4 Month Update:

Collins is 4 months old!  Time sure has flown by…it feels like just yesterday we were headed to the hospital to welcome her into the world!  It's crazy how much she has changed in such a small amount of time.  Here are some pictures of her taken each month:

 

           

 

4 Month Collins Update: 

She loves her feet & toes!  She discovered these amazing toys at the end of her legs just two weeks ago and she can’t get enough of them!  She has mastered the “tummy time” roll from her stomach to her back & is getting pretty salty from back to tummy too.  She has the most awesome smile…even at 4 in the morning it still lights up my world!  T & I fight over who gets to go get her each morning because as soon as you get to her bedside she greets you with that huge grin!  Then, there’s the chuckle…one of the bestest, happiest sounds ever!  Her big furry brother Gus instigates the majority of these…something about him just cracks her right up!  She weighs in at 15.4 pounds & 26 Inches: Long, Lean, & Healthy as Dr. H put it. 

On October 21^st we celebrated Collins’ Baptism!  It couldn’t have been more perfect!  She smiled throughout and didn’t even shed a tear as the water ran over her face.  It was one very, very, very special day!  Here are a couple pics:

Here we are with Father Cristler &
Aunt Kelly & Uncle Carl: Collins' amazing God-parents!

Lots of Love for one Special Little Lady!

 

First Halloween: Oma found Baby C the cutest little Zebra costume!  She sported it at the “Stephens” annual Spooky Party & again on Halloween night.  Here are a few pics:

 

Best Friends for Life:
Cousin Reed the Gnome & Collins the Zebra!

The Best Day...

Thinking back to the morning of July 2nd, 2012...the best day of my entire life!  T & I had to be at the hospital to check in at 4:30 a.m.  Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep Sunday Night...way too excited!  We arrived, got checked in and by 4:40 they had me all hooked up to monitors, blood drawn, fluid IV flowing & pitocin started.  When I arrived I was already having some contractions, so it only took a half hour for the pitocin to jump start them into the beginning of the unexplainable painful ones!  Labor had officially began!

Here are a few pics taken soon after we arrived at the hospital:

 

 

Holy Moly: I firmly believe that women who give birth the old fashioned drug free way have lost their marbles and should be rewarded in some grand way for being tougher than nails...labor hurts so so bad...it's unexplainable!  We found out quickly that our little peanut was head down, but sunny side up.  This resulted in some top notch back labor, which I would have to say was the worst of the pain!  We tried everything to get me a bit more comfortable, but nothing seemed to work.  Dr. D came in at 9:00 to check on me & to break my water.  As she walked in the door I felt it happen on its own.  I remember telling her, "I think it just broke, or maybe I peed the bed...not sure, but something just happened and it's very warm"!  She laughed, checked me, & sure enough it had a pin hole leak, but she broke it the rest of the way.  I only thought contractions were bad before...once the water was gone they escalated full throttle!  I think Dr. D could tell I was dying, because she said, "Kelly, aren't you planning on getting an epidural?...just remember that from the moment you say that you want it, it takes 45 minutes for you to get it & for it to take effect."

 

 

At about 11:00 my nurse asked me again about the epidural & she again reminded me about the 45 minute wait time.  I told her I wanted it ASAP, but didn't want to be known as the "pansie" patient who got it way early.  She looked at me, laughed & said, "Kelly, your contractions are off the charts on the monitor & just so you know we don't hand out trophies to patients that wait the longest to get the epidurals...those patients end up waiting too long and their prize is NO EPIDURAL."  With that said I asked for the DRUGS....and that wait time Dr. D mentioned back at 9:00 was hands down the longest 45 minutes of my life!!!

 

 

Once, they got enough fluids pumped through me the anesthesiologist arrived and hooked me up with the shot to the spine...life got WAY better!  Here are some pics pre-drugs and after drugs.

 

Before the Drugs...no smiles!

 

After the Drugs...SMILING!

 

The epidural was top notch!  I could still feel the back labor, but it was bearable, nothing like before.  So, for the next few hours we rocked out to CMT music, relaxed a little, got even more anxious, a touch more nervous, and waited for the infamous push time!  I remember laying there thinking about our journey and the road it took us to get to this very point in time...we waited so long & it was finally here!  I would go back and do it all again...all the heartbreak... to be here & about to meet our little girl!  Even if it's not our timing/our plan, God's timing/his plan is always perfect!  

 

Here are a few pics as we waited to push.  Carl & Kelly were in visiting with us when it began. 

 

 

 

I remember telling Kelly that I was feeling something down there, lots of pressure.  A few minutes later my nurse came in to check me & sure enough I was at a 10 and ready to PUSH.  She checked and said, "Oh my, you're a 10, this isn't going to take long, I can already see her hair on the top of her head...I'm going to call Dr. D."  At that very point my heart skipped a couple beats!  It was time to meet our miracle!  While she called, T & I took a few pics...our last pics before we officially became Mommy & Daddy!

 

 

So, we began to push and push and push and push!  What she thought would take 15 minutes turned into a half hour & then an hour & then an hour & a half, & then two hours.  Baby's heart rate got too high, so she called Dr. D.  I wasn't making enough progress & she had been in the birth canal for too long.  At this point they began preparing the room for delivery:

 

 

Dr. D got there, checked me & immediately said that we had to get her out...the cord was wrapped around her neck.  She crawled up in the bed with me and gave me a pep talk (which was much needed..lol..I was exhausted) & then it was go time!  We went through a couple rounds of pushes and still no dice.  She told me we would give it one more round of pushes before she had to use the vacuum.  I guess that's what I needed to hear because it worked!  On my last push... Dr. D told me to open my eyes and look...and as I watched...she arrived!  This was the absolute BEST moment of my entire life:

 

 



 



 Collins Kierzek Hardy

5:19 pm

7lbs. 13oz. - 21.25 in.

 

 

At that very moment our lives changed!  They changed in a way that we could have never imagined...we have never loved anything so much or seen anything as beautiful! Dr. D suctioned her and then immediately placed her on my chest.  I got to hold my miracle in my arms for the very first time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've gotta say my husband is the best guy in the entire world!  I never could have made it through this journey, pregnancy, or most definitely delivery without him by my side.  He never missed a beat.  He was with me at every appointment, ultrasound, procedure...you name it & he was there.  During delivery he held my hand, rubbed my back, helped me to the bathroom (a million times), gave me pep talks, got me ice & held my leg for two hours of pushing!  He even watched Collins come into this world & cut the cord and DIDN'T pass out...which is huge considering a prick of the finger has brought him to the floor before!  Beyond how awesome of a husband he is, Thomas is by far the BEST Daddy!  He loves our little girl so very much!  We are both so lucky to have him!

 

So, there it is..."The Best Day"!  This post is long overdue, but I've been a bit busy taking care of our little pea!  Now, that I've got the hang of this Mommy business I will be updating this more frequently...I've gotta keep up with how fast she's growing.  It seems like she changes everyday & I don't want to miss a thing! 



Bags are Packed...Ready to Meet our Miracle!

We are packed and ready to head to the hospital!  We are beyond excited to meet Baby H & can't believe that it could be any day now!  Dr. D was pretty pumped that we made it through her vacation week.  On Monday, she checked me and I was dilated to a two and 75% effaced.  She did a procedure called, "stripping the membranes" to help things move along & trust me that it felt just as bad as it sounds....OUCH!  She said that if it works labor usually begins within 12-24 hours of the procedure (totally worth it).  Soon after we left her office I began having contractions and have had them on & off since, but they haven't been closer than 10 minutes apart.  Sadly, here I am on Friday & we're still waiting for the water to break or contractions to get crazy close together so we can get this show on the road! 

The good news is that if she doesn't come before Sunday night then we are heading in to be induced.  Dr. D feels that with all of our troubles getting to this point, we don't want to take any chances with staying pregnant past full term.  So, that means that Baby H will be here very SOON!  I most definitely got a bit emotional when she set the induction date...for the first time we knew that we were for sure going to get to hold her in our arms within days!  I've never been more excited to meet someone in my entire life! 

So, let the countdown continue for a couple more days!  If nothing happens we will either go in to begin the induction process Sunday night late or early Monday Morning.  Oh my goodness...so close!  My parents are here & T's should arrive from ND later tonight...just in time! 

We pray for our baby girl to have a safe, fabulous entry into our arms!  We love you Baby H & can't wait to meet you!

Tummy Update!

It just keeps growing and growing!  Here are weeks 37-39:

36 Week Update:

Our little girl is growing bigger every day and will be here so soon!  Only 3 weeks & 3 days until our due date! Dr. D seems to think based off of my measurements that Baby H will be on the small side of normal for her weight.  She checked me on Monday (exactly 36 weeks) and I was dilated to a one, 50% effaced, and baby girl is head down.  She said that she is very, very low & that she could already feel the top of her head.  That must explain the crazy urge to PEE every FIVE minutes, but totally worth it!

T & I are doing all of the last minute things to prepare for her arrival.  Yesterday, we even packed our bag for the hospital.  It's crazy to think that she could really come any day!  We are beyond excited to finally have our little miracle in our arms for the very first time! We've decided that she's ready, due to her crazy rolls & kicks in my tummy...we're pretty confident she's trying to break out...she's just so excited to meet her Mommy, Daddy, & Big Brother Gus!

Welcome to the World Baby Reed!

On May 23rd at 7:20 pm my brother and sister in-law welcomed our beautiful baby nephew into the world!  Reed Arthur Murray weighed in at 8 pounds/2 ounces & almost 21 inches of pure cuteness!   We have already talked with him about his big cousin role to baby girl & he is completely on-board...he says he can handle keeping all the mean boys away and protecting his side-kick cousin!  Being so close in age...they're going to most definitely be two peas in a pod!

Love Him!

Beautiful Family!

She's already telling him secrets!

Uncle "T" getting some practice!

Reed breaking in Baby Girl's "Pink" changing pad!

Showerd with Love!

We feel so unbelievably blessed to have such great friends and fam whom have supported us and showered us with love as we await the birth of our baby girl!  Below are a few pics from the beautiful showers:

My amazing co-workers at school through me one awesome shower!  The best gift of all was a book full of parenting advice from the teachers and all of the students from OMS!  It is full of love and some hilarious advice of which I will keep forever!  So special and thoughtful!

 The "Murray" Aunts came together and through a dual shower for both T & I and Kelly & Carl!  It was a fabulous time: great food, great company & loads of fun!

Us 4 plus our two bambinos in the bellies!

The "Murray Aunts"!

Kelly & I with our Mom's and Mom In-Laws!

The "Kelly's"!

I have the greatest friends in the entire world!  They suprised me with one special evening!  It was so much fun celebrating Baby Girl and catching up on old times! Love them all!

How awesome are these Pals!

Best Friends for so many Years!