baby CAROLINE

i am so happy to announce that Caroline Louise Rosenhan is finally here in my arms and she is the sweetest thing EVER! I don't think there is anything more precious than little newborn babies with their little froggy legs and pudgy cheeks.

She was born last friday, August 27th at 10:42 am. She weighed 6 lb 10 oz and measured 21 inches long. She also has skin that's more olive than the girls, slate blue eyes, white eyebrows, and lots (to me at least) of chestnut-reddish-blondish-dark brownish hair. I have a feeling it may all fall out but for now I can't get enough of how soft it feels against my cheek!

It's funny how things work out sometime- I was becoming frustrated towards the end of my pregnancy- mostly sick and tired of being sick and tired- and just wanted to go into labor! I was even bummed when I passed the 38 week mark (when I went into labor with ellie) and didn't go into labor. But the thing was... Branden was taking his internal medicine board exams on August 26th and given the fact that this is what he has worked his entire life for and is still working for- it was a pretty important test and probably not the best time to have a baby- but whatever. For the last few weeks I felt strongly that my body was ready but for some reason she was staying inside. Looking back, I know why and I am so thankful that she waited. It made one of the busiest most stressful summers of our lives just a bit easier.

So anyways, I had a planned induction on aug. 27th for the day after his boards. My doctor induced me so that a) i could have an epidural and b) I would deliver at a hospital and not on the side of the road. I'm very grateful he did that.

We arrived at 7:30 a.m. and got situated with i.v.'s and what nots and then at 8:30 a.m. my doctor arrived to check me and said I was 70% effaced, dilated almost to a four and having contractions every few minutes, so technically i was already in labor- I had no idea. A short while later they gave me the epidural, then started the petosin. At 10 a.m. they broke my water and at 10:42 out she flew.

The last ten minutes before she was born were kind of scary/hectic. Mainly because I was progressing so fast, Caroline's heart rate was dropping every time I had a contraction, and the doctor although only a few mintues away at his clinic, wasn't sure he'd make it on time. Literally the second he walked in I felt the pressure and they told me to push so I did and forty seconds later she was out. The scary part came somewhere in the blur of those forty seconds when the doctor realized she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck three times. It's called a triple nucal cord (no idea if I"m spelling that right) and supposedly is really rare. He had to cut it off of her before I could finish delivering. I'll never forget the look on his face when he saw it and how the room went silent while he quickly cut it. the nicu team was on hand and although she came out white and not breathing, thankfully, she started breathing within seconds and was soon announced perfectly healthy. sweet caroline. oh how I love you.


this is perhaps my favorite picture of all. I think that what I love about it is that five years and three kids later we look happier now than we did the day we were married. and that makes me happy.

thanks for your thoughts and prayers and well-wishes and sorry I've fallen off the planet for the last few months- now that summer is over, I hope to be posting (and communicating with the outside world) more regularly!

and here she is today