Birthday Surprise

It dawned on me that one year ago today I found out I was getting an early birthday present. After going from food poisoning to wanting brisket, I took a test on a Sunday evening. I wasn't too sure about the first positive, so I took two tests that night. In fact, I took another one in the morning before I told Steve or scheduled an appointment because I wanted to be sure.

I only wanted one thing last year, and it turned out that my prayers were answered in the form of an early birthday present. It's incredible to think that we began this journey towards our little lady a year ago today. By far, our baby was the most treasured gift I could have hoped for, and a gift that continues to give every day we share with her.

Stella's 3rd Month

Christmas was over and we were headed towards New Year's. So, what are the parents of a two month old doing for the big night... sleeping! If I were up at midnight, it would be to feed Stella. We could have cared less because I was getting close to heading back to work and Steve heading back to Albuquerque, so time with Stella was precious. The week directly following was going to be a blur, but we were trying to prepare. We had Stella's trip to the doctor to get her first round of shots since birth, Steve and I were celebrating our six year anniversary, Steve's mom was coming into town to meet Stella, and the week was ending with Steve returning to Albuquerque and me to work. So, we were gearing up!

Looking oh so cute to visit the pediatrician!

First up, Stella's doctor appointment. To say the least, I was not looking forward to this appointment. In fact, I had scheduled it so that Steve would be there for support! Stella went through her initial check-up well, and we found out that she was now weighing ten pounds, six ounces! This was huge for two people who were still being told to watch Stella's weight. Then came the not so great part: shots. In the end, I will admit that Mom cried more than Stella. I'm sorry, but there is nothing worse than hearing your baby in pain. They look up at you with these big eyes saying, "Why is this happening?" It's the worst thing in the world! But, she was a champ and survived the big event.

Stella was only a few days beyond her two month birthday, but she was FINALLY fitting into 0-3 clothes!  It was amazing to me that this little girl was still so little.  But, the pediatrician appointment made us feel better about our little peanut.

The day after Stella's big trip to the doctor, Steve and I celebrated our six-year anniversary.  With the help of Stella's nonna and grandpa, we were able to have a few hours to ourselves.  We had reservations at Harrah's Steakhouse, and we had an incredible time!  I will admit, a lot of the conversation did revolve around our little miss, but it really was a picture perfect celebration of our years thus far as husband and wife.

Meeting Grandma!

The next day brought a rather big anniversary present- Stella's grandma, Lyn!  Lyn lives in Minnesota, so we were not sure when she would be able to get some vacation time to come and meet Stella.  Luckily for all of us, she was able to swing a few days right before I headed back to work and Steve headed back to Albuquerque.  It was her first time meeting Stella (outside of FaceTime :) so this was a pretty special trip!  In addition to this, Steve and I had not seen Lyn since the previous Thanksgiving, so we were very happy to see her.  The three of us always have a great time when we're together (actually, Lyn and I have a great time without Steve too!) so I was prepared to fully enjoy my time with her.

The little giraffe's 1st trip to Cali!

Lyn's trip was short, so we tried to pack as much in as we could.  The main thing that we wanted to do was take her to Tahoe/Truckee.  In addition to Lyn's first trip, it would also be Stella's, as we had not traveled outside of Reno with her yet.  We started in Old Town Truckee to do a bit of shopping.  Lyn and I found what we usually do- jewelry!  We both left Truckee with some lovely pieces and great memories.  Tahoe was more of a drive through than a stop, but it was a beautiful day with great company.

The day after brought the departure of both Lyn and Steve.  Vacation time was over and it was time to head back to work.  We weren't sure when Lyn would be able to return, so Stella gave her an extra big hug.  We were so lucky that she was able to come out and meet Stella, so although short, her visit was very special.  Steve would not be back for six weeks, which was the longest time he had spent away from Stella.  So, Saturday was not the happiest of days for baby and Mommy. 

In the midst of this, I also was heading back to work.  After a little over two months of maternity leave, my students were headed back from break, and so was I.  I was not looking forward to being away from Stella.  I had always thought I could never be a stay-at-home mom, but I was quickly changing my mind!  I loved all the time I had with Stella, especially now that she was developing her personality.  I was also scared that I would miss more "firsts."  I had a feeling that she would do more things that I wouldn't want to miss while I was at work.  The idea of leaving my beautiful little girl to go watch other people's children was something I was not looking forward to.  But, like it or not, I had to report to my classroom in the morning. 

Grandpa and Stella getting acquainted

The only thing that was making my return to work easier was the fact that I was extremely comfortable with Stella's childcare.  So, who would be watching Stella while I was at work?  Her grandparents!  That's right, I am very lucky to have had this offer from my parents.  My dad would be taking on the bulk of the work (as he's retired) but my mom would also be there many days.  This meant that I had a real peace of mind when I headed back on Monday. 




Monday went very well.  There were only a few tears when I got in my car, and Stella is asleep when I leave for work, so she didn't even notice.  Dad had been practicing a lot with Stella on his own, so we both felt confident about our first day trying this.  But, Mom did take off work in case he needed back-up.  Text messages and phone calls were exchanged so I could keep with on Stella, and my iPhone (did I mention I love that phone) filled with videos and pictures got me through the day.  At the end of the day, there really is nothing like coming home to your baby.  They are so happy to see you, give huge smiles, and I always end up home at nap time, so I get a big "koala" session right when I get home.

Who wouldn't love to see this face after a long day at work?

The first week went by fast, probably because I would bolt for the door every afternoon!  I was looking forward to spending all weekend doing my job as a Mom, well the one that I am not paid for :).  My first week back also ended on a three-day weekend, so I had extra day to soak up my little girl before heading back to work.  I think we all pretty much had out routine down within the first few days, and Stella did not even notice the change of Mom being gone for eight hours every day. 

The month ended with a huge sigh of relief.  A month that I had been dreading because of heading back to work was about to be over.  Stella was continuing to grow and progress, so much that we all could not believe that this little peanut was becoming a little girl.  She was all smiles and chatter as we ended January.  Here is Miss Stella at three months old:

January 28, 2012

Stella's 2nd Month

Steve had only been gone a few days, but Stella and I were getting used to being on our own.  Steve and I had quite a duet going on with all things Stella, so it took some adjusting for me to fly solo.  As much as I loved having Stella sleeping in her pack 'n play or bassinet in my room, I decided that maybe she was ready to be in her crib.  I thought it best that we give her a try during one of her daytime naps, and it actually was a huge success.

Stella's 1st time sleeping in her crib

She had survived a nap, but could she actually sleep through the night in there?  More accurately, could her mom survive being away from her through the night :).  Even though her nursery is only next door to my room, I thought it best that I stayed the night with her.  So, I made a makeshift bed on the floor next to her crib.  This definitely was not the most comfortable of endeavors, but it was very comforting.  If Stella made a peep, all I had to do was lift my head and I could see what she was doing.  So, Stella and I were enjoying our new sleeping arrangements, but little did I know that we would have a guest joining us.

My other daughter (the furry one) Gwen was due to have her shots at this same time.  While we were there, I wanted the vet to check out an odd lump that I had found on Gwen's shoulder.  The vet was concerned about the lump because she thought it might be something more, so she scheduled Gwen in for a removal and biopsy.  Once surgery had been completed, I now had another baby on my hands.  Gwen had always been the number one dog in the house before Stella came, so now she was happy to take her place back at the top with her sister!  Besides some serious pampering, I also had to keep a strict eye on Gwen because she had taken to eating through her t-shirt and bandages.  By about her second or third t-shirt torn to shreds, I decided Gwen needed a nightwatchman.  So, now Stella and I had a new roomie at night.  

Gwen "sharing" the bed on the floor with me.

T-shirt #3, I think!

Around time of Gwen's visit to the doctor, I also had mine.  I was cleared by my OB/GYN for all activity, so I could finally run!  We were having an unseasonably warm and dry winter here in Reno, so it was the perfect time for me to get back into running.  Unfortunately for my former running buddy, this meant that Gwen now had to watch me leave for my daily time outdoors without her.  But, after ripping stitches and staples, I was not going to take any chances.  The good news was that Gwen's biopsy came back clear, so my long-time faithful companion was not in any danger.  Needless to say, she still shared my tiny floor bed :).

I should probably mention that the common theme in my life at this time was, "Why I LOVE My iPhone!"  As I mentioned before, Steve had convinced me to buy an iPhone before he went back to Albuquerque.  I wasn't too sure that I needed such a powerful and complicated phone, but this phone quickly became an extension of my body!  It was my entertainment while I fed Stella, it kept all my data on Stella's activity in an app, and most importantly, it helped Steve stay connected to us.  I would take pictures and video of Stella every chance I got and sent them to Steve, and we would end each day with a FaceTime chat on the change table.

Now as any parent knows, trying to capture all the new and adorable things your child is doing is quite the maddening experience.  Your child is doing something amazing, something new, and where is your camera... downstairs!  You finally get the camera, and your child looks at you confused; the moment has passed.  This is also why my phone became an extension of my body because I was convinced that if I always had my phone with me I would never miss an opportunity.  Boy was I wrong!  It took almost a week to finally send Steve a picture of Stella when she started to smile.  In a moment of pure randomness, Stella rolled over, but of course, I was not filming her.  So, trying to keep Steve updated became quite the game. 

Stella's 1st smile caught on camera!

It had now been three weeks since Steve had been with us!  This meant that we were coming up on Christmas and his return.  Steve would be coming in Christmas Eve just in time to go out for our annual dinner, and he would be staying through our anniversary in January.  Here are a few photos of Steve's arrival and Christmas:

Waiting for Daddy

He's here!

Christmas Eve

Baby's 1st Christmas

In addition to a visit from Steve, Christmas also meant a visit from Auntie Mantha!  My sister, Samantha, had been on of Stella's biggest fans.  I would send her pictures and updates on Stella, and she would send me more gifts to spoil her with.  Sam has never been a huge baby person, but I think she liked buying all the adorable things that you can get a baby.  Sam also didn't have much of a desire to hold Stella or be on her own with her, but Sam took two huge leaps during this visit!  First, she offered to watch Stella so I could take a shower before Steve arrived.  I was blown away and grateful for the offer, and since Stella was sleeping, I didn't worry about it.  After about five minutes upstairs, I heard a panicky little voice ask me to come downstairs.  I had to laugh a little when I saw what all the fuss was about.  I forgot to tell Sam that Stella had started moving more in her sleep, and this meant that her hat sometimes moved with her.  Sam found Stella in a position that I had become accustomed to, but it scared her half to death.  Here is what she found:

The second big move for Sam was actually considering holding Stella.  After starting off the night with some great food and a few drinks, Sam was kind of eying Stella.  I don't know what exactly came over her, but she took Stella in her arms when Steve passed her.  I was so shocked I made sure we got a picture.

All in all, I think that Auntie Mantha found a whole new love for her little niece during this trip.  She's not planning a family anytime soon, but I think her "little buddy" is growing on her.  I know the two will get along famously, and I'm already waiting for the day when Stella tells me that she wants to go live with her cool Auntie Mantha in LA.  Anyway, here are a few more pictures of them together:

Christmas and the holiday season were a blur, and I don't think Stella will remember much of the events because she slept through most of them!  Our little lady was spoiled by people near and far, and her nursery was now stocked with hats and shoes.  I think that was the theme of the year because she literally had a drawer full of both hats and shoes after the holiday.  A few days after Christmas was her 2nd month birthday, so here is Miss Stella at two months old:

December 28, 2011

Stella's 1st Month

Stella's 1st month held a host of exciting events. Two very fun holidays, baby's 1st photo shoot, baby's 1st trip to the doctor, baby's 1st bath at home, and many learning experiences for Mom and Dad. The day after we returned from the hospital it was Halloween. What to do with a newborn that is a peanut when you were expecting a "Steve-sized" baby? Find some clothes! We literally had one or two newborn outfits because we were anticipating a bigger baby, so we really had nothing for her to wear. But, forgot regular clothes, for some reason I was more concerned about getting Baby's 1st Halloween costume! Poor Steve, I sent him off to Babies 'R Us to find something for the big event. He returned, triumphantly, with a cotton candy colored bear suit. It was to die for! But, Lord bless her, Stella was too tiny for this newborn suit. We decided it would be less cruel to only have her in it for a few quick pose photos. Here are the results of our efforts:

 We moved on through the month getting to know each other better; figuring out quirks and habits.  But, as I've been told, baby's habits last about week.  So, just as we would think we had Stella down, she would start a new "thing."  She was and is a very quiet baby, so I really can't complain about our first month together.  She slept very well, and honestly only woke up because we made her when it was time to eat.  Half of the time it would take us 15-20 minutes to get her moving.  I wonder where she gets that... :).  She was just such a tiny little thing, we really had to get used to have this doll-like addition in the house.

Once we had Stella in the house about a week, I finally felt brave enough to give her a bath at home.  Well, I felt good about it, but I did invite Aunt Margo over to oversee the experience.  I was all prepared, new baby bath and accessories ready to go, and we were preparing ourselves for the worst.  Bless Stella, the little girl barely made a peep throughout the entire experience.  We had footprints made, too many pictures taken, and somewhere in there she did get clean, but she was a trooper during the long process.  Here she is... Baby's 1st Bath:

 Baths got easier as the month went on and we all were falling into a routine.  We were trying our best to help Stella gain weight and stay healthy.  So, this meant we weren't on much of a schedule with her because we wanted her to eat every three hours.  Our visit to the doctor came and went, and we were given the green light on Stella's growth!  We were so nervous (after our extra time in the hospital due to Stella's lack of progress) but it was a huge relief to hear that we were doing okay.  However, Stella was still VERY tiny!

The end of Stella's 1st month brought two big events: Thanksgiving and Steve's departure.  We decided to have a small Thanksgiving this year with only Stella, Steve, Mom, Dad, and me because it would be Steve's last night in town.  He had ended up staying longer than we had planned for (thanks to a very gracious boss) so we really couldn't complain that he had to go back after being here for almost all of Stella's 1st month.  But, after another lovely version of our "Stork Dinner," Steve had to head back to Albuquerque.  We have said goodbye many times since we have been together, but this was the first time that Steve didn't have to say goodbye to just me.  It was probably a little easier than leaving me pregnant and wondering if he'd miss Stella's birth, but more difficult because he was afraid of what he would miss.  He would be returning for Christmas, so we were only four weeks away from seeing each other.  We ended up getting me and iPhone so that Steve could see Stella every day, so he left and we both felt like we had a plan.  

The night that Steve left was my first night flying solo with Stella.  The little dear decided to see if Mom could hang.  Let's just say that Stella managed to forget how to swallow.  She would sit in her bassinet, getting curiously quiet, then all of the sudden, she would be gasping and choking for air.  It was a LONG night in which I was sure I would be calling Steve from the hospital, explaining that I was sorry and had tried not to let Stella die.  When she finally did fall asleep and was breathing normally, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  I could handle taking care of Stella on my own.  She hit her 1st month mark on November 28th, and here she is on her one month birthday:

The Stork Dinner

Stella was born and we were quickly getting used to our lives being plus one.  We anticipated staying through until Saturday afternoon some time.  Stella's delivery had been easy and she was perfectly healthy, so we were enjoying our brief stay in the hospital.  We knew that since she was born early in the morning, we would at least be staying through Friday.  The nurses let us know that they wanted us to stay through to Saturday, so we told ourselves it would be good to have one more night of support.  It was then my parents told us about The Stork Dinner.

The first night new parents were in the hospital, St. Mary's would prepare them what was called The Stork Dinner.  There would be steak and lobster, champagne, and overall a pretty incredible meal.  Steve and I thought perhaps this tradition was still happening, so we waited to see if we would be having this special meal on Friday night. 

Later in the morning that she was born, Steve left us to go get his luggage from the airport and to get some breakfast.  While he was gone, numerous nurses and doctors came in and ran screenings and the necessary tests on Stella and me.  Stella and I were struggling through breastfeeding, but nonetheless, she was doing well in her new surroundings.  When we saw the menu of dinner options for Mom only, we decided that The Stork Dinner was not longer happening.  Night 1 ended with some delicious JJ's pizza and the final game of the World Series.  It also ended with a beer for Mom!  Aunt Margo suggested that she recommended to patients who were breastfeeding to have a beer to help with milk production.  So, I had my first beer in almost a year!  It was a Guinness and it was delicious :).  

We woke up after a LONG and sleepless night.  Steve decided to head out to shower and grab us some lunch.  I thought everything was going well, and it was looking like we could be discharged by the time Steve returned.  Boy was I wrong!  After my doctor cleared me, all I had to do was wait for the pediatrician.  Stella's doctor had the weekend off for the holiday, so there was an interim doctor making rounds that weekend on his behalf.  This GIRL walked in my room, and just her appearance made me question her authority.  She had on a sweater dress, high heeled boots, and some pretty substantial makeup.  Then, she spoke!  It was like listening to a character from Valley Girl tell me about my daughter. Apparently, this teenager informed me that we had a problem: She was not happy with Stella's progress.  Stella had lost more than 10% of her birth weight, and her charts weren't showing enough dirty diapers and feedings.  So, this teenager told me, "Um, yeah.  So, I would be a lot more comfortable if you stayed another night.  Is that okay?"  Seriously?  No, it was not okay!

Steve returned with a delicious lunch (love that man!) to find a not so happy wife.  I informed him that a "doctor" had told me that our daughter was not thriving and we had to stay.  I was so frustrated because even though Stella was not breastfeeding well yet, we had been supplementing her with formula.  When I looked back through the logs we had been taking, she had many dirty diapers and successful feedings, so I was baffled that Stella's charts were not mirroring this.  Looking back on it, all I can figure is that between the multiple nurse changes, the data was not being entered into Stella's charts.  Regardless, this teenager had bought us another day at the hospital.

Luckily for us, we had a lot of family who wanted to come see Stella.  We had visitors all throughout the day, and we capped off the evening with another amazing meal... SUPER BURRITO!  Lord bless my parents for creating our own parties in our hospital room with some amazing meals and company!  We had both forgotten all about The Stork Dinner because we were having such amazing meals brought to us all the time :).

Sunday morning came and we were more than ready to go home.  We were determined that we were going home; with or without the teenage doctor's say so.  We packed up everything, dressed Stella (finally in clothes not from the hospital) and waited for the doctors to make rounds and sign off on charts.  I think we were both a little antsy because neither of us could sit still.  I kept peeking my head out the door and looking for a doctor or a nurse.  Finally, a nurse came to get Stella to take her to the nursery to be checked out.  We waited for what seemed like hours, so I finally could not take it anymore. 

I walked down the hall to the nursery, and there she was, waiting in her hospital bed.  As it seemed she wasn't going anywhere, I took the long way back to our room down the hallway.  I turned the corner and there she was... our teenage doctor.  "Oh my God, where's your baby?  Aren't you gone already?"  No, you moron, I'm here because of you, and we're still waiting to be checked out by you!  "Seriously, you should be gone.  Let's go get your baby."  I followed my new-found alli into the nursery and wheeled Stella back into our room.  She was my key out of the hospital and I was going to be her best friend if it got us out of the hospital!  Thankfully, she was happy with Stella's progress, so we were out of there!

We were thrilled and beyond ready to leave.  We walked out of the maternity wing (well, I was wheeled out) and made our way to the front door.  While Steve went to get the car, I was welcomed to the world of being an overprotective mother.  We had to go through the emergency waiting room, so I had the pleasure of seeing every odd ball that Reno had to offer on a Sunday morning.  Of course, they all wanted to see Stella.  I was horrified by all the toothless (and I'm not exaggerating) and freakish people who were trying to lift the blanket over Stella to see her.  The nurse helped me evade the masses, and she also gave me some sound advice.  "Did random people ever touch your belly when you were pregnant?  Now that your baby is born everyone is going to feel entitled to her.  Prepare yourself, but everyone will be trying to sneak a peek and touch your baby, with or without your consent."  With her sound advice, I rushed out the door to the safety of our car.

Happily, we arrived home with our newest addition.  Little did we know, but my dad had planned to give us our very own Stork Dinner.  Dad knows that Steve's favorite food is Thanksgiving food.  Steve would probably think I'm the best wife ever if I roasted a turkey once a week!  So, Dad had planned to cook us a full Thanksgiving feast to welcome us home.  There was turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing; everything you would ever hope to see in a proper Thanksgiving feast.  It was delicious!  To say the least, I think Steve was pretty grateful to have this very thoughtful meal waiting for us when we came home, and so was I.

We were finally free from the hospital to start our lives as a family, and our first night together at home began with our very own version of The Stork Dinner.

A star is born!

This is almost 4 months late, but I have never written down the story about how our little star came into the world.  I guess I would have to start by giving a little background into this particular story.  After searching for jobs from spring to summer, I finally was given an interview at a school in my home town of Reno.  I interviewed, 6 months pregnant with Stella kicking through the whole thing, but I was miraculously offered a teaching job.  The only problem was that Steve would have to remain in Albuquerque until his enlistment was completed.  Steve told me to take the job and start getting our lives set-up in Reno, so I moved back home in August to begin teaching and planning for our little baby to be.

The last few months of the pregnancy went well, and here I was, just two days before Stella was born.  Stella was due 11/1/11, so Steve had planned to fly in on Saturday to be here a few days before she came.  We hoped for the best and planned for the worst, and I think I gave Steve a heart attack every time I called in the weeks leading up to Stella being born.  Nothing we have ever done has ever been without some sort of production, so we both had a feeling that this could be interesting.  Thursday, October 27 was my last day of work.  We had Nevada Day on Friday, so all I had to do was wrap up everything for my long-term substitute, and I could enjoy the weekend with my hubby before the baby came.  Apparently, Stella had different plans.

I woke up having contractions that Thursday.  I had been having them for a few weeks, so I prayed that these were nothing more than Braxton Hicks, and I went off to work.  I was teaching a lesson in iambic pentameter (something I would NEVER leave for a substitute) and I had a few more loose ends to tie up before my sub came on Monday.  All through the day I watched the clock and timed my contractions; they were 30 then 20 minutes apart, but I just kept saying, "Not today."  Steve was coming on Saturday, so Stella would have to wait until her Daddy got here to make her appearance. 

By the time I got home, they were now 15 minutes apart.  My mom and I were alone for the night because Dad had his last football game of the season, so I decided to level with her.  I told my mom that it wasn't a huge deal, but I think I was having contractions during the day.  After a lot of downplaying and slight lying, she finally got it out of me that I was having contractions 20 minutes apart.  I REALLY didn't want to call Steve because I did not want to worry him.  I knew I would feel terrible if I made him crazy trying to get a last minute flight and then have nothing happen.  But, my mom decided to call him.  After much stress and last minute throwing together of things, Steve was on his way to the airport.

During this time, I had sat down and decided to watch a re-run of Anthony Bourdain:No Reservations in Venice.  Over the course of an hour episode, my contractions jumped from 15 minutes to 8 minutes.  I had an app on my phone that I was using to time my contractions, but I honestly thought that I may have been using it wrong or it was broken.  There was no way my contractions could pick up like this!  Somehow in all of this, I was convinced that I did not need to go to the hospital.  I did not want to embarrass myself and show up with false labor pains.  I had never had a baby before, so maybe these weren't real contractions.  Finally, when we hit the 5 minute mark, I was finally convinced to pack my bags and go.  Between my doctor saying to leave when they hit this time marker, and my nurse-aunt telling me to "get my butt in the car," we made our way down to St. Mary's.

When we arrived around 7:30 p.m., I was fully prepared to be laughed out of the hospital.  Maybe I was being a wuss; I really had no prior experience to fall back on, so I was sure they would tell me that I was far from delivering a baby.  After a quick and unnecessary wheelchair ride, I was checked in and examined.  I was apologizing and saying that I was sure that this was nothing, but the nurse informed me that I was on my way and would be staying where I was.  Before I knew it, I was all hooked up, my mom and aunt were there, and it was looking like showtime was right around the corner.  We were only missing two things: Dad and Grandpa!     

After assessing the situation, we had a game plan: SLOW THINGS DOWN!  My doctor was convinced Stella would be born by 9 p.m., so we needed to stall things until the most important men made their appearances.  Steve called to say he was in Vegas, and I lied and said we were just checking into the hospital.  At this point, it was 9 p.m. and my epidural had long been in, so Mom, Aunt Margo, and I waited.  Luckily, my prince of a cousin, Brady, was long into a recon mission to get my dad and Steve to the hospital.  He actually drove over to the football field to find my dad and tell him to come to the hospital!  Dad was there quickly (after a long story involving a double parked car) but still no Steve. 

Hours passed and I progressed.  We were all starting to worry whether or not Steve would get to see Stella be born.  On a lighter note, we really were enjoying ourselves!  My mom and dad were swapping stories with Brady and his girlfriend, Shelby; Aunt Margo was talking me through everything and checking up on my progress; and I just sat and enjoyed our little pre-birthday party :).  My sister, Samantha, called numerous times to remind me to "check my make-up," "not poop on the baby," and "try to wait until tomorrow" because her favorite number is 28.  We were inching towards 11:15 p.m., the time when Steve's flight landed.  Brady left for the airport to get Steve.  He told him to leave his bags because he was going to miss it, and then... there he was!

I don't know what it was, but I think the relief of having Steve there made Stella relax too.  This baby that was coming "any second" all of the sudden decided to take her time.  It was excellent; we all had a few hours to catch up and have a lot of laughs before there was one more in the room.

Around 1:30 a.m., Stella decided she had waited long enough.  I could not believe how fast and easy it was (thank you, epidural) but my sister got her wish; Stella Mia Adkins was born at 1:40 a.m. on October 28th, Nevada Day.  This beautiful, tiny peanut entered the room and it was like nothing else.  She was immediately trying to roll off of the table towards her Dad's voice.  She was so quiet, calm, and collected.  Stella joined the birthday party we had already been enjoying, and we all had a moment to reflect on the crazy events from the day.

 There it is; the story of how our own little star came to be born!  I still can't believe that everything worked out as well as it did, and we all made it there for her big moment.  I should have known better than to have expected everything to go according to plan, but I am sure that Stella will love to hear one day about the big show that was her birthday.  Needless to say, I am so very thankful that Steve got to see Stella be born, and more importantly, that Stella was born as perfect as perfect can be.  The theatrical day that started out with a lesson in Shakespeare, ended with a perfect masterpiece.  

Stella Mia Adkins

October 28, 2011