The Greatest Gift

She's here! She's here!! I can't believe it but Hannah Elizabeth Bowman is finally here and I couldn't be more excited and happy!

The story:
On Sunday Sept. 2nd, I was feeling really good! We went over to Sean's parents for dinner and we even went for a little walk up to the cemetery where Grandpa Bowman was buried (it was just up the street). When we were headed home I was feeling kinda bloated and thought that I just ate too much. We got home and relaxed for a while then decided to go to bed. We rolled into bed about 10:30p.m. Sean had been sleeping in the spare room because he really needs his sleep for work and I toss and turn too much and keep waking him up. So anyway, about 11 I woke up and took some tylenol because I wasn't feeling well at all. I went back to sleep and woke up at 11:45 with this huge pain in my stomach. At first I thought I was constipated and had to go to the bathroom. So I tried and nothing happened. So, I went back to bed again. Then another huge pain came again around midnight. I got up and waddled down to the spare bedroom, bent down to wake up Sean thinking that I might be in labor. He woke up immediately and was so cute! He said, "ok, ok, we can do this, let's go to the hospital, let me get my contacts in and we can get your bag, oh and we need to call the midwife on call." By then I had sat back up and this flood of water come out and I said "oh man, I think my water just broke". This is when Sean kicked it into gear! It was So cute!
We called the midwife and she said not to go to the hospital till my contractions were 5 minutes apart. By then they were! So, we got all of our stuff situated and headed to the hospital. (P.s. all you women who give birth naturally, I salute you! I'm a pansy!) As we were driving to the hospital I told Sean that maybe we should go back home till my contractions were closer together, and when I said that he turned the car around, then had to stop cause I had the hardest worst contraction ever! Then he turned back around and we were at the hospital (we only live down the street from the hospital). As we were headed up to the Labor and Delivery floor I kept having contractions. When they put me in my room, they checked my cervix, when they did this a huge gush of water came out and that apparently was the rest of my water breaking haha! I was dilated to a 4 so they said to hold tight till they got me a room and the nurse said I could have my epidural whenever I wanted. Sean looked at me and said, "She'll have it now" it was so funny!
When we got to our room it was about 2:30AM. The epidural guy ( his name was Rick) came up and gave me my epidural. He was awesome! He talked his way through the whole thing and when he was putting the numbing stuff in, he said "And there's the happy stuff" we all laughed pretty hard. He was funny :)
Sean and I tried to get some rest which was off and on. By 5:00AM I was only dilated to a 5. The nurse said that they were going to give me pitosin because the epidural had slowed my progress way down. When they gave me pitosin it made me sick and I started throwing up so they then gave me liquid zofran ( great great stuff!) by 6:30AM I was dilated to an 8 and they took the pitosin off. At about 8:30AM I had made it to a 10. The midwife said she wanted me to sit at a 10 for a bit to stretch out down there so labor would be easier and I wouldn't need an episiotomy. At 9:30AM they checked me again. By now I was feeling a lot of pressure down there and was really feeling an urge to push. When they checked I was at a 2+. So the midwife said it was time!
At 9:40AM I started pushing. Sean was with me the whole time and was so sweet and supportive throughout the whole thing.He was such a good coach. He was amazing. I gave three rounds of three good pushes, 9 total, and by 9:56AM our beautiful wiggly sweet baby was born!!! She weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long. I can't even begin to tell you the amazing humbling feeling that overcame me as I saw this beautiful daughter of mine. It overwhelms me that she is the closest thing to Heaven and she's ours!
They then sent Daddy (Sean) and baby Hannah to go get cleaned up. Meanwhile I was being checked and I only had to have one stitch!!! Glorious day I tell you! The midwife Erica said she'd never seen someone have only one stitch their first time giving birth (I think she said that to make me feel good) but I was ecstatic!
Later our little bundle of joy came up with her Daddy. I cried and cried. It was the most amazing experience and feeling I'd ever felt. I felt like the Lord had given me the greatest gift anyone could ask for. She was and is perfect. I knew right then and there I couldn't and wouldn't do anything to hurt or disappoint her. I'll never fail her. I never knew you could love someone so much in such a short time. I feel so humbled, honored, and blessed to have her in my arms. It's truly the greatest gift! And Sean, holy cow. I know I love him but I never knew my love would go above and beyond! I love him more now than I ever have in my life! It's crazy beautiful :) We both feel like our family is complete (for now) like she's always been with us. Words can't even describe.
So, there's the story! Here are some pictures of our little love bug, I'll write more later :)

only a few minutes old !
All clean :)
My sweetheart :)
In our room :)
Proud Daddy, this picture always makes me tear up!
Our beautiful little lady and piece of heaven, right after she ate :)