Annie ____ Merrill 09/06/09 7:14 AM - 7 lbs. 7 oz (Picture heavy post)

Today was a great day in the Merrill household. We enjoyed an amazing BYU game last night with some good friends and family. It was fun to see BYU be on the winning side of a close, important game after so many close calls and near victories over the last few years against higher ranked teams.

Well, I awoke at 2 am to Tasha tapping me on the shoulder asking me to help time her contractions. In my stupor, I grasped in the dark for a watch that had a digital timer on it (not that I actually needed to time how long they were, just how far apart) and began the ever important and intense task of deciding when it is actually time to go to the hospital. This has become a growing concern among pregnant women as they are often told, (not necessarily exactly this, but essentially) sorry, the pains you are feeling are not actual labor. Take some medicine, go home, and come back when you're really ready to go. This is maddening, because how are we supposed to know when labor is actually beginning. All I've been told is contractions hurt like crazy and when Tasha said let's go, I wasn't about to question my sweet wife. :)

After arranging for Tasha's mom (thank you so much Mom!) to come over to watch Emma we finished packing a few last minute essentials, helped Emma go potty (my big mistake here was telling Emma we were going to get baby Annie. Emma said, "But baby Annie is in Mommy's tummy." When we went to take Emma back to bed she cried because she thought we were all going to get Annie. My bad, so cute though.), and headed to Payson. The Mountain View Hospital in Payson is roughly (exactly) 22 minutes from our home. However, when that timing occurred it was neither a real simulation of a labor scenario, nor was it 4 am. So, our actual time was less than the 22 minutes and gratefully so.

We got to the hospital and went to the main entrance only to find the doors were shut. We went to another entrance at the Women's Center only to find the doors were shut. At this point, I felt a little dismayed as I had never actually seen a hospital shut its doors. Tasha was not the most comfortable (understatement of the post) and was relieved, as was I, when we went to our third entrance at the ER where we were actually allowed to enter the hospital. The first words said to us after we told them our intentions were: "So you are in labor, you think." (Notice this was a statement, not a question.) Feeling a little annoyed and wanting to defend the honor of my wife who knows her body and was amazing through this whole process, I let the woman know she was 3 days overdue and this was our second child (translation: listen lady, my wife knows when she's in labor and SHE IS IN LABOR!) :) Refer to the first paragraph to see why women are so gun-shy as to when to go to the hospital.

Well we got to our room and sure enough, Tasha was in labor. And over half way through it as it turned out. We both wanted to go back down and tell the nurse who checked us in at the entrance that she was indeed in labor. We didn't though as we had other more important things to attend to. Tasha progressed quickly and felt fairly good (minus every 3-5 minutes where there were intense pains that I could unfortunately do nothing about). Our first real nerve racking drama occured when our doctor informed us that we may be too late for an epidural, much to Tasha's chagrin. After some going back and forth (mostly by the doctors and nurses, Tasha was all for the epidural even if it only provided a small respite from the upcoming pain) they gave her the epidural. That slowed the labor process, but after some petocin things got going again.

After a few more intense moments (again wildly understated) at 7:14 our sweet daughter Annie was born. She was 7 lbs. 7 oz., healthy and beautiful.

The incredible feelings of this euphoric experience are beyond capable description. It was so amazing to see Tasha do so well and give so freely and go through so much for our baby. After having all day to reflect on this sacred time for our family, I feel such a gratitude for our eternal family. Tasha and I have both talked a lot about how blessed we are.

My sweet cousin Erin holding baby Annie.

Emma was so excited to see her baby sister. She asked to hold her several times and was so gentle and sweet to her. Emma told the nurses and anyone who would listen that she is a big sister now.
Tasha has been feeling great (she describes it as almost bizarre how good she feels). 2 hours after Annie's birth, Tasha walked to our room (the nurses had the wheel chair ready, but Tasha walked past those). We have enjoyed the day snuggling with our sweet baby, talking with family and friends, and mostly basking in the great joy that is ours to bring this sweet girl into the world.
Thank you for all the demonstrations of kindness and love. We appreciate all that has been offered and extended to us. We are humbled by how many kind words have been sent our way and are grateful to be surrounded by so many good people.

Emma was really sad to leave Daddy, Mommy, and mostly baby Annie.

This has been a great day in our family. Thanks for letting me share some of it. More pictures to come soon, I promise.