Miss Vivian turned a year old on September 12th and I can’t hardly believe it! This little girl has been such a blessing to our family. She is sweet and spunky and continues to surprise me in her endeavors to keep up with big sister. She is already walking, beginning to talk and is showing increasing passion for the art of climbing. Send help, I’m not ready, lol. Whatever Eleanor is doing, Vivian wants to be a part, much to Eleanor’s annoyance. But I try and explain that this is having a little sibling and it’s because Vivian thinks she’s cool. I’m not sure Eleanor is convinced though. Please enjoy these images from this milestone. And after the images, if you enjoy such things, I’ve included her birth story. Miss Vivian was a little ham. We love you baby girl!

Miss Vivian’s birth story, just like her, was full of surprises. Miss Eleanor kept me waiting a whole extra week, so I was trying to prepare for the long haul as we approached Vivian’s due date (September 14th). We attended a birthday party for the girl’s cousin on September 10th, and I’d only just gone on maternity leave the previous Friday. The party was Sunday. We went to bed that night, suspecting nothing. So I was taken a little off guard when I woke up around 4 am, initially unsure why I was awake, only to realize that I was potentially having some contractions. Trying not to get too excited, I went back to sleep, knowing full well, if it was the real thing, I needed sleep while I could get it.

We all got up Monday morning, and I explained to Paul that while I wasn’t going to get my hopes up, he should make sure our car was in working order( I think it need a spark plug replaced and possibly an oil change) just in case. And then Eleanor and I just hung out all day. Anything resembling productive contractions had ceased, and while I distracted myself with a couple labor prep workouts and tasty food (in case it was my last meal) I was convinced that the whole thing was a false alarm, and that poor Paul (who was having a devil of time getting the car sorted) had lost an entire day of work for nothing. He got home late, we ate dinner, and I apologized more than once for disrupting the entire day. Although, we both agreed that the work did need to be done and even if it wasn’t today, the kid would be here eventually.

We tucked Eleanor into bed and proceeded with our bedtime routine. And right as I was getting ready to climb in bed, my water broke. . . . at 10pm. They had to break my water with Eleanor, so I was definitely not expecting that. So not even an hour after we’d put Eleanor to bed, we were making phone calls and getting her back up, to head into town. We dropped her and our dog off at the in-laws, and headed to the hospital. By this time, light but regular contractions were starting. Paul dropped me off, so he could find parking. And the look on the gal’s face at the desk in the ER was amusing when I casually mentioned I was there because my water broke. Things were still quite mild at this point. No need for panic. We got checked in, settled in, and began the labor game. I was happy with how Eleanor’s birth had gone, but I had a few things I wanted to do differently this time. Mainly I wanted to try no pain medication, and I really didn’t want to deliver on my back. (This is no critique for anyone who doesn’t go this route. Personally it was simply what I wanted to try)

Which a little bit of an aside, but not really, this was such a God thing. Leading up to having Vivian’s delivery, I felt like I’d connected with three of the OBs at my office. They’re all great, but I just felt most comfortable with three of them. The first being the gal that delivered Eleanor, and two others that while newer, I just really appreciated my appointments with them. So I was praying about it over the weeks leading up to delivery. Praying that if it was God’s will, I could have one of these three women out of twelve or so. So I can’t explain the relief I felt when I called the OB to tell them my water broke, and realized it was in fact one of these gals who was delivering that night. And then to top it off, as I was being checked in, I was explaining to the nurse, some of my hopes and goals for this delivery and I mentioned wanting to avoid a back delivery, and before I barely finish the thought, she was exclaiming how great this particular doctor was because she would follow my lead and let me do what I needed or wanted to do. Y’all God cares about the little things and I am so so grateful and blown away.

Anyway, we were at the hospital by 12am, and in the room doing our thing probably by 1am. It’s all a little fuzzy honestly. I labored in the shower until they had to do some monitoring. (I’d requested intermittent monitoring) and that’s when things picked up considerably. Contractions tend to be worse when you’re sitting still, so I wasn’t too surprised, but they went from bearable to holy camole; and then we had a bit of an incident where the little squirt descended fast with a big contraction and pinched her cord. Not going to lie, it was a little scary, because her heart rate dropped. My team was incredible though and the nurses got it figured out. And then it was go time. We went from, making sure Vivian was okay, to push time in a matter of minutes.

For comparison, with Eleanor, after laboring at home all day, I got to the hospital at 9pm on Friday, was dilated at a 4 and had her at 5:10am, Saturday. With Vivian, I didn’t really labor at home. Got to the hospital at 12am ish on a Tuesday, dilated at a 3 and she made her dramatic appearance at 4:05am ish. I was a little shell-shocked. And yet so grateful that she didn’t keep us waiting. This little trooper was a peanut compared to her sister. Everyone told me that your first is usually your smallest, but this little nugget was more an a 1lb smaller than her sister. And she adjusted so well. While she didn’t sleep as well as Eleanor, still doesn’t, she nursed perfectly from the get go and was such a little sweetheart. God is so good, and after a loss between Eleanor and Vivian, this little rainbow baby is such a healing gift.

So the happiest of birthdays to Miss Vivian, she continues to keep us on our toes and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Thank you for stopping by!