Norah's birth day (also the longest post ever)

It's hard to know where to start...we became parents this week and are doing our best to adjust to this crazy new lifestyle. Everything is going awesome and we can't say thank you enough for all of the friends and family who have visited and helped us.

Norah was born Sunday, June 27, at 3:32 p.m. weighing in at a hefty 8 pounds 10 ounces. And while I may have said that I wanted a 15 pound baby, I think I lied. At one point during the delivery my doctor looked up and Nic and mouthed "That's a big baby." No wonder I was so uncomfortable all the time.

But she's so teeny tiny and delicate.

I woke up Sunday morning because I was feeling some pain, but I've never done this before and wasn't sure if it was contractions or not. By the time Nic found me in the basement I was pretty sure this was the real deal. He was not convinced and proceeded to watch TV in his underwear. I made him time my contractions and they clocked in about three minutes apart, but we still didn't leave for the hospital. I didn't even really know if we were timing the contractions right. Then the pain got really bad and I must have yelled at Nic because the text message he sent to everyone before we left said something like "The cursing has started, I guess this is really happening."

The car ride was pretty intense. I remember Nic playing "Showdown" by The Black Eyed Peas to try to get me to laugh. I don't think I did. All I could do was try to keep calm and when each contraction hit I had to turn around in my seat so I could bend over to better deal with the pain.

And for all you moms who have given birth without an epidural: How? How are you even still alive? I don't know how such a feat is physically possible. The only thing that kept me going was knowing that our destination was the hospital and that the hospital had an anesthesiologist. God bless that man.

The admitting nurse told me that I had to be dilated to a five to be admitted. Thankfully I was already at six and a half because had she turned me away I think I would have come unglued--and it would have been a shame to make Nic pick up those pieces.

But once the pain was controlled I was a happy woman. They kept checking on me for the next couple hours until it was go time. The only problem was that Norah had pooped herself in utero (she is Nic's child!) and they had to flush me out in hopes that she wouldn't inhale it. But again, she is Nic's and she did inhale the meconium so the first few minutes of her life were mostly silent and pretty tense. I got to meet her for a moment and then her and Nic went to the NICU.

Because of the whole poop deal she wasn't getting enough oxygen so she got poked and prodded and had to hang out under an oxygen hood. They also had to give her an IV in the top of her just-born head.

Originally we were told that we would have to stay in the hospital for at least three days, but just a couple hours later Norah was doing much better and got to come hang out with us for the first time.

I think Nic looks more tired than I did. He was a champ. He drove like a bat out of hell to get me to the hospital; got scolded by the nurses because I made him ask what was taking so long for the epidural; held my hand and helped coach me through delivery; was there for Norah in the NICU; took care of anything and everything while we were in the hospital; and completely supports me as we figure this parenting thing out together. What I'm saying is that he is basically the best man ever.

Dennis and Debbie came to the hospital right after the delivery but Norah was busy in the NICU. My family came later that night. Take a look at the brand new grandparents. They are going to have so much fun watching Norah for us.

Aww. Norah and her dad.

Holy crap, I'm a mom.

We had some great visitors and I got lots of rest and let the nurses change Norah as much as possible during our hospital stay. Best of all I got all the Lorna Doone cookies and Diet Coke that I wanted. Nic got a little (and when I say a little I mean a lot) cabin fever and was happy to pack up and head home.

The puppies were equally as happy to have me home. Poor little suckers had no idea what I was bringing with me.

I think this picture is cute, but I'm pretty sure this is her "I'm pooping" face.

Debbie thankfully came and gave us a lesson on bathing an infant. After two days and no bath Norah was getting a little crusty.

Oh, and Nic also had his 28th birthday. I'm sure he was secretly glad that he didn't get a lot of attention. We celebrated by shopping for a new wake board until Norah decided she was done and I made us go home. Already she's running the show completely.