Introducing Clara Joy Marie

Baby Clara is here!!!! :) 

We are SO excited to announce to the world!  She was born on Wednesday, August 10th at 12:06 pm.  She was a peanut weighing in at 7 lbs. 2 oz and 19 inches long.  

Here's the story...not as unexpected as Hayden's birth story, but just as exciting!!  

DISCLAIMER: If you have given birth and experienced a long, painful delivery, read no further.  You will not like me after you hear this story! :)  

On Wednesday morning I woke up at about 4am to go to the bathroom.  I wasn't able to fall back to sleep right away and I noticed I was having contractions.  They weren't very strong or regular but enough that I was noticing.  I waited another hour keeping track of them and decided I better get going.  So I took a shower and got some things done.  I woke Jason up at about 6am and told him to get in the shower.  My friend Susanne came over until my mom could get to Lisbon.  As we were driving to Fargo I started questioning whether or not we should even be going.  I felt like the little boy who cried wolf.  As we were driving the contractions were getting stronger but then getting further apart.  

Once we got to the hospital the nurse checked things out and I was dilated to 3 cm and having irregular contractions.  My Dr. came in and and said that he would break my water and get things started since I was having contractions.  At around 8:45am, we moved into a birthing room and he broke my water right away.  I was able to get an epidural which was THE BEST THING in the entire world.  I did it the natural way and let me tell you - there is no reason to go without one if you are able to!  After I got it I didn't feel a single thing.  

The most exciting thing other than Clara was that Jason fainted after I got my epidural (he will be excited to have it shared with everyone! :)  In his defense I did hurry him along to get going to Fargo so he didn't have time to eat breakfast.  So after they got him some juice and a granola bar he was able to go to the cafeteria to grab something quick to eat.  He got back just in time for the fun to start.  At about 11:45 the nurse called my dr. to get to the hospital as she said (I had no idea -EPIDURAL! :) we were about ready to push.  My doctor got everything set up, I pushed TWICE and we met the most beautiful little girl!  

I was shocked when Jason said, It's a girl!  We are very blessed with a healthy, baby girl and a big brother that is absolutely proud of his baby sister.  

What's in a name???

Clara Joy Marie was named after three very important people in our lives.  The first person is my Great, Great aunt Clara.  Clara lived to be 94 and lived a block away from our house for most of her life.  She was never married or had any children and was the sweetest lady.  She had the heart of gold and was like another grandmother to my cousins and me.  She was always at family gatherings and she could bake cookies like none other!  My favorite memories of her are going to her apartment down the block and having coffee and cookies with her and playing crazy eights.  She was a math teacher and was even named ND teacher of the year.  My mother was then in turn named after her.  

The other two important people are Clara's grandma's.  My mom's name is Mary Clare and Jason's mom's name is Joyce (Joy) Marie.  So we wanted to include both of their full names into her name as well.

Note: The first pictures of me pregnant were taken by my best friend from high school, Meg.  She is not a professional photographer, but I've told her over and over she should be.  She has so much talent.  She was nice enough to come and take pictures of Hayden and me at the lake.