I'm very happy to announce...

...the arrival of our second daughter, Isabelle Arianna. She was born July 20th at 7:37 am, SUCCESSFUL VBAC! She's smaller than her big sister was, only 8 lbs but she's beautiful, absolutely precious, and looks very much like her sister did at birth (some say she's a xerox copy but that's not quite correct because she doesn't have the stork bite her sister was born with). Labor, when it REALLY hit, was very fast and very intense and most of it was in my back but I had GREAT labor support and did not go to the hospital until I was VERY close to transition. Contractions were a minute apart when I got to the hospital, backed off a little, then came back. I got to the hospital less than three hours before Isabelle was born and gave birth to her without any drugs at all. It was an incredible experience and I'm still amazed that I did it. Poor John though missed the whole thing. While I did call him during the labor, I never did get the computer set up and everything just went too fast at the hospital for me to set anything up. It was probably for the best; I don't think Natalie would have been able to handle seeing me in pain.

So now, I'm just enjoying my little girl and hoping that her daddy and sister will be able to join us again in the states soon.

Waiting...

...and at this point, that's really all I can do. I'm not feeling too impatient but with some additional aches and pains today, I can't help but wonder if we're getting close. Just want to get through today though because it's my one niece's birthday and it's the niece who was born sleeping just three years ago today. EDD for this little girl is July 17th so we'll see if she decides to come out sooner or later than that date.

In the meantime, I really need to take a nap. If things are gearing up for labor, I'm going to need all the rest I can get!

Should probably update!

No baby yet though I am now 39 weeks and so expecting this little bundle of joy to arrive any day now. Her sister was born 3 days past her due date so this one, we'll have to see. Could be anytime during this month.

Being away from John and Natalie has been a challenge. Things have not been going as planned over there and more and more I worry about their situation there. John ended up putting Natalie in daycare a month or so after I left and that has me feeling very helpless and very much like a bad mother for not trying harder to bring her back with me. She seems to be doing okay and she appears to be thriving and John has been taking her out and doing things with her but still, there's that guilt and that concern that if things do not improve financially, it's going to get very difficult to get her home. I do not want to be waiting until March and his contract ends before I see them again. That would not be acceptable to me AT ALL. So, hopefully something will work out and I'll get to see my big girl in person, not on a webcam.

Other than that, just spending my time getting ready for labor and ready for what will likely be a fight ahead. That's kind of how it is when you're trying to have a VBAC and a trial of labor against medical advice. But, I'm hoping that with the plans that are in place, I won't have to be at the hospital too long before the baby arrives.