Hilbig Happenings: Baby Ella's Arrival

I promised a blog detailing the events of Monday, May 3rd... my beautiful niece's arrival. So here it is.

Monday, May 3rd
12:00pm

I am home for lunch, chatting with Lacey (who is also on her lunch break) about random things such as placing an order for coffee, when I'm coming to their house, etc. I ask her how she is feeling and I get the usual "just a lot of uncomfortable pressure". So I pass it off as normal pregnancy symptoms as I had the past month it seemed like. At this point I was preparing for Ella's arrival to still be one week away. I had nothing packed! However, I guess in my own nesting instincts, I had thoroughly detailed my car, washed all the laundry, bought groceries, ironed clothes, and spotlessly cleaned my house.

Fast forward to 4:02pm. I am at work. I return to my desk to find a missed call from Lacey. I call her back and no answer. Then my phone rings again.

Dad: calmly "Where are you?"

Me: "I am at work."
Dad: "Which one?"
Me: "Probation."
Dad: "Do you think you could take off?"
Me: frantically "Oh my gosh.. is it Lacey?"

I'm pretty sure I just hung up on him and didn't even get the rest of the details. I got my purse and peeled out of the parking lot... not even telling anyone where I was going. I called my boss on my way out to tell her what was going on and that I'd be back 'sometime next week'.

I rushed home and literally threw random outfits into a bag, gathered everything in the bathroom that looked like a necesity, and headed North. By this time it's 4:40pm and I was still 4 hours away from Grapevine, Texas.

I called Mom & Dad back, who were already on their way from Hamilton. Mom explained that Lacey went in to her regular weekly appointment and the dr. checked her and the baby and said it was time to get Ella out and sent Lacey to the hospital. At this appointment they were guessing that Ella was in the neighborhood of 8 lbs 13 oz... a baby sumo wrestler.

I drove, fast. For four hours. I only stopped once to pee in a Family Dollar in the middle of nowhere off of 35 somewhere. I was in such a hurry. I just knew Ella would arrive before me!

Luckily, I arrived at Baylor Grapevine Medical Center at 8:45pm and to my suprise... no baby Ella just yet! Dad met me in the parking lot and we hurried up to her room to be greeted at the door by her nurse. She kind-of acted like she didn't want me in there, but I'm not real sure she knew that I WAS the Aunt of this child! I got sneak in a give Lacey a kiss (who was in pain, but still wearing a beautiful smile). Then I went and waited with the the family. Everyone was there -- Mom, Dad, Aunt Mavis, Libby, Bobby, Jan, David, and even Courtney (lacey's bff). We had a grand ole time in the waiting room for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, at around 10pm a nurse came out and told us she was pushing. She couldn't tell us anymore than that, but at least she was that far along. Come to to find out, she had actually dialated from a 4 to a 10 shortly after I got there in only 30 minutes! Ella was just waiting on her Aunt KK, I think :)

Mark came out and announced to us all "they are taking Lacey into the O.R." I was panicked, only to hear him then annouce that he was "just kidding". At 10:36pm my perfect niece, Ella Kerrington had arrived. She was finally here, weighing in at 7 lbs 7 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. Perfect and with a full head of hair, looking much like her mommy!

After they got her all clean and bundled up, Mark and the nurse wheeled her by the paparazzis. I bet we took hundreds of pictures, we were all so excited! They took her to the nursery and everyone followed. I was dying to see Lacey, so I snuck off in the other direction and went to her room. I was so proud of her... and I couldn't believe she was a mommy of such a precious little girl! I got to spend about 15 minutes, just the two of us, talking about her labor and all that it entails. It was fascinating and horrifying all at once!

Lacey, Mark & Ella had to spend the next to days at the hospital. The next day, May 4th, was actually her daddy's 27th birthday! Everyone went out to dinner to celebrate, while I stayed back with Lacey so I could love on baby Ella (and change her poopy diapers).

Wednesday around noon, they were finally able to come home. Ella was a little jaundice so she has to sit in the sun and "tan" for the next three days. That was really hard b/c we couldn't hold her and kiss on her! They also had to go to the dr. every morning for blood work on Ella to check her bilirubin. Finally, on Saturday her counts were down and she was looking less yellow and we could all pass her around and stare at her. She would make the funniest faces while she was sleeping. Mark and I wondered what she could possibly be dreaming about at 4 days old? She even smiled for us a few times.

Saturday night everyone came over for dinner and to see Miss Ella again. She is a pretty popular little girl!
Sunday was Mother's Day and since I had spent the entire week with my sister and mom, I felt that it was necessary to return home to my husband and puppy... who I missed terribly (both of them, not just Paisley :)! I drove in and got to Lockhart just in time to eat lunch at Casey's Aunt's house for Mother's Day.

I am so thankful that I was able to be there for Ella's arrival and that I was able to spend the entire first of her of life with her! I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful, loving family and to have a niece that has blessed our lives even more. I am also very thankful that Lacey had such an 'easy' pregnancy and somewhat easy delivery -- and that everyone is healthy! I love that little girl so much and miss her every day. I can't imagine how much love I would have for my own if I have this much love for my niece!!!