Let Me Tell You About Lydia Carol Gensic

1. She was born July 21, 2012 at 4:15 p.m.  She weighed 6 pounds and 4 ounces, and she measured 19 1/2 inches.  Here is what all those numbers mean: We got cuteness in a compact size.  It is awesome.

2.  She almost beat the doctor to the delivery room.  If you know anything about Shepherd's birth, you know that I tend to deliver quickly.  Unfortunately, the nurses didn't understand just how quickly my body does this particular task.  So here is Lydia's delivery story: I headed to the hospital at 2:30 p.m. when my water broke.  I was only dilated 5-ish centimeters, so the nurses figured I would have several hours to go.  My head nurse left my room after about an hour and 15 minutes of checking me in and hooking me up to monitors saying that she would be back in about an hour to check on my progress, but to let her know if I felt any pressure to push before then.  About 15 minutes later, I told BJ to get out there NOW and tell them I had to push.  The head nurse came in figuring surely I wasn't really ready.  When she checked me, her eyes got huge, she ran out of the room yelling for someone to call the doctor and about four nurses ran in with all of the carts and supplies needed when the baby arrives.  The head nurse asked me not to push until the doctor got there.  I told her that I couldn't not push.  I only pushed through 4 contractions.  The doctor made it there for the last two.

3.  The past 9 months were very stressful.  I didn't post much about it here because I was having such a hard time dealing with everything, but I had Interuterine Growth Restriction, and there were many concerns about the well being of our daughter.  Now that she is here, healthy and gorgeous, I feel overwhelming gratitude.  God listened to a million frantic prayers from this very scared mother, and I will never be able to adequately express how that makes me feel right now.

4. Did I mention she is beautiful?

5. After having your first child, it is overwhelming to think that you will have the capacity to love another child that much.  Turns out you do.

6. Shepherd is full of hugs and kisses for Lydia.  He also called a paper bag from Whataburger a "baby" and then drop kicked it.  Lets just say he is conflicted right now.

7.  Lydia is almost 2 days old, and so far, she could not be more different that Shepherd as a newborn.  She does things he never did.  Like sleep.  And she doesn't constantly do the things he liked to do the most.  Like scream.  Basically, she's pretty chill.  Along those line, BJ asked me earlier how Lydia was doing.  I said that she was still in her crib for a nap and that she was "sleeping like a baby."  It suddenly occured to me that that particular term had taken on a whole new meaning for me.  I actually have a baby who sleeps like a baby.  Weird.

8.  If you were wondering, here is the story behind the name and why we chose it.  Lydia is of course a Bible name and appealed to BJ on that count.  Lydia was also the name of my great grandmother who acquired for our family the house I grew up in.  Carol is after my dad and my brother, both of whom are John Carol Pierce.  She couldn't possibly be named after two more wonderful people.   

9.  Last but not least, expect more pictures.  I can't seem to stop running for the camera.