Sophie

I've been meaning to do this post for a week now, but you know how it goes with a newborn...

I was due December 15th.  All my other babies came early so when the 15th arrived I was loosing patience.    However, I had a feeling that she would come on the 17th.  Although I was not excited about the idea of going past due, I liked the idea of her being born on the 17th.  My birthday is on the 17th (Oct.), my mom's birthday is on the 17th (Sept.) and Tom's sister, Teresa has her birthday on Dec. 17th as well.  Besides that,  we would then have two 22nd, two 4th, and two 17th birthdays in our family.  

Friday the 16th I was feeling good (well as good as you can that pregnant).  We went to our ward Christmas party and of course I got the "you're still here" look from everyone.  That night Tom went off to play hockey and I went to bed.  However, I didn't sleep well because I felt terrible, 'good sign' I thought, plus the next day was the 17th.  By 2am Tom was home, but was trying to fix a short in our outlets.  I told him he better go to bed because I just had my first contraction.  Now I had been in false labor earlier that week, so Tom wasn't too concerned, but went to bed.  I however was done sleeping as I was having contractions every 20 minutes or so.  I decided to get up and finish putting all my things in the bag (I had set everything out that night with the feeling she would be coming the next day).  However, as soon as I got up and started doing stuff the contractions came real quick and strong.  About 2-3 minutes apart!  I woke up Tom at 3:30 and said "I hope you had enough sleep, cause we got to go".  We called our neighbor to come sit with the kids and we were off.    

We called my sister, Aimee, Tom's Mom and sister, Maren and my Dad to let them know this was it.  When we got to the hospital I was dilated to a 6-7.  The nurse said my water hadn't broke, but it was bulging.  If it broke she was sure the baby would come quickly.  They took me to the delivery room and the family we had called were starting to arrive.  I got my epidural, but only my right side seemed to be taking effect.  I was really feeling a lot of pain in my left.  The nurse checked me again and I was now at a 9!  She said surprisingly my water hadn't broke yet and it was up to me as to when to do it.  I got the anesthesiologist to come back and tweak my epidural so it flowed into my left side.  It finally started to take effect and I was still feeling a little pain with the contractions, but it was tolerable so I said I was ready.  When they called the doctor in I was at a full 10 but my water still hadn't broke!  Of course, when he broke it, you would've thought it was Niagra Falls.  By the time I was ready to push the epidural had taken full effect and I had no problem knowing/wanting when to push, but was unable to feel any pain.  

By 7:08am Sophie Adair Larsen was born.   

I was only in labor for a total of 5 hours!  It went so quick compared to my last two deliveries.  She was a big 8lbs 12oz, 21 in. long.  The biggest baby I've had yet. 

We had liked the name Sophie since before Cedric was born.  We had felt like a Sophie was supposed to be in our family.  Her middle name was going to be Leone after my middle name.  However, when my mom passed away I wanted to somehow name her after my mom.  Since Sophie Sherri didn't work I decided on Adair.  Adair was my mom's biological father's last name.  I had never met my Grandpa Adair as he past away in a car accident on my mom's sixth birthday, but I have always felt a close connection to him.  Adair seemed to fit just perfect with the name Sophie. 

My dad sat behind the curtain so he could be there without seeing anything.  This is his first glance of Sophie.

I also invited Maren to be there and she was a great photographer for us (sorry Maren, this is the only picture I have of you.  That's the bad part of being the photographer.)

I also let Tom's Mom be there as she is taking the solo roll of grandma.

My sister, Aimee was there since my mom could not be.  She also did the video for us.

Here's the happy grandpa.  We all felt a bit closer to Mom that day.

The proud papa!

When Sophie was entering into the world, there was such a quiet, peaceful feeling in the room.  We were all feeling the spirit so strong and we were all crying.  I know my mom was there at that moment as the room felt like it was just full of people/angels.  I felt like a whole crew of angels were there to watch as Sophie entered this world.  It was so neat to meet this new spirit who had just been in the presence of so many loved ones we have lost.

I was so happy to have her here and that she was so healthy!  I felt everything went so well that day.  It was perfect.

Later my sister brought the other kids over to meet her.  Unfortunately, they all had coughs/colds so they had to wear masks, but they were so excited to meet her!  

We told them her name (we had kept it a complete secret until she was born) and then they each got to hold her.  (The hospital had put her in a stocking.)

Big sister, Lily

Big brother Jeff, the one Sophie looks like the most.

And the new big brother, Cedric.

Our family of six!  

Later that day Tom's parents and Maren came back just in time for her first bath.

By Monday it was time to go home!

That night we threw together a few Christmas pictures.  Thanks to Tom's brother, Eric and his wife, Carlee for doing our pictures for us!

Merry Christmas Everyone!