Abby Matilda Williams

We welcomed our newest family member into the world on Tuesday, March 6th, she weighed 8lbs. 10 oz. and was 20 3/4 inches long. Abby Matilda was born at 2pm, 20 short minutes after I arrived at the hospital. I was already dilated to a 10 and wishing I would have gotten there sooner because it was chaotic and stressful but she made it safe and sound and is healthy and beautiful. The only hiccup was her shoulder got stuck but she came out okay with nothing broken and she was breathing. (When Herbie was born his shoulder got stuck and when he came out he wasn't breathing and he was blue. They had to resuscitate him.) Thank goodness for good friends who push you to do things when you just aren't ready. Of course, she is a clone of our other children.

It was a normal day. I was having sporadic contractions throughout the night and day but nothing consistent. I got my haircut, I did laundry, took Herbie to school, cleaned house, went grocery shopping, ate my favorite Arby's sandwich for lunch. I started timing contractions at 11:30am and planned to time them for an hour. Herb was working in Vancouver and I didn't want to pull him away unless this was the real thing (didn't want to have two false alarms) so I was just making sure. I think I was somewhat in denial that it was even time (10 days early, same as I was with Nora, what are the chances). I even told him to just wait until I got to the hospital and I would call him with the status. My friend Julie came over and drove me to the hospital around 1:15pm and told Herb to leave now and meet us there. It is a good thing because by the time we got half way to the hospital, my contractions were only 3 minutes apart. He would have missed the whole thing and he pulled up at the same time we did. The doctor told me that next time (if there is a next) that I should come in when my contractions are 10 minutes apart since things move so quickly. Again, it was my OB's day off so we are 4 for 4. We have never had my doctor that I have seen throughout the pregnancy deliver any of our children.

I feel great. Recovery is going well (not being sick makes a world of a difference). I came home from the hospital Wednesday evening and the kids are so excited to be able to hold Abby. They are obsessed with watching me change her diaper and feed her. When I got home, they had hung a sign on the fireplace that Sage had made at school that says, "Welcome Abby! Congratulations Williams Family" Aunt Ashley helped the kids make cupcakes and bought a bunch of balloons to welcome us home. Thanks to Aunt Ashley for being there on Wednesday to help Herb with the kids and make dinner. And thanks to our friends Julie, Pete, and Michelle for taking our children during our frantic rush to the hospital on Tuesday.