Cherish Eve's Birth

                                                                          For Cherish's first days, this is what David did every
                                                                             couple hours. he kept checking on us:)

                 I am so overwhelmed and thankful to God who so graciously gave me such a peaceful birth experience with my sweet Cherish Eve. I am so humbled that He answered those prayers and gave me everything my heart desired for this special time meeting our daughter. At 3 am on March 16th I woke up to my water breaking. I was so surprised and excited. I started rubbing Chad's hair to wake him up and then I grabbed my phone and called our midwife. I was thinking labor would start very quickly and painful right away but it didn't. I slowly started having bearable contractions that would stop if I laid down too long but as soon as I would change positions I would get another one. I took a bath in our tub and Chad started getting the birth pool ready soon after. The next hours were so special. There was that early morning calm and peacefulness over the house. We had my candles lit and the lights were dim. We turned on music I had prepared. For the first few hours I listened to Scripture Lullabies (which I hope to play for Cherish as she grows:)  and for the rest of the time I had on calming spa-like music that also had running water sounds. I didn't want my labor to stop so I paced back and forth in the room and also did some yoga to help the contractions to keep going. I loved this special time alone praying and day dreaming. This is the first time my water has broken right away and without pain, it was such a strange feeling.  I felt lighter and I could feel the shape of Cherish more easily. Chad and our midwife had a few hours to lay down and sleep some. I also lay down off and on. My sister Bethany and her husband were on there way to us from Northern Virginia and my in-laws made it in time to be there for the boys when they woke up. I am so thankful we had Mimi and Papa there for the boys to wake up to. 
          After about 5 or so hours of hard but bearable contractions things started to heat up. By then the birth pool was nice and warm and we even had time enough to put sweet lavender daisies in the water:) I was starting to have a lot harder time getting through each contraction. I told Chad and our midwife that I was almost ready to get in the birth pool. I first took a shower trying to ease the pain. Soon after I got out of the shower I got in the birth pool. The room felt cool and so the comfort of the warm water helped me so much. Chad was holding my hand and was right behind me. I am always so amazed at him. Some how he took care of so many details and yet seamed to be by my side at just the right times. 
         I soon was ready to push just because pushing helps a little for me to deal with the pain but I could also tell it was not quit time yet. It was so so hard to calmly relax through the next contractions, but I did it! Then I did finally felt that it was time to push. Her head was half way born for what seamed like forever but was actually only a few seconds. I pushed the rest of her out once the next contraction came! Chad delivered Cherish Eve and brought her into my arms at 11:28am. She was so calm and really seamed to not even realize that she had been born. 
          She was breathing but so calmly. I would have rested in the water with her for a while but because her cord was uniquely short and her breathing so calm, the midwife had us get out and onto the bed. She let out a little cry as we got onto the bed and was doing fine. She rested on my chest for a little bit and we were so happy. The first thing I noticed when she first came out was her bright pink lips and long pretty fingers. 
              My sister Bethany arrived just 20 min. after she had been born. We had not cut the cord yet as it was still pulsing oxygen and all the best nutrients. We had Bethany come in and cut the cord just in time! We brought the boys and Mimi and Papa and uncle Phu in for a quick peek. The boys love her and have said some of the sweetest things about their sister! She nursed so well right away and was so peaceful and perfect. She was 7 lbs. 9 oz 191/2 inches.  My heart is so full.