cruel and unusual punishment...

I apologize for the cruel and unusual punishment bestowed upon the faithful readers of this blog. If it makes you feel any better, it has been driving me crazy all week to not update my friends and family with this wonderful experience that is Harper Elle Peel. I just hadn't found a second to take a breath, let alone blog or gather pictures until now.

So let's go back to Monday, September 15, 2008.
Jeff and I arrived at Hillcrest at 5:30 a.m. I was quickly settled into my labor and delivery room just in time to answer a thousand and one questions. Time was passing quickly even at that point. Dr. Koeritz arrived shortly after 8 a.m. and the pitocin drip was turned on. By 9, I was signed up for my epidural! Those epidurals are just wonderful - why anyone wouldn't want one is beyond me! Dr. K checked on me at 11:30 and dilation was at a 4. He returned after lunch at 1 p.m. and dilation had zoomed to 9.5 cm. (I think somewhere in there the pitocin "drip" turned into a turbo faucet!) Our awesome nurse, Amy, called it a 10 a few minutes later, and we were ready to get the show on the road. I can't even describe how quickly everything progressed from there... I pushed a few times with the help of Jeff and Amy, then Dr. Koeritz returned and I pushed a few times for him, and then Harper made her grand entrance! I am still struggling to explain how something seemingly so uneventful is also the single most defining event of my life.

Harper weighed 6 pounds, 14 oz, and measured 20.5 inches long. She has blonde hair and blue eyes (for now, at least). Her fingers and toes are soooo long, and her feet remind me of those of a puppy.... I'm just hoping she grows into them! She is just a sweet, happy and healthy baby girl. She makes the absolute greatest faces, well, except for that one grumpy old man wrinkled face. :) I realize she doesn't know what a smile is or what it conveys, but her smile will melt anyone!

We came home on Tuesday evening, and it was nice to get back here. Harper seems to like her new house, and we enjoy having her here with us. Wrigley is intrigued by our new roommate. She already has a sweet spot for Harper. I caught her guarding Harper's bedroom door while Harper napped yesterday... she alerted me when she heard a knock at the door, but she refused to leave her post!

I am getting drowsy, so I will call it quits on that note. I will continue my report WITH pictures in the morning, I promise. Guten nacht!