Elise's Birth!

The morning of July 12th (mine and Neal's 5 year anniversary:), at 2 am I was awoken by my water breaking. Elise was due on July 6th, but obviously not yet ready to come. I'd been having hard contractions for 10 nights, but no baby yet. We, along with many others had been praying for Elise to come for quite a few different reasons: 1) We had our plane tickets booked to leave August 10th, and we had to get her passport and visa prior to us leaving. 2) I wanted to have a VBAC with Elise as opposed to a c-section like I had with Elijah...and she was measuring big and getting later and later, which aren't favorable for having a VBAC. 3) Neal and I wanted as much time with family after Elise was born.

But, even with all our reasoning and pleading before the Lord, He's still sovereign and He knows best! I'd asked for Him to bring Elise on her own by breaking my water so that I didn't have to choose a c-section date, since that's what my doctor was asking me to do... He answered my prayer!

When my water broke at 2 am, after calling the hospital we called my mom who was on standby at all times. She and my brother Joel rushed over to our apartment so that Joel could stay with Elijah while the rest of us headed to the hospital. 

Above is mom and I in the parking lot of the hospital...time is now 2:30 am, on July 12th.

Almost all of our family got to come visit at one point or another. However, the early supporters were both moms and sisters Lauren and Rachel. They were all such sports coming early to cheer me on and pray for me. Later as I was trying to get my contractions closer together they took turns walking laps with me and pushing the pole my IV was hooked onto. 

My doctor gave me till 6am the next morning to have the baby VBAC, and if I wasn't dilated to 5cm by then, she planned to do a c-section.

Much prayer took place before 6am, but my body only dilated to 1cm, even after 28 hours of labor in the hospital. There were some tears shed, but we trusted the Lord.

I was prepared and wheeled back to the surgery room  while Neal got his surgery clothes on. He looked like a doctor:)

At 6:58am on July 13th our precious baby girl, Elise Faith, was born!

She was a healthy 9 pounds and 7 ounces, and was 20 and a half inches long!

I couldn't help but cry when I heard the precious sound of life coming from her in the voice of her own cry. God is so amazing with how He brings sweet babies into the world!

Later that day Elijah got to meet his baby sister for the first time. It was precious seeing him be so inquisitive about her...although it didn't last too long. Honestly the room and all the cool wires, etc. that are in a hospital were way neater to discover for him at that moment:) Later he of course wanted to hug her and hold her. He's always been affectionate, so I loved watching this play out with Elise. 

 

Here's Elise with her Nanna. My parents wanted to make sure they were there for the birth of Elise, so they stayed with us all night. Neal, my parents, and I tried to sleep for a few hours before she was born...it wasn't easy. We were all tired, but I was so thankful they wanted to stay with me...it meant so much.

Here's everyone in my family that got to come to the hospital to see us. Joel's girlfriend, Cassandra came to see us as well, so that was nice. Rebecca, Michael's wife was visiting her family up North and didn't get to come, as well as Daniel, Jessica and their four boys who were at home in South Carolina. They all got to visit with us and see Elise later. 

One evening Neal's family took he and Elijah to eat at Moe's before coming to visit Elise and I. This was nice for Neal to get out and eat something other than hospital food. Elijah loves Moe's burritos, so it was a great choice for him.

We got Elise all dressed up in her smocked little pink dress to head home. It was hard to believe I was holding my baby girl...gosh I love her!

Thank you God for your perfect plan for Elise Faith, which was displayed in her birth! We love her!