Introducing Lydia Smith

Lydia Smith joined our family at 11:50 am on November 22, 2011.  11/22/11.  Lydia weighed in at 6 pounds 15 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long!  She has blue eyes, mostly bald with some dark blonde peach fuzz and a few longer hairs on the crown of her head!  She doesn't look exactly like her big sisters...she has her own look, especially when her eyes open wide.  We love her so much already and cannot wait till she meets her two excited big sisters, Alissa and Hannah!  Here is her birth story!

 We awoke bright and early about 3:30 am to prepare for this day!  My OB chose to induce because baby Lydia, according to recent ultrasounds, had slowed down in growth.  (Similar in situation to big sis, Hannah)  It was a little wild knowing that today was the day I was giving birth, but it was nice also to drive comfortably to the hospital!  We drove to St. David's North Austin Medical Center in a thunderstorm and checked into the hospital about 4:30 am arriving in the Labor Room #2 at about 4:45 am.

 I got admitted, IV started, and pitocin started by about 7 am.  I was already about 3.5 cm dilated, and so I immediately could feel the contractions within about 15 minutes from beginning the pitocin.  My OB came in to say hi at about 7:45 am and broke my water, which always helps to speed things up in my labor.  Our thoughts were to be delivering around 2 or 3...I had a hunch and a hope that it would be before noon, but I wasn't going to get excited :)  I wanted to really be in pain before I asked for my epidural, and so I stuck it out until about 10 am and then asked for my epidural.  After getting all comfy and my pain mostly gone, I was looking forward to maybe taking a nap while Tyson "worked" in the chair next to my bed.  Well, within about a half hour, I was feeling more pressure than I had ever felt before with my other two babies!  I asked to be checked at about 11:25 am and I was already completely dilated~  The nurse immediately started paging my OB, Dr. Devine, to come for delivery, but she was unreachable!  Pretty soon, I could really feel Miss Lydia making her way out...and as the nurses told me to "keep my legs closed" , they asked if I minded having another doctor deliver me becuase my doctor was in surgery.  Dr. McNielis, came in at 11:45 am, put me in stirrups.  I pushed through one contraction and was crowning.  Tyson made me laugh when he said "Is that really her head already?"  On the next contraction, I bore down and out she came!!  Born at 11:50 am, 5 minutes after the delivery doctor came in my room!  Lydia came out screaming and bright red, which I LOVE to see in my newborn babies!  It was a beautiful experience to have her placed on my belly and hold her breifly!  She was perfect and healthy and just beautiful!  Welcome sweet little girl! 

 Here she is getting all cleaned off!

Her legs were so chubby to me :)  Not like my other two girlies who had skinny little chicken legs!

 Cuddling my new baby girl!  And trying to figure out who she looks like :)

 Proud Daddy!!  Tyson is such a good Daddy to our now 3 girls and he loves them all so much!  He was born to be a Daddy of girls!  He is so sweet with them and they definately have him wrapped around each of their fingers, including little lady Lydia!

 Nothing can compare to the moment of holding your baby for the first time, smelling their freshness, and thinking of who they will become and what their life will hold, and also knowing where they just came from...sweet little piece of heaven!

 So tiny and such kissable cheeks!

 Catching that first yawn!  Welcome to the world sweet little Lady Lydia!  We LOVE you so much!