Our New Arrival!

Peyton Lyn Gillis is Here! And she came with a bang! As the ball was dropping, I was pushing... and she arrived just 22 seconds after midnight. Weighing in at 8 lbs. 3 oz, and 20 inches long. -at 37 and a half weeks... I'm so glad she came early otherwise we would have had a really big baby...

I couldn't believe the timing... and no it was not planned that way. It just worked out and as far as we know she is the first baby born in 2009 in the state of California. So ten hours after delivery we had TV camera's and the OC Register in our room videoing and asking questions. Yikes.. just a little soon for me, but thank goodness I packed makeup and something to wear other than the lovely hospital gown. Around 7 am the nurses started popping in and saying.. Channel 11 just called and wants to know if its ok with you to do an interview... then it was channel 5, 2, 9, and then I lost track. But it was all very exciting.
(if you look on cbs2.com/ the OC register's website/ and the other channels websites you can see the articles and newscasts... sorry I didn't link them... I'm so not high tech...)

I went earlier that day to my Dr.'s appointment and I was dilated 4cm and 80% effaced and she didn't think I'd make it through the week. So I asked her to strip my membranes, that way I at least knew it would happen in the next few days... something about knowing a time frame made me feel a little more in control. After that she said you'll probably be back in this afternoon. I wasn't as convinced but took her for her word and called Eric for him to be on alert. ... we'll we were back in the hospital by 6pm, and dilated to a 5 and completely effaced. I delivered Brent so quickly (after about 30min in the hospital) I didn't want to take the risk of waiting too long to go in. So I felt like it was better to be safe than too late. So after a few hours of contracting, then walking the halls with Eric and my dancing partner (the IV) I still was only 6 cm dilated. I was really wanting to go natural and not have any petocin- because I was going natural and petocin just makes the contractions that much harder. So at 11:15pm she broke my water to speed things up. At that point my contractions went from hard but manageable to very intense and I was ready to push at 11:45. My midwife joked with me and asked if I wanted to wait a to push and have a New Year's Baby... and I was like no way... I am getting this baby out now. I couldn't be quick with the words while in so much pain, but I was not really in the mood to joke around... I just wanted to push her out. As I was pushing I kept hearing more people in the birthing suite with us... and I'd here, 'only a few more minutes.' Or 'thirty seconds'.... (part of me is thinking... 'I didn't invite these people into the room to witness the birth of my child' and then I'd hear encouragement and cheering for me so I guess I didn't mind... trying to forget that I was in the most vulnerable position... after giving birth there is just no dignity left for a woman. Then I pushed her out 22 seconds after midnight and at that point I swear every nurse on the floor was in my room cheering and clapping and they brought Eric a bottle of sparkling grape juice and everyone was congratulating us. They asked if they could take pictures with the hospital camera and got our signatures for clearance. By morning we had the head PR guy from the hospital in our room with the Head OBgyn Dr. and Midwife/ Nurse congratulating us and making sure it was ok to let the cameras/ and news crews into our room. It was crazy how many people we met.

We were treated like celebrities and even beyond the whole being the first baby born... all the nurses and staff at the hospital were just amazing. It was such a beautiful hospital- Kaiser Hospital in Irvine- it just opened this past year, so it was immaculate and high tech. It was so nice to have these huge birthing suites and postpartum rooms. We even got a congratulatory meal the next night with sparkling cider, salmon, mango chicken and dessert.

And I have to say how great Eric was through the whole thing. I read a natural childbirth book just a few weeks before this and it put so much empahsis on the 'coach' of your birth. Which would be Eric for me and I kept thinking I need to have Eric read this and how we should have taken classes so the chance of giving birth naturally would be higher for me. Well there just wasn't time for him to read the book and he told me... "Katie, I'm am a coach.. I don't need a book to tell me how to encourage you" which just made me laugh. Because coaching someone giving birth is a little different than coaching football or little league soccer. But really he was just amazing.

He has been SUPER DAD the last three months. With me on bed rest and not feeling that great he has been the mom and the dad. ... Coming home from work and making dinner, cleaing up and doing alot of the bedtime routine on his own. He never complained and even would request his honey do list on Saturday mornings and say... ok... what can I do for you today.. just make me a list. Or... "don't stress about it Katie... I'll do it, just write it down on a list and I'll get it done" I just can't say enough wonderful things about my husband... I'm so grateful for him...

The kids came the next day to see their baby sister and the looks on their faces were priceless. They were so excited to have a baby sister and they were so gentle with her. Brent couldn't understand why she wouldn't open her eyes for him, so that was frustrating for a little three year old to grasp. It was really surreal to see my three kids all in the same room for the first time. I looked at Eric and we both had the same look for each other... I can't believe we have three kids.

What a blessing, we are so grateful for this wonderful little spirit we have been entrusted with. What a blessing from the Lord. It is a perfect ending of a beautiful holiday season, and perfect beginning to our new year.
Welcome Peyton to our family, we love you!