More Pictures of the Big Day

Here are a few more pictures of The Big Day. First, we started out by checking into the hospital at 7:00am. Yep, it was an early start for all of us...thus, the kiddos are in pajamas:







Things got rolling around 11:00am, and Lindsey (the ROCK STAR pregnant lady) impressed one and all by bringing Hadley to us in just three pushes! She's an incredible woman! Anyway, here's little Hadley being mad at the indignity of it all:





Once she got cleaned up and warmed up, she was much happier. If you recall from the 3D sonogram, she loved having her hands right up next to her face, or even in her mouth. Looks like she still does:







Here's Jeane, the world's best midwife. She blessed us with her expertise and care for all three of our healthy babies, and spent much of her day off with us on Tuesday. Thanks, Jeane, you're one in a million!







Little Hadley had a long day, too. This is in the evening as she was getting sleepy. Naturally, she perked up throughout the night:






Some pictures of the family:

Connor and Kylee were the first ones in to see their baby sister, and immediately adored her. It was incredible to watch their smiles and their gentle touches. Ever since that first moment, they have been arguing (even to the point of shouts and blows at times) about who's turn it is to hold her! We'll see how long that lasts...

Here's her official coming-home outfit:

We thought it was extremely cute, but she's not too sure about it.

Here we are, ready to head for home:

Once again, we thank you all for your love, prayers, gifts, food, well wishes, and support. The last year has been filled with incredible highs and devastating lows, and we would not have been able to get through it without all of you. We are very, very blessed, and look forward to creating another 'new normal'.

And sleep...we're looking forward to that, too... ;)

Here She Is!

At 3:18pm, we welcomed the newest member of the Carlson Crew, Hadley Louise Carlson, into this world!!!

6 pounds, 15 ounces, 18.5 inches long

We'll post more pictures in the next few days. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Tomorrow We Meet Her...

It is surreal to me that tomorrow morning, we will go to the hospital and begin the process of welcoming our baby girl into the world. This week has held a mix of emotions for me...anticipating Hadley, thinking about how our family is about to change, and, of course, grieving Caden as I reflect on all the milestones we've missed with him.

I find myself tearful fairly often...mostly because I am totally overwhelmed by God's grace and goodness and the gift that He has given us in this little girl. Hadley represents so much to us...healing, hope, resolution...and we'll get to hold her....tomorrow.

So, today is my last day of being pregnant. Again, a bit surreal. I feel this little one moving inside me and have mixed emotions about her being on the outside instead of the inside. While it will be nice to breathe normally, perhaps wear clothes without an elastic waistband (still several months away, I know), and maybe make it at least 15 minutes in between runs to the bathroom to pee, I will miss all the kicks, nudges, and tickles that new life in your belly brings. I know, though, that the sadness of missing that will be outweighed by the joy of watching Miss Hadley grow and explore the world around her. I also cannot wait to see her in her Daddy's arms, and to watch her brother and sister's faces as they meet her. :) I am happy to share.

Connor is very excited about Hadley's arrival. He has been counting the days for the last two weeks, and his face lights up when he talks about Hadley "being born". The first thing he told me this morning is that Hadley was going to be born in just ONE DAY! It was great. I know he will be an excellent big brother...no better man to have two sisters as his siblings.

Kylee, however, while excited, is responding a bit differently to the anticipated change. She has been a bit of a pill this week, mostly, I think, because she senses that something new is coming (and she's not real big on change). She, too, is excited to meet Hadley, but I think there is a part of her that fears that we might not get to bring this baby home. She guards her heart...but I look forward to the moment when she can let go and hold a healthy baby...a moment I have anticipated since finding out Hadley was on the way.

We enjoyed our weekend together...our last one as the four of us. We attended a Royals game on Friday night, did school shopping for the kids on Saturday, and then had a special dinner out together on Saturday night (Connor decided that "fancy" restaurants are entirely overrated). Sunday was spent attending Church and relaxing. I enjoyed my last uninterrupted Sunday afternoon nap for quite awhile. It was heaven!

We, once again, humbly ask for your prayers tomorrow. Please pray for our labor, and, of course, for a safe and healthy delivery. Please lift up Connor and Kylee as they deal with a positive, yet big, change in their world. And please pray for Brandon and I as we become parents to Baby #4.

We are so very grateful to be at this point...after such a sad year and then a pregnancy filled with apprehension and doubt, and eventually joy, tomorrow is the culmination of many things for us. We will be posting updates here, so feel free to check in and celebrate with us.

We have so much to be joyful about.

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works: that I know very well."

Psalm 139:14

Two Weeks...

We meet our baby girl in just over 2 weeks! We are all so excited. There has been a great deal of discussion around our house about bringing Hadley home with us. The kids are thrilled, yet I also sense a bit of hesitation in their hearts surrounding this event...as if they won't believe that she's coming home until we actually have her here. I can't say as I blame them for that. They are both asking that we pray for Hadley to arrive safely in their bedtime prayers...I wish that somehow, this baby girl could know how loved and anticipated she is.

My appointments have gone well...Hadley is measuring appropriately and has plenty of fluid around her. We opted for an induction given that the hospital we will deliver at is several miles from our house...and we also wanted to be able to plan things, somewhat, so our family (even those that live far away) could be sure to be here when she arrives. There has been enough uncertainty surrounding all of this, so we are grateful to have a date on the calendar. July 21st it is.

I have been grateful that it wasn't too hot last week. My belly is definitely growing on a daily basis and sometimes just walking is a bit of a task...the kids (and my wonderful husband) are very understanding and bear with me. My emotions are getting stronger as the day approaches...I am so ready to hold this little one in our arms and am overwhelmed by the love that I feel for her. I cannot wait to hear her first cry and look at her pink face all bundled up in a blanket. There are so many small moments that I anticipate after not getting to have them with Caden. My perspective on Hadley's arrival is totally changed...I believe for the better.

We have tried to discuss what life is going to be like after the baby arrives...Connor, in particular, is used to going a million miles a minute, so we have felt it is important for him to understand that after Hadley is born, most days, we will spend time together here at home. He's not quite sure why we can't just haul Hadley with us wherever we go, but for the most part, is very understanding and accepting. I would imagine that Kylee will just love having a baby here to play with and she generally just wants to stay home most days, anyway, so I pray the adjustment will be a smooth one.

We talked about Hadley's birthday over lunch today. I was telling Connor and Kylee that they will be the first ones to hold their sister after Daddy and Mommy. Connor was asking about when she would be born, what time of day it would be, and so forth. I haven't yet had to field the question about how Hadley will come into the world...but we got dangerously close today....

Me: "You will come back to our house with Grandma and Grandpa because Mommy will have to stay a couple nights in the hospital after Hadley is born".

Connor: "Oh, is that so they can make sure that the patch they make for Hadley to be born gets fixed up okay?"

Me: "Yes. Exactly."

Whew! So far, so good...