1 Year Ago

1 year ago today we welcomed Avery into this world. It all began at 3:30 in the morning when I was woken up by a contraction. Even before I had the next one 7 minutes later I knew this was the real thing. Of course Louis was at work at the time so I spent the next 3 1/2 half hours laboring by myself. I walked around our apartment, put make-up on, (yeah I did, I wanted to look cute for pictures after. A lot of good that did!) I ate some toast and pudding because I knew once I went to the hospital they wouldn't let me eat and I didn't know how long this would go. At about 6:30 the contractions got bad enough that I decided to head to the hospital. I had arranged with my sister-in-law Celestial to pick me up if Louis wasn't there. I called her up and waited for her to show up. While I waited I called Louis' work to have him meet me at the hospital. Josh was actually the one who answered so he knew before Louis that baby girl was on her way! Celestial came and we headed to the hospital.

My last picture pregnant with Avery

We drove through the snow to the hospital and Louis showed up there just a few minutes after we did.  Celestial was disappointed that she wasn't able to stay longer and help.  We got into our room and I got changed into my very flattering gown.  They came in to check me and I was dilated to a 3, I was pretty disappointed to hear that because at my appointment three days before I was already dilated to a 3.  I was 100% effaced though so at least my 4 hours of active labor had done something!  They left for an hour and then my doctor came in to check me.  At that point I was dilated to a 5 woohoo!  While we were there Jake came to bring Louis food and Josh and Megan came to bring some movies.  We put in Elf, which actually was playing while Avery was born haha!  It took me two more hours to get to an 8, and about 20 minutes later with each contraction I was having this horrible pressure come along with it.  Little did I know this was Avery crowning, I thought I just had to go to the bathroom! (too much information?  Oh well)  A nurse named Leslie came in to help me (she wasn't even the nurse assigned to me, but was so sweet to stay with me the rest of the time) she checked me and indeed I was crowning so she called my doctor to come up and about 5 other nurses came in too.  Leslie was awesome, she helped me to stay focused on what I needed to, "just look into your husbands eyes."  Helped a lot!  5 minutes later she was here, even though it felt like 20.  My doctor laid Avery on my stomach and I got to see her for the first time.

My first look at her  11:31 A.M.

After she'd been cleaned off

Daddy and daughter

A pretty crazy 8 hours, with the most amazing outcome ever.  This last year has been. . .I've been sitting here for 5 minutes and can't think of the right word.  It's been incredible to say the least.  Having Avery in our lives has been the most perfect thing.  She's brought so much happiness into our lives.  It's been so easy, she's the happiest baby.  

Today was fun, we had lunch and opened presents.  We gave her a few of her presents on Saturday at her party, but saved the others for her actual birthday.  She got some clothes, a VeggieTales DVD, a baby doll, and a new book.  She ate one of the leftover ice cream cupcake things I made for her party too, she ate about half then threw on the ground.  I guess that meant she was done.

Eating her cupcake 

Does it fit?

I got it started for her, but then she took it
from there!

My baby is like Marshall, her eyes are closed
in most pictures!  But cute!

Daddy and Avery

This year went by so fast, I can hardly believe she's a year old.  I've loved every minute of it, even the nearly 3 months of waking up in the middle of the night.  Okay maybe not the spitting up, I think that's the one thing I can say I didn't love AT ALL.  Here's a collage I put together of each month of her life.  

I love this girl so much!  Happy birthday sweetheart!