Our other birthday girl...Emily

Today Emily turned 12. WOW! Parts of her beginnings are clear and others foggy so she must be getting older! It's true you start forgetting...bummer! Anyway, are you ready for another labor story? Too bad, here it goes. Emily was due on my niece Erin's birthday so I was really hoping she would be born that day. Erin is awesome and I think it's cool to share your birthday with someone cool! Taran was 4-1/2 and had a soccer practice and Tim would help out. I decided to come along with Timo and go for a walk around the school. So I pushed Timo around in a stroller and we found a playground he played at for a little while then we returned. I had a few contractions while we walked but nothing significant. Then early the next morning I woke up around 3 AM after an hour or so I woke Tim, it wasn't going away. Then we called my mom about 4 AM and we left once she arrived. We got to the hospital and had to wait. Tim convinced them that I was in labor, I am not sure how far I was at that time. But they finally let me sit in a jetted tub to labor and after an hour I was done sitting and ready to get out. I was feeling like I should push. I could barely walk to the bed to deliver. I had to have Tim the labor & delivery nurse and the Nurse Midwife. She checked me and my water broke. It was so painful I was frustrated and tried to push her out. The midwife calmed me down--I was yelling more than usual. She helped me focus and then when my body was ready Emily came--it seemed like forever but it was about 15 minutes. Taran and Timo were thrilled to see her in the hospital.

But I should tell you how we got our first little princess. When Taran was about 3-1/2 he came home from a birthday party and this friend happened to be a girl. I am not sure if this had anything to do with but it's background. I was asking him about the party as I gave him a bath and he said to me,"Mom, I want a baby sister." Now I had been trying for 9 months to get pregnant. I was quite frustrated at this point which I know is nothing compared to many. I got a tiny feel for the frustration and monthly disappointment those who have fertility issues deal with, very difficult. My heart would have broke had not things changed. Back to Taran in the tub, so I said to Taran," Why don't you pray for a baby sister? Maybe Heavenly Father will send us one." So he resolved he would start praying that night. I got pregnant that week. Then when it came time for the utlra-sound he was positive it was a girl. We tried to explain that he may not get a sister THIS time but eventually. He insisted that the baby was a girl and was very confident. So when we found out he raised his arms in the air and said,"I knew it, I knew it!" He was thrilled! It was so cute. It's unfortunate that he and Timo have lost some of that lovin' feeling as they have become preteens-teenagers. She adores them and looks up to them, hopefully someday they will treat better than an abandoned dog that follows them around annoying them. Emily has grown into a wonderful person, she is very nurturing. She reaches out to others that are left out and befriends them. She cares about most people and rarely talks negatively about anyone, ever. She has many talents and willingly shares them. We were thrilled she joined our family 12 years ago and look forward to her future.