Happy Birthday Bean!

Ten years ago, our Haley Bean was born and my second delivery was an exciting one!  The entire day was rather uneventful.  The doctors and nurses continually sent us home, told us to "walk, walk, walk", and insisted that I was in "false labor".  It was a long day, but that evening things picked up at a rapid pace.  Todd and I walked the halls of the hospital until I could no longer handle standing.  We went back to the room and convinced the nurse that I was in "real labor".  The doctor came in and checked me and, sure enough, I was progressing.  I was feeling worn out and the epidural was calling my name.  The anesthesiologist arrived and sent Todd out of the room with the claim that he'd had too many dads faint on him while watching their wives get a needle in their back...totally understandable!  Todd took the opportunity to call grandparents with an update and head to the chapel to pray.  In the less than 10 minutes he was gone, all the action happened. 

As I was being prepped for the epidural, my entire body started to shake and convulse.  This being only my second baby, I said, "I think the baby is coming."  The doctor and nurse assured me it wasn't.  Then, there was a huge gush as my water broke and I said, "No, this baby is coming...NOW!"  They laid me back on the bed and told me not to push.  I was now trying to keep the baby in that I had worked so hard all day long trying to get out...does this seem backwards to anyone else but me?!  Anyway, in just a few minutes, little Haley Elizabeth made her grand entrance into our lives.  She was our littlest baby at just 6 pounds 12 ounces...what a blessing she was so small as our regular 9 pounders might not have "slipped out" quite so easily!  When Todd returned about 5 minutes later, he heard a crying baby.  Was he ever surprised when he found out that it was HIS crying baby!  Needless to say, he doesn't stray too far from me when I'm in labor now!

Haley had a wonderful birthday yesterday.  Because her grandparents made a last minute trip to visit us, the kids even had the day off from school!  She spent the day baking and frosting cookies, opening presents, and playing games with her siblings and grandparents.  (And I did manage to sneak in about an hour of homework for her writing class!)

Cookie cake with lime green and green frosting - her favorite colors!

The Kraft kids posing with the birthday girl after she opened her gifts.

And as long as they were all lined up...why not sneak grandma and grandpa in for a photo!

The children look forward to this all year long - making and frosting sugar cookies with grandma.  May God bless her for her patience with the children...and the mess! (and thank God for grandpa who cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes...a number of times!)

The grandparents left this morning and we had a fairly normal day and muddle our way through about 75% of what I wanted to get accomplished.  Getting back into routine can be tricky, know what I mean?!

God Bless!

Heather :-)