My 1st Niece!

We left Georgia at 1620 CST. I hadn't talked to Meredith or Ryan since 1330, so I assumed things were progressing rapidly. Waiting and wondering was so difficult. We stopped for dinner around 1830. My parents called to see if I'd heard anything and I told them no. They decided to call the hospital and the nurse told them that Meredith was pushing. When my mom called to tell me, I just started sobbing. I wanted to be there so badly. It was so hard for me to imagine her pushing without knowing how she was doing. Her friend was taking photos and videos for them. I have to admit that I wanted to be that friend. I have waited my whole life for my sisters to have their babies. Two of Melissa's boys were born while I lived overseas and the other was born when Jackson was 5 weeks old. I missed all three of their births and did not want it to happen again.

Shortly after I talked to my mom, Meredith's friend called me to say that Madalyn had just been born. I couldn't believe it. I started to cry again. At 1833, Madalyn Suzanne Sauer entered the world at 9 pounds and 7 ounces and 22 inches long with a head full of dark brown hair. My sister was doing great, and after months of preparing for a birth without medication, she had achieved her heart's desire. I desperately wanted to talk to her, but I knew from experience that she was busy with far too many important things (like holding her newborn daughter) and did not need to be talking to me.

My emotions were in a fragile state. I had been waiting all afternoon to hear additional news on my sister. The restaurant was extremely slow and now I was going to have to wait to get to Arkansas. I felt like I couldn't wait on one more thing and reality was sinking in - I was not there to help my sister. I was impatient with Jason and Jackson, which upset me more, and finally my emotions needed some release. I sobbed while Jason pumped our gas and then called my mom to sob to her. Goodness, I don't know what was wrong with me! I put on Jason's ipod and listened to Watermark and Shane & Shane for hours. All of that time singing to/about the Lord helped me tremendously.

Meredith called me around 2200. I was thrilled to talk to her, and our conversation gave me a boost of adrenaline that kept me going for a couple more hours. We arrived in Arkansas just before 0400 on Friday. I slept for a few hours and then woke with too much anxiety to sleep anymore. I was ready to shower and get to the hospital to see my sister. I got ready while Jace and Jackson slept and then ran out the door just after they woke up. I was so excited. I could hardly keep it all in. I felt like my heart was going to explode with joy.

When I saw their family of three, I couldn't believe it. Ryan was so precious holding his new daughter. Like any amazing daddy, he was so tender and attentive. Meredith looked different to me. She was a mom! She had labored for 12 hours and had an amazing reward. I enjoyed my time with the three of them. Ryan told me funny stories about the labor and we looked at tons of pictures. We had a great time looking at Madalyn and thinking about who she resembled. At first glance, she looked so much like Ryan. But after studying her a little closer, I could really see Meredith in her. We knew she'd look different in 24 hours and really different in a couple of weeks, but it was fun to talk about.

My parents arrived at 1230 while I was out grabbing lunch for everyone and picking up Jason and Jackson. I had hoped my dad remembered his pin. After Jackson was born, he wore a pin that said, "I am the Father of a Truly Amazing Daughter." He had just had a colonoscopy the day of Madalyn's birth, so I wasn't sure if he would remember to bring it. Of course he did!

It was wonderful seeing my parents. Jackson was thrilled to see them and they were delighted when they saw him. If Melissa's family and Ronald and Christy had been there, it would have been perfect. I wished so much that they could have been there with us. After my parents saw Madalyn, they said that she looked a lot like my father's mother's baby pictures. We all agreed, and after hearing them say that, I couldn't stop seeing my grandmother in her.

My parents brought Jackson (and Madalyn) Easter bags. They both got bunnies that sing "Jesus Loves Me" and Jackson got a few treats that he was thrilled about. She told him that we'd help him ration them out.

My dad, Papa, holding his first granddaughter and wearing his pin:

This is the only photo that I got of Jason with his first niece. Pretty pathetic! He's barely in the photograph, but that tender hand is the same one that rubbed our newborn's head almost 2.5 years ago.

Jackson was fascinated with "baby Madalyn." He wanted to see her and hold her. If she moved from one person to another, he'd ask, "Where's baby Madalyn?" My mom held her so that he could see her up close. He was very interested in finding her hands and feet.

He wanted to be on the bed near Meredith, but we were hesitant to let him because she was healing from a bad tear. When Meredith was preparing to nurse Madalyn, he asked, "May I sit up here with Aunt Meredith, please?" She let him and he was ecsatic. Again, he wanted to find her hands and then he didn't understand why she wouldn't open them. He was gentle and tender with her. I can't imagine what he's going to be like with his sister.

Will you look at that precious face?! I wish I had baby photos of Ryan, Meredith and my grandmother to compare.

My mom holding her first granddaughter!

Me holding my first niece (and her first girl cousin)!

Sisters!

My mom and her baby girl:

Meredith's doctor wanted her to stay one more night in the hospital. She had a lot of swelling after pushing out her nearly 9.5 pounder, and the doctor wanted to see a little more improvement before allowing her to go home. That evening, I helped her with a sitz bath and then lowered her bed so that she could lay on her side. (Helping her with anything and everything was such a treat for me.) Once she was in bed, I could see the tension leaving her body. She desperately needed to lay flat and to get a good night's sleep.

The next morning, I woke early to shower in case she called and needed anything. I was so glad that I did because just after my shower, Meredith called to ask if I would come up and help her shower. I was thrilled to serve her. When I got there, I noticed a drastic improvement from the night before. She was a different person. I was so happy for her. She showered and ate some breakfast. Then, we walked around the postpartum area of the hospital while Madalyn slept and Ryan tried to sleep. Mer stretched her stiff muscles and then I rubbed her back. Shortly after, the doctor and nurse came in, asked her if she wanted to go home, and gave her the thumbs up to leave when she was ready. They walked out and as soon as the door shut, Meredith said, "Ryan, get up. We're going home!" She couldn't wait to be in her own home.

The Sauer family of three dressed and ready to leave the hospital:

Madalyn safe and secure for her first trip in a car:

Right outside the hospital:

Taking home baby:

Jackson was so excited when we arrived. Once we were all inside, he asked, "May I hold baby Madalyn?" He repeated himself several times because we hadn't given him an answer. He got on the couch and said, "I'm ready to hold baby Madalyn." Then, he took of his sandals (because he knows he can't wear them on the couch) and said, "I'm ready. I'm ready to hold baby Madalyn." It was so precious. Meredith sat down next to him and helped him hold her. He was so happy. Again, he checked her over for hands and feet. He couldn't see her right hand because it was under the blanket and he was very troubled about where it was. We showed him and her fist was tightly clinched. He kept telling her, "Open it. Open it. Don't do it like that." Meredith showed him how to put his finger near hers so that she would clasp it. He was all smiles! A door shutting startled her and she started to cry. I told him to give her a kiss and whenever he put his face next to hers, she stopped crying. He was so pleased and then he asked me, "She's not going to do that anymore?" It was so adorable.

The rain was coming, so we headed outside to get a photo of their new family in front of a 7 foot stork that their friends put in their front yard:

Grammie, Jackson and Papa:

Playing with Grammie's umbrella next to Uncle Ryan's truck, which he loved:

We left Arkansas shortly after they got home because I felt there would be too much commotion in their house if we stayed. I wanted them to have some peace and quiet, which is impossible with a toddler around. While I was changing Jackson's diaper just before we left, I told him that when his baby sister comes out, he can hold her a whole bunch. His eyes widened, he looked at me, and then he asked, "And I can stand up and hold her?!" He is going to be such a helper when our daughter arrives.

Lord, thank You for a wonderful weekend and the opportunity to see half of my family in Arkansas. I am so blessed!