Shelby is here

After all of the anticipation, all of the support and all of the planning, Shelby is here!

Born February 2, 2009 at 6:01 pm

8 Pounds 1 ounce Everyone has been so good to us. We came home from the hospital with balloons and gifts for the boys and for Shelby from my friend KJ, flowers on the doorstep from my friends at work, calls, visits and so much support. Thank you all!
We actually did it on our own this time around. No inducing. My last day of work was Feb 1st. I had several contractions pretty close together while at work and went home thinking...it doesn't happen like this, I don't see the Dr until tomorrow- and I went to bed.
4:30 am I woke up to terrible contractions. When timing them they were 8-10 minutes apart all morning. I decided that instead of going to the hospital with the possibility of being sent home because the contractions weren't closer together, that I would wait until I saw the Dr at 10:30am.
When I went to see the Dr I had several contractions and was dilated to a 3. He sent me straight to the hospital and told me he would be there in a few hours to check on me. When I arrived my contractions were about 4 minutes apart.
Ryan took care of everything. He took me to the hospital, got the boys to Sid and Leslie's house, grabbed hospital bags and made it to the hospital just after I had received my epidural-
I really played with the idea of going natural but after having those contractions all morning I thought-why the heck would anyone ever do that?! I got the drugs and Ryan and I slept and talked until Shelby arrived at 18:01.
The crazy part of the story is that I progressed really quickly throughout the day and when I reached an 8, I slowed way down. It took us almost two hours to go from an 8 to a 10 and the Dr came in telling us that he was sure she must be posterior because she progressed so slowly at the end. She was head down, but face up.
Dr Richard J. Holmes, I would recommend him to anyone!
He brings in the ultra sound to verify what he thought. She is face up. He then does this crazy, ju jitsu magic and while he flips me over one way, he flips her the opposite way and presto- she is ready to deliver. After only a few pushes,
Shelby Ryan Bastian was born.

When they grabbed Shelby they took off with her and Ryan followed. After questions from the nurses about where his camera was he quickly ran and got it. Then he captured this precious picture above. (the only one he took)

After seeing the picture above, I am beginning to think he also took this picture that I found on the camera ... I am happy to report that we are all here, and we are all safe and happy.

That night Ryan and I stayed in the hospital with Shelby while the boys played their hearts out with their cousins. Leslie brought them in the next afternoon.

This is Paxton holding Shelby for the first time. He kissed her at least 14 times and he told her that he was going to teach her everything. He is a very proud brother!

Gauge was pretty interested too. He patted her head and gave her a kiss and then he was on his way. We think that he is going to have a hard time not being the baby anymore.
I keep getting teased because Shelby has blue blankets. I packed most of her things but didn't think about which ones (or what color) I was taking to the hospital. Now I realize she looks just like Paxton did when he was born!

Shelby is an angel. She only cries when she needs something and it seems like her personality is already coming out. She has dimples, black hair and more of an olive color to her-like I did when I was a baby.

We arrived home from the hospital today and grabbed the boys. Almost as soon as we got home, the boys and Shelby crashed

We're all home and we're happy.

Welcome to the family Shelby! We love you!