It’s a girl!
It’s been a week and we are still marveling over the wonder of her. She’s a darling, darling lump of sugar; but best of all, she is here. She is alive. And she is healthy. Liam thanks me almost every day for “eating healthy and keeping her alive” and every day I remind him it is God who kept her alive and brought her to us. “She is just darling,” he says over and over and his darling sounds like a cross between darling and dare ling. And then he follows up with, “She is just adorable.”
Last Tuesday night I sat on the recliner listening to Michael Card lullabies. Earlier I’d sent a text to a friend that said, “I think I’m going to be pregnant til July.” Zara had squirmed into a better position, but there were certainly no signs of imminent labor. I’d written a welcome baby sign on the chalkboard on Saturday and joked to the boys that maybe she’d know we’re ready. On Tuesday at lunchtime Adam stared at the sign a bit and said, “Maybe if you would have written the welcome a little fancier, she’d want to come.”
We’d eaten supper at chuckwagon and afterward I asked Sheryl if she would hear the phone if I called at night. She said she’d been thinking about that and would move a headset in that night. We kept toggling with what to do with the boys. Sheryl only has off on Wednesday and if the next day was her morning to do breakfast she needed to be in the kitchen way early in the morning. For awhile Becca was around and available, but she’d left for Pennsylvania a few days earlier. If push came to shove, we were going to take them along to Hagerstown and have Nola meet us at the hospital since they were going to stay with her anyway. I just wasn’t sure I envied her if that happened in the middle of the night and they arrived in her car after listening to me labor for an hour. 😉 My sister, Christy, said earlier when I was discussing all the variables, “You know, somehow I think God is going to take care of everything and it’s going to work out.” How right she was.
That night, a few minutes before 1, I woke to a wet whoosh of fluid and about fifteen minutes later we realized the race was on. It didn’t take long to decide to call Sheryl. I could hardly believe this “happened” to be the night before her day off. It takes one hour and twenty minutes on a good day to get to the hospital. It just so “happened” that we got in a measly few hours before the freezing rain hit the next morning. It’s been a bit of an adjustment to get used to not be able to access David directly when he’s working at camp (no cell phone service and there aren’t separate office lines). I was really just relishing the idea of going into labor while he was, oh, say, in supervisor’s meeting (not interrupted unless it’s serious) and having the secretary relay my desperate message to the whole group of men. Not. It just so “happened” that I went into labor at night when he was home. And I guess if we’re talking about things that just “happened,” we could also be glad it didn’t just “happen” six hours earlier when I was sitting in chuck wagon.
I say, “just so happened.” Clearly, God had a few little surprise gifts all planned out ahead of times.
Two and a half hours after our first warning, Zara was here. All 7 lbs 2 oz and twenty-one inches of her.
It was love at first sight.
Lots of people ask how to pronounce her name. The first part of Zara rhymes with “car.” It’s a name David and I learned to love when we spent two months in Ireland and fell in love with a beautiful, red-haired little girl just a bit older than Adam. The best I can tell, the name is either Aramaic or Hebrew in origin. We hadn’t really come up with another first name we were considering seriously, but as soon as I found the Hebrew meaning, I knew it was meant to be her name. In Hebrew, the name Zara means “dawn, glorious.” She is truly the glorious dawn breaking after a long night of hopes deferred and baby loss.
And now, for some pictures. And yes, there are a gazillion without even the slightest apology. No one in either of our extended families, with the exception of my mom and dad, has seen her yet.
My sweet friend, Sheryl. I’m so lucky to have her here this year. I was doubly glad we chose the hospital we did, even though it was so far away. Our only reason in making the decision was the incompetent care Adam and others received at the local hospital along with the fact that I couldn’t find a local obstetrical office who took me seriously when I was first pregnant and my symptoms were most similar to my molar pregnancy. I wanted an ultrasound NOW because I was not about to go through the horrible, horrible hormone wash of a molar pregnancy not discovered until twelve weeks. As it turned out, no one could offer me anything and I traveled back to Virginia to my regular office where they insisted I do a high def, not just an in-office ultrasound. You cannot imagine the sweet relief of seeing a baby that day. Even the ultrasound tech said, “Can I just give you a hug? I am so happy for you!” Other than that, I was mostly happy with my care here. The nurses at the hospital were fabulous and most of the midwives / doctors at the office were great, there were just so many of them. I had two favorite midwives and one favorite doctor and one of those midwives did my delivery (another little God-gift since I knew there was a distinct possibility someone I hadn’t even seen in office would be on call). She was FABULOUS. Later at least three people said she is the best of them all. The nurse told me the next day she’d have ten children if she knew D____ would deliver all of them. 🙂 But the fun side benefit of this hospital was that I was close to friends and they came to visit that first night! It was my first baby so far away from family and it was so. much. fun. to have friends pop in with smiles and hugs and pink to celebrate with us! Clearly, the pregnancy is over. My hermit tendencies are gone!
I kid you not, I’m convinced this is exactly how she lay in utero. Twisted halfway to the side with her legs up!
Seriously, Mom, don’t you think that’s enough? 😉
Oh Michelle, she is just adorable!! I love what Christy said before her birth, and how God just arranged everything so beautifully for you! That is one real fear going into labor & delivery – the wondering of just HOW everything will pan out, and all the “what if –??” questions. I love how God met you so much! And I was thrilled to hear a few more details. 🙂 I hoped it went well for you, but this was even better than I hoped! A fast labor, and s safe delivery, and it really IS a girl!! 🙂 I cannot even imagine the fun you must be having ~ all the pink and fills and girly things… 🙂 No wait, I can. Oh goodness, a baby girl is just so fun! Liam’s face on one picture was priceless too – sheer wonder and delight, and he looks like he’s so in love. 🙂 I’m so thrilled for you!!
We are absolutely ‘thrilled’ for you!
We are in Jamaica at the moment and reflect back on so many wonderful memories of you and David being here.
Sending you a ‘BIG HUG’ and much love.
Congratulations to you and David. You have a beautiful family.
God Bless,
Nancy Sweet
Aww, aww, aww! nothing like giving a person baby fever! i am just so super, super excited for you!
awe, awe, awe!! she is just darling!!! Love the details of her birth! She must’ve liked your chalk message. =) Yes, God is written all over those details. What an awesome faith strengthener! 2 1/2 hours total. And no c-section. That, my friend, is amazing too! Sounds like a dream to me! Congratulations again.
I can’t get enough pictures! She’s absolutely perfect! So so happy for you and your whole crew. 2.5 hours? wow!
Isn’t it funny how God takes care of the details that we worry so much about?
Many blessings on you and your sweet family! <3
Beautiful! Just beautiful. Her and her story! So happy that everything went well and she is here safe and healthy. Snuggle her close, love her up, smell her sweet baby skin, squeeze her tight and drink in all those baby moments because I promise you, tomorrow she will be turning 1!! It happened to me, it really did. 🙂 Because this happened with no warning at all, I have this fear that next week she’ll be turning 16.
We are SO SO happy for ya’ll!!!!
I can not stand it! The photos are so beautiful. Congrats a thousand times!
this is one of those posts you just want to devour! I could have looked at 50 more pictures! 🙂 there is nothing sweeter then a little newborn, esp one so long waited for as this one. She is precious, precious, precious. The love and adoration of her by her family members just oozes out of the pictures, and I love how God worked out all the details of the birth.
Congrats once again! 🙂
Oh, she is just so cute. And I just wish so much I could be holding her her in your living room and help decide what we should wear on her next . 🙂 🙂 Have so much fun cuddling her. I know you are.
This makes me sigh with happiness for you. What a blessing she must be to your family! When I read the name, I immediately thought of little bright-haired Zara in Ireland. She’ll be thrilled to know she has a namesake.
Please don’t apologize for the gazillion photos, either. They gave me serious baby fever and made me so ready to meet our own little one (who isn’t due until July…).
Enjoy her. 🙂
Oh, and what a fast l&d that was! If anything had gone wrong, she might have been born before you got there, eh? 🙂 My last labour was only three hours long, and I’m really curious to know how this one will play out.
I was soooo scared she’d be born in the car. I was fully dilated when we got there at 2:45, but I couldn’t push right away. The midwife said I’d probably been talking myself out of it. I said I just kept lifting myself off the seat. 😉 In retrospect, I think I hit transition before we were halfway there. Sooo relieved the last part slowed down! Congrats on your baby, too!
Wow, I can imagine your relief at having made it to the hospital. I can’t imagine going through transition in the car though… :-0 So glad it all turned out okay.
I just had to read your amazing story and pore over the beautiful pictures twice! My own little bean is due in just under two weeks, and to say I’m in countdown mode is a wild understatement. 😛 This gives me serious get-here-SOON jitters! <3 SO happy for you!
Oh how exciting! So happy for you! She is just absolutely perfect!
Oh Michelle!!!!!!! This just about makes my heart stop… Zara is stunning, beautiful, precious!! I was going to comment on your last post and tell you I just died laughing over it–was so good for me, and to please, please let us know on your blog when SHE comes. ( I don’t do facebook for now :)) And then most of us just got crazy sick, and today I finally checked in and OH. MY. WORD.! Wait til I show my girls, they have always wanted you to have a little girl. 🙂 Weird probably, I know, but we remember our own little babies, and after having a little Scott a year ago to keep and BRING HOME, we still talk about all the people we know who have lost babies and who we pray to have one too to bring home. HUGE Congrats to ALL of you!!!
Tears…happy-for-you, lump-in-the-throat, tears… God is Good. Always. We know that! But stories like this make it just a little bit easier to believe the next time the road gets tough! Beautiful story; Beautiful baby. SO happy for you!!!
What a gorgeous little girl…almost gives me baby fever and my own little girl is only six months old. (Only and already. I mean it. Savor every precious second.) So so happy for you and your family! God bless little Zara and you!
Deborah
Aw, she is ADORABLE! So cute and I love all her hair! I think her name is perfect. And I am SO happy that you have a daughter!!! She has the BEST big brothers too. 🙂