The Story...

Dearest Little Baby Rowan,

Every birth experience comes with a great story. Here is yours: Wednesday night I was not feeling too good, but I had a big date with my girl friends planned for a baby shower at Chilis. I almost called and wanted to tell everyone to change the party to a pajama party at my house so I didn't have to get dressed up and go out. You see, the doctors had been telling me for the last 4-5 weeks that I needed to stay off my feet as much as possible, no cleaning and busy work...it was really frustrating, and I probably didn't follow docs orders as good as I should have, but I had been having a lot of false labor the whole week before, and at my last visit I was dilated to a 2 (2 days before you joined us!). I knew when I saw that I was starting to dilate that it wouldn't be long, even though I still had 5 weeks left before my due date. I think you wanted to follow in the footsteps of your big sister! So after my shower at Chilis, I laid in bed and turned on American Idol. Ryan couldn't sleep, and after my 5 refills of Diet Coke, I was wired. So we both took a Unisom to help us get some sleep. BAD IDEA!! By this time it was around midnight. Then the contractions started in, and they were every few minutes for an hour and a half. Finally around 1:30 I woke Ryan up and told him I think this was the real thing...not false labor. His response in a groggy tone I could hardly understand, "Are you sure? Cause I'm not sure I can drive right now!" My response, "Well you better be able to! I'm having a baby!!!" The Unisom didn't seem to effect me that night, in fact I didn't sleep one bit that night, but Ryan was having a hard time! So we called my dearest Aunty Tricia to come over at 1:30am and be here with our kids while we drove to the Hospital. When I got there I was dilated to a 4. Now, with your siblings, when I am at a 4 I am about to have a baby within the hour, but you wanted to take your time. At around 3 I got my epidural and tried to relax as I stopped progressing...4, 5, 6am...still at a 4. I wanted to die! I almost would have rather been having contractions then sitting there in the middle of the night not being able to move, with a sleeping drugged up husband next to me! But then finally around 7:30 they broke my water, and I progressed very fast from there. You were born at 9:30 Thursday morning. I cried. Partly from relief, but mostly to see you here in my arms for the first time. My perfect little baby girl, here at last! So small, 4 weeks 4 days early, and not one thing wrong. Just a perfect very small precious baby. Really, the most thrilling rush I've ever had in my life was each time I have given birth. It truly is such a miraculous and amazing thing! This was a hard pregnancy for me, and definitely the longest and the hardest birth, but it is crazy how instantly it all becomes worth every minute of pain and sacrifice when I held you in my arms. I love you so much already more then you will ever know!

Very first picture...what a shot! lol

Paisley holding her sister for the first time.

She just loved holding Rowan so much! She was so excited to visit us, she really wanted to stay the whole time with us at the hospital, it was cute.

Grandma Tricia

Alexis with the little Elf

First picture with Grandma and Grandpa Hemming

Kimball and Rowan. He made sure and let me know that next Easter it was our turn to go visit HIS new baby in the Hospital. Shanna and Coleman, you got that?? Hehe.

Noah with his mask. Dang cough!

Shanna, Bria, and I with Rowan

The food was fabulous! First hospital stay EVER that I was loving the food! I got to order from a menu and everything for each meal, it was great! Ryan and I enjoyed a great lunch together the second day...I wanted to freeze time!

Daddy...he is smitten of course!

First family picture!

Goodbye hospital! Out into the great big world you go!