First Weekend at Home!

The first weekend at home was busy and we were all adjusting, but all went well.  Daddy made a yummy breakfast on Sunday morning!

Bella and Liam couldn't wait to get their hands on the baby!  Great practice for them :)

Gigi and Gramps came on Sunday to meet the newest GREAT granddaughter!

Along with JJ, Grandpa, and Nana!  It was a full house!

I put the men to work putting together the Mama Roo!

Loving their baby sissy!

Little girl even got her first at home wash down!

Hospital and Coming Home!

Our first night in the hospital was rather sleepless, but we all survived!  Madalyn had so much mucus that she kept spitting up and gagging on it...the first time it happened I about had a heart attack.  The nurse advised that one of us stay up with her to keep an eye on her at all times...good times!  So we alternated "keeping an eye on her" by holding her and trying to keep our eyes open to do so.  She slept great though...such a good little girl and only spit up a couple times.  It baffles me how the nurses come in at all hours and disturb your sleep...you've just had a baby, let the momma and baby (and daddy!) rest!!

all cute and snuggly...then 5 minutes later she spit up mucus all over and had to be changed!

We had lots of visitors on Friday, which was so fun!

This is Sharon, who delivered Madalyn.  Love her and so thankful to have such a wonderful doctor!  She stopped by on Friday just to check in!

My dad and Diane brought JJ, she had to meet the little sweetness!

Friday afternoon I was cleared for discharge, but Madalyn's beryllium levels were a little high, so they wanted us to stay the second night and have her sleep under the lights.  Oh my mommy heart broke, but she did great and by the next day her levels were much better!!

Look at that face!  I snuck her out of the lights for a little while to eat and for some extra snuggles :)

Saturday morning and time to head home!!

I mean, look at that sweetness!  Can't even stand her cuteness!

Here we go!

Get ready to enter crazy town USA Madalyn!

Reagan was only a LITTLE excited we were home!

My heart melted when Landon wanted to hold her and said how cute she was!

Home and settled!  Welcome Home Madalyn Ann!!

Welcome Madalyn Ann!

Thursday, February 4th was a BIG day!!  We arrived at the hospital a little after 5:00am to get admitted and ready to meet our baby girl!  

Hooked up and just waiting...

...this was my situation next to me!  Remember I had a sinus infection and an ear infection!?  I was overdosing on saline drops so I could breath out of my nose!!

Daddy was exhausted!  ha!

I got my epidural around 10:00, I think, and my doctor came in to break my water at about 10:30.  She said I was about 4 cm. at that point.  I was feeling very comfortable, just sooo shakey, but not feeling any pain.  By a little after 12 I started to feel a lot of tightness in my tummy, I asked Keith if I was having a contraction and he said "yes, a BIG one!"  Then a minute later I felt it again and was starting to feel a lot of pressure.  Keith grabbed the nurse and I told her what I was feeling and she called the doctor.  Sharon, the doctor, came in and checked me and I was 10 cm. and "plus 2" (whatever that means!).  It was GO time!

This was as I was feeling like "it's time!"

At 12:30 Sharon brought in her delivery box and got her scrubs on.  I was like, "I appreciate the confidence, but I have a 3 hour pushing track record!"  The nurse and doctor assured me it wouldn't take that long!  SOO at about 12:35 I started pushing and pushing...the epidural was WONDERFUL.  I felt NO pain, just the pressure and urge to push.  The doctor asked if Keith wanted to deliver the baby and he said yes, gross me out, but he was excited :)  And guess what, at 1:05 after just about 30 minutes of pushing, Madalyn Ann Kepplinger entered this world!  There is nothing quite like seeing your baby for the first time!  It's just nothing short of a miracle!!

immediate skin to skin for an hour!  Such a precious love!

Sweet girl weighed 9 pounds 4 ounces and was 22 inches long!

Proud Daddy!

We waited in the delivery room for a couple hours before we were moved to the recovery room.  We hadn't been in there long at all when our first visitors arrived...BIGGEST sister and BIG brother with Mum-Mum and Pop-Pop!

Reagan was SOOO excited, Landon wanted NOTHING to do with her (or me!).  He didn't like me in my hospital gown...crazy boy!

PROUD BIGGEST Sissy!

Baby sister brought some gifts along for her big sister and big brother!

All the grandparents couldn't wait to get their hands on the newest little love!

I had texted Reagan's teacher when Madalyn was born so that she knew.  Her teacher said it was too precious to witness Reagan's excitement.  They put an announcement out in the hallway for everyone to see the news!

What a wonderful day meeting our newest daughter.  She was a long time coming and seeing her and holding her I was just in disbelief that she was really here!  She is such a blessing and completes our family!!