On a Woman, well, a baby girl...

My Dr put me on bed rest a week before Raegan was due. I really wanted to make my one year anniversary at the VDH so I could get my maternity leave, and having already had one pre-term labor scare, and another one the week before where I was admitted overnight, I had made quite a bit of progress. All for it to stop in the middle of the night, with with Dr sending me home 3 cm dilated. All to wait. So, I stayed with my in laws over Labor Day weekend (no pun intended) and then my mom came down on that Tuesday to help out with Pyper. That was the hardest part. Not being able to play, pick up, and be an active mom with Pyper for that week. But my mom filled in great, in fact, so much so, that Pyper prefers to play her crazy games with her than with me. I want to ask Pyper where she thinks I got it from??? On Saturday, once I had reached my anniversary date, we climbed the hill to pick apples and feed the ponies.

Dad came down on Friday because he said he was lonely. It's not exciting here on our farm, but it is filled with love and lots of animals to feed apples to. Pyper took to Pop Pop as though no time had passed and forgot all about Mamaw. Where you saw Pop Pop, Pyper wasn't too far behind. Here, they pick apples for the horses, being careful to leave a few for the chickens.

Best Buddies, climbing the hill to feed the horses.

The horses love to see us all coming up the hill bearing gifts.

Picking apples for the apple pie mom made that night....mmmmm....

Mom and Pyper were pooped after a busy day of picking and playing. Pyper loves to snuggle for her naps. I know she will one day out grow this, and this makes me sooooo sad to imagine. I love these moments.