This is somewhat overdue, but right now is the first time I've been able to sit down and let you all know that Catherine Jane was born Monday, June 6 in the wee hours of the morning. She was 8lbs 5oz and 20.5 inches long. The labor itself actually went pretty fast. I noticed contractions around midnight, but slept off and on till about 1:30 when I started timing them. By 2am I called Tim to let him know I was timing contractions that were 7 minutes apart but manageable. At 2:40 they suddenly became 4 minutes apart. By the third one, my water broke and thus the scramble to get everything ready by myself, and call Tim, my SIL the babysitter, my doula, the OB, and then my mom. Of course I would forget my mom's number at work, so I actually had to call my sister at 3am to find out the right number!
Tim actually stopped to change out of his uniform at work, making him take half an hour to get home when he could have been there in 15 minutes since it was the middle of the night, but I digress.
By 3:45 we pulled into the hospital ER, with Tim running in to ask for a wheel chair. Right as the ER nurse/person comes out with said wheel chair, I have a contraction which at this point I can't talk through. So of course she starts asking me all these question while I hold up my "wait a minute" hand. But does she stop? no. Finally I tell her there was no way I could answer her while going through a contraction. Then as we go inside, she has no idea where to take me!!! Do you not work here??!!
Anyway, at 4:35 'little' Catherine makes her appearance. And this time I had my OB's partner waiting to help, though my own OB did show up just in time for the delivery. After this delivery, I now have a reputation for good deliveries, it's just the after part that gets interesting.
Catherine came out with the cord tightly around her neck and one hand against her face, thus causing her to be blue and not all the fluid was able to be expelled from her lungs. She ended up in the special nursery with oxygen and precautionary antibiotics. She kept forgetting to breathe while she ate, so she had to stay an extra day for observation (I was able to stay an extra day as well). Thankfully, she had no infection and now seems to be just fine. I know in a different time this might not be the case; I am forever grateful we have today's medical technology to make it possible she was able to come home with me.
(The next paragraph could be TMI for guys, but I did my best to just state the facts.)
I, also, decided to have my own fun. After numerous tries, my OB couldn't get out all the placenta. Other than to feel high, I don't know the point of Stadol since it sure didn't help with the pain while enduring these unsuccessful tries. Thus I ended up with another D&C. But before that happened, I lost about half of my blood. I could have had a blood transfusion, but I wasn't too keen on the idea. My numbers were going up, albeit slowly, but at least enough that my OB was fine not ordering a transfusion.
Catherine has bounced back faster than myself, but I get a bit more energy everyday. What has been an awesome blessing is having Tim home all this time to take care of myself, the kids, and the house. I'd have been lost without him. 

So now here are some pictures of Catherine, aka "Baby Cate" as the kids call her.





The kids are absolutely in love with her!!

I have gotten to the point in my pregnancy that if I don't eat enough before bed, I will wake up during the night and be unable to get back to sleep unless I eat something. I experienced this same thing with Michael many times toward the end, but I can't remember if it happened with Colleen. Just another reason I think I'm having a boy! If my OB says "it's a girl!" I won't believe him till I see it, and even then I'll still be shocked. I'm thirty weeks today (yay!) so I'm hoping for another 8 weeks at least. If that doesn't happen, then this baby can't come till 39 weeks and 3 days. I know everything will happen in God's good timing, but it also would be very nice if me going into labor didn't happen during Tim's training week, or prevent me from going to my SIL's wedding (which is on my own anniversary), or when my mom can't come in town to help me. She is definitely a life saver that first week after giving birth.

Life has kept me busy lately, hence the lack of updates. Here's a look at what I've been up to:

Colleen's Easter dress


Since I used a pink lining, it's not as white looking in person, but still very cute. This is also the first time I did buttons on anything and I think I did a pretty good job....once I figured out how to use the buttonhole make on my machine.


I actually altered the pattern for the back bodice. It originally had such on open back the top of the bodice would have hit the third button down. It looks great on Colleen, but wasn't able to get a picture since the camera is very low on batteries. I love the fabric! One never knows where you'll find good/pretty fabric: the thrift store for 25 cents, and it was originally a bed sheet!! All money spent on this dress: less than $7.

That's all I have time for!