Saturday, July 13, 2013
Emmalee's story
Our dearest baby Emmalee turned six months old yesterday. Already a half of one year and it dawned on me I hadn't written her birth story down for memory's sake. Two big kids, first year homeschooling, house projects too numerous to count. Add another baby to the mix, and we've got a busy life on our hands. A great life. Better late than never, here's Emmalee's story:Baby girl was due December 31st, 2012. Write on the line. It was fun playing 'guessing games' to what year this baby would come. Christmas came and went with family by our sides. New Year's came and went with remaining family still visiting and anxious to see a new baby. Then January started inching by. 12 days after her 'due date' and we were still waiting. [I'm still amazed that the last six months with her has seemed like mere moments, while those 12 days felt like YEARS.] Saturday morning, January 12th, I woke up to what seemed like 'leaking'. My water had never broken with the first two babies, so even after a somewhat seasoned birthing history I still had no idea what was happening. No labor action in sight, but my (wonderful) doctor wanted to see me nonetheless. I obliged. Slowly. It took us the entire morning and into the afternoon to finally get to the hospital since I knew if it was my water leaking, there was no turning back. (And sitting in the hospital with nothing happening is not my idea of a fun day.) Sure enough, it was as I expected. I was told to change and get ready for induction. Blah. Coming out of hospital room's bathroom my water broke, which immediately spurred an intense contraction that felt more like the end of labor then the very beginning. I remember looking at my mom in that moment and when our eyes met we both seemed to be thinking, 'Oh boy! This is going to be a crazy ride!'. R.Jay hadn't expected a baby on this day when my mom drove me to the hospital that afternoon, so he had stayed back with the 'big kids'.
The contractions were immediate, constant, and unbelievably intense from there on out. In a matter of moments after that initial contraction I was in the throws of late labor. Just like that. R.Jay was told to rush to the hospital. Two long, solid pushes and less than two hours after we had arrived to the hospital, Emmalee Mae Dowling arrived in the world at 4:20pm. My biggest baby, 8lbs. 8oz. 20.5 in. long, and I did not tear! (I had torn pretty significantly with the first two.) She barely cried and when laid on my chest her big eyes opened and looked directly at me. She soothed and while her daddy cut the cord and things were tidied she stayed fixed on me with such a gentleness. She knew me well!
My best girlfriend, who is an amazing photographer, whisked in the room shortly after her birth and snapped some beautiful photos of Emmalee's first moments. She nursed like a champ and I spent the next few hours holding her close to my chest and studying her every feature. I had only known her moments, hours, and I was in love so deeply with this blue-eyed beauty.
Emmalee Mae is named after R.Jay's father's mother, Emily May Dowling. We left the hospital the next evening and came home to a house full and two big siblings that were over the moon for this baby. Emmalee had her first photo shoot within the week:
I fell in love. We all fell in love. Everyday of her new life we love her more and more. She is truly a treasure to this little family.
Heather Dowling at 1:31 PM
