Meet Aubrie Nicole

Arriving 4 and 1/2 weeks early...

Aubrie was determined to be born on October 23rd at 2:30 P.M. She weighed 6 lbs 4 ounces and was 20 inches long.

I went to the doctor for my regular prenatal checkup Monday after school. After checking me, the doctor said I would need to go on bedrest for the next week at least because I was starting to progress too quickly toward labor. As I was about to leave to go home and put my feet up, as I had been instructed to do, he asked, "Do you have about 1/2 an hour?" I said I did, and my doctor sent me to the hospital for "just a 1/2 an hour of observation."

I called Bob to let him know I'd be later than expected in coming home, but that everything was fine. He decided to come to the hospital anyway. Well, my doctor decided to keep me overnight at the hospital because I was having small contractions, but he thought I'd go home in the morning. All night long, I was given various medications to stop contractions. I couldn't really feel them (so I just slept through it), but my contractions never really stopped. At that point, the doctor said that I would not be going home in the morning. He said he was going to keep me at the hospital to continously administer medication and check my progress for the next week!

In the morning (Tuesday), I was starting to feel stronger contractions. That is when I looked at Bob and said, "The contractions aren't going to stop this time." By 9:00 A.M. the doctor came to that same realization. The medicine just was not working. So, the nurse came in and said they now had a new plan. She said, "We're going to stop the medication, because it obviously isn't working. And...you are going to be having your baby today." I took a deep breath and said, "Okay."

Then Aubrie was born at 2:30 in the afternoon on Tuesday. The biggest concern was that her lungs might not have been fully developed, so we were all pretty nervous. The neonatal specialists at a more advanced hospital had been contacted and were "standing by" in case they needed to rush over to take care of her. However, everything was fine. We were all so relieved. She tested perfectly for her oxygen levels. Everything else is good too.

Trevor met his little sister that night. He was very eager to point at her and say "Baby!" He also enjoys holding her (with help, of course). He likes to be very close to her and watch everything she does.

We came home Thursday, and it feels great to be home!