IT'S A GIRL!

OKAY- The answers to all the questions:

Joesphine (Jo, Joey, Jo-Jo) was born at 4:13 PM, Sunday, Jan 18, 2009. I had my first mild contraction at 5:30 AM, which means 11 hours of labor. I was able to have the natural labor and delivery I had planned for at the Miami Maternity Center. I labored in and out of the tub, but delivered in the tub, experiencing the water birth I had wanted.

They broke my water when I reached 8 cm, and then I only had 3 more contractions before I started pushing. 2 pushes and she was out! No tears, and no episiotomy! Mark joined me in the tub when it came close to the time to start pushing. After the shoulders turned the midwife told me to reach down and deliver my baby, so I did. I pulled her out and onto my belly. That was the most precious experience of life.

The whole crowd was present for her birth. Friends and family mostly hung out outside and popped into the room throughout the day. But when it came time to push, everyone came hurrying in. Besides mom and dad, the following were present for Joey's intro:

Michelle's dad, mom, brother and friends-- Jim, Peggy, Chris, Maria & Andy.

Mark's dad, mom, brother and sister-in-law-- Rick, Kathy, Matt & Mandy.

Mark's best friend Doyle & his wife Nikki, driving from Jacksonville, missed the main event by only a couple of hours. Mark's brother Mike missed it too.

I have pictures and video of the birth, but thought it would be to graphic for most to publish here. Chris did a great job filming the birth and caught all the special moments between family directly after. Really moving.

Normally, new mothers only stay 4 hours after birth and then are released from the maternity center. However, I had lost too much blood and they had to take steps to correct that. That meant that Mark and I had to stay the night for monitoring. I feel great now and am already helping with the house work again (A little). Breastfeeding is rougher than I expected, but I am hanging in there!

We are glad to be home, and are enjoying all the sweet little things about our new bundle of joy. She has her father's bad gas.

She has her mother's lungs.

She is already spoiled.

We have lots of help, and have had plenty of visitors. She loves to be held and is none too particular who is doing the holding.