Well, the wait is over!! Introducing Emerson Claire Hetzel, born October 25, 2012 weighing in at 7 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long!

It was a long delivery (over 24 hrs) but she arrived healthy and perfect! We are so grateful to the Lord for this very, very precious gift. The midwives that delivered her and the nurses at the hospital were all wonderful…we truly felt the Lord had just the right people there at just the right time to encourage me and push me through the process, which successfully ended in a VBAC. I was really hoping and praying for a VBAC and am excited it happened.

Since arriving home from the hospital, things have been a little crazy. Between visitors, family, and getting adjusted to life as a family of 4, it has been nuts. We are so thankful for our church family and Cru family for providing meals for us as we work into a new normal. Kinsley has done well overall…a few behavior issues and acting out…which is to be expected. Overall, she loves having “her” own real baby and loves on her, even though she does have moments of jealousy or not wanting mom or Gammy to hold or feed the baby. She is doing better each day and has been a huge help. Just today, she was able to tell us that Emerson was sleeping in the car and had her eyes closed when we couldn’t see her through the mirror (once again thankful that Kinsley is 2 1/2 and able to help).

Because Gammy was in town to help with Emerson and Kinsley, Bella (Gammy’s dog) got to go trick-or-treating with Kinsley. They both dressed as bees, which was stinkin’ adorable. I think this may be why she got soooo much candy! She had a blast this year as she understood to say trick-or-treat and the morning after Halloween, she asked to go again. Doesn’t she wish she lived in a world where she went trick-or-treating and got candy everyday?

Emerson did great at first sleeping long hours at night, waking to feed, and then going back to sleep. But, she has had a few nights where she has cried for a few hours from gas pains. Please pray we figure out what is causing them (if its in my diet since I am nursing) and that gas drops will work to ease the pain. It is so hard to watch your baby cry inconsolably from pain and not be able to do anything to help. Any suggestions from moms would be great too!!