Ivy Claire is here!!!

Pictures to come soon...

Ivy Claire was born March 10th, at 3:58pm. I began suspecting I was in labor around 12:30, just after putting Eliot down for his nap. Here's how it went...

12 noon- Eliot down for nap
I immediately tear into the three boxes that had just been delivered from Dell- our new computer!
1230- I keep having to take breaks from assembling the computer because of these pesky back cramps. I realize that the back cramps seem to be coming on a regular basis... sort of like... contractions! I time a few, and they are 4 minutes apart, and very bearable.
I call Frederic, and tell him I might be in early labor, but not to come home yet, just be on alert.
12;45- I call Frederic and tell him maybe it's better if he comes home just in case.
I call Alice, our midwife, who says she will arrive in a half hour or so.
1:15- Frederic gets home.
1:45 Alice arrives, and after examining me, says I'm at 2cm, but definitely in labor. "Don't rush, but go ahead and come into the birth center in the next hour or so."
2:30- Eliot wakes up from his nap, and we all walk down the 12 flights of stairs to the car and drop Eliot off at Dena's.
3:15- Arrive at the birth center
3:45- My water breaks, and then I get into the birthing pool to help deal with the labor, which becomes immediately more intense.
3:58- One insane contraction, one insane "birth shriek", and one baby girl who makes her appearance without me ever consciously pushing, and no one realizing until her head popped out that she was coming! I instinctively reached down during the contraction and felt her head slide right into my hand. Alice helped slightly with getting the shoulders, and then together we lifted her out of the water and onto my chest. Amazing!