SHE'S HERE!
After 19 hours of labor from the time I was admitted to the hospital until she took her first breath, we welcomed our angel Avery Rae into this world. Dad was such a trooper - no sleep at all that night! He just kept pacing around making sure everyone was okay -- I think it was his way of centering himself. I barely got some shut eye myself because we were both TOO excited thinking about getting to meet the love of our lives. I pushed for about 45 min to an hour and had an epidural and two rounds of Zofran for the nausea ... that last part (the transition) was a toughy on my stomach. Right when she was about to come out, the doctor told me to look down and put out my hands. I got to grab the final part of her out of me and pull her to my chest. I breastfed almost immediately and she latched right on! She was purple, just like her mommy. :-) The next couple of days in the hospital consisted of immediately dedicating her back to God (Paul & I said a prayer that Grampa Thompson wrote), settling into our recovery room and getting zero sleep (I couldn't stop staring at God's beautiful creation), and seeing a lactation consultant, a neurologist (my left leg had some numbness), and Dr. Kroll on that Monday. Avery's hearing test came back perfectly and she was borderline jaundice but the pediatrician ruled out the need to intervene. Our last day in the hospital was exciting, although it was definitely VERY hard to move around. My healing body slowed me down a bit. Plus, I think I needed to work out all of the medication I had been pumped full of the past few days. We couldn't believe we actually got to take her home. WHAT AN AMAZING GIFT FROM GOD! Paul and I couldn't be happier -- our hearts just tripled in size with love for her. Everyday from here on out with our baby girl is precious...we love you Avery Rae Reitmeier.
Love,
Mommy
