Create, Love and Have Heart: The Story of Ember Marie

Let's start from the beginning...

We found out we were pregnant with Ember in February 2014, only 6 months after I gave birth to our little Lucy. We were 8 weeks along. We were so surprised and so scared! It wasn't in our timeline to have a second child just yet. But God had other plans and it was so evident. This pregnancy was very trying.

When I went for my appointment for family history, I explained that I was still nursing my 6 month old and was on birth control when I became pregnant. The midwife just looked at me and said how rare that is. She went on to ask me if I was okay with being pregnant. I just smiled and told her of course, we are excited and that God must have had other plans for us.

Moving forward to our 20 week ultrasound. We found out we were having a BEAUTIFUL girl!!! We were so excited. We know how to take care of girls plus we had everything we would need. The next day a nurse from our Dr.s office called and told me that the left ventricle in Ember's brain was enlarged. It was borderline abnormal. I started to cry because I had no idea when that meant. I couldn't think of any questions to ask at that moment. I had a Dr. appointment that day so Coy and I sat down and thought of some questions. The Dr. said that it could have been a shadow, could have been a wrong measurement... She just didn't think it was anything to worry about and in 4 weeks we would need to go in to check the ventricle out and make sure it resolved itself.

We went back in for another ultrasound. The tech told us her ventricle measured 10mm. That can be considered normal but the large side of normal. She thought they were worried because her right ventricle was smaller than her left. I went home and I researched what this could mean for our baby girl. The answers varied. She could need a shunt, could have brain damage, could be completely normal... just no way of knowing. We knew that if there was something wrong with our baby when she was born that we would do whatever we needed to do for her. The next day my Dr. called me and told me it hadn't shrunk and she recommended that we go see a high risk OB for further ultrasounds.

We took her advice and went in for the ultrasound. They said that she looked good and healthy and that the ventricle did look large but nothing to be concerned about. We were so relieved. They wanted us to come back 6 weeks later just to check up on it.

6 weeks later we went back. The ventricle had shrunk to a normal size and Ember looked so healthy and beautiful! We were so excited and thankful. We knew God was working in our lives then because we were leaning on Him for help and understanding.

On October 14th my Dr. wanted to do a membrane sweep to get labor kick started. I was SO ready and SO excited. Went to my appointment and my Dr. couldn't perform the sweep because my cervix was so high still. I left the appointment crying.

October 18th came and went... I was so ready to hold my baby and get my energy back. I went in for my Dr. appointment at 4PM on the 21st and she could finally do the sweep! I was 3 cm dialated but my cervix was still very high. I was SO hopeful. We went home and relaxed. At about 7PM I started having contractions but nothing that hurt too bad. But it was so different from when I went into labor with Lucy. At about 9PM they were about 2-4 minutes apart but not too painful so we decided to call L&D to see if we should come in. They recommended it so we left the house. We got there and I hadn't progressed at all from my Dr. appointment earlier and my contractions were 5 minutes apart but not too painful. They sent me home.

I get home, take a bath and get in bed. I woke up not long after that and was having horrible contractions. I sat in the rocking chair for about 3 hours trying to sleep between the contractions and wait it out as long as possible. Finally, at 4PM I woke Coy up because it was time to go. I needed to get to the hospital. We loaded up and left.

They tried to put me in a room where they do labor checks. I told them it was time and that I didn't have time for a labor check and that I needed an epidural. The nurse knew it would be a waste of time to set me up in that room when I was in obvious pain. They put me in my room and hooked me up to all the machines. They called the anesthesiologist to come and give me an epidural. Took him about 30 minutes to get there and by that time my contractions were 1 after another. When the epidural kicked in I couldn't feel contractions, just tons of pressure. The nurse came in to insert the catheter, I could feel everything. I freaked out a little because I had had the epidural for a while and could still feel everything but contractions. I kept pressing the button so more medicine would be administered through my epidural but nothing happened.

My Dr. came in around 6:30AM and checked me. I was dilated to a 10 but still very high. She broke my water and I felt the urge to push. At about 6:45AM I told her that and she said to just push a little to relieve some pressure. I told her no, I needed to push, it was time. She left the room and I couldn't stop the urge to push. She ran back in when I started yelling (hahaha) and they got ready to deliver Ember.

I FELT EVERYTHING! Hahahahaha, I didn't want to but I felt EVERYTHING! The epidural failed for the delivery. But, luckily, Ember came after 5 minutes of pushing.

They handed my beautiful baby to me and I was so SHOCKED to see she had whitish blonde hair. I just wanted to look at her. Her face was bruised from having the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck and she had burns on her head from coming so fast. She was so healthy and beautiful!!

Ember was born at 7:01AM on October 22 weighing it at 8 pounds 14 ounces, 21 inches long and blonde!! We love it! She looks so much like her daddy. Lucy came to meet her sissy in the hospital and hammed it up for the nurses. They fell in love with her.

Lucy loves her little sister and loves on her constantly. Always trying to give her kisses. It's so sweet. We didn't get many hospital pictures because everything happened so fast! Family wasn't able to come until later that morning. Either way, it was a special time for Coy and I.