Baby Sister Has Arrived!!!

Baby Kate Eva joined the Cullimore family on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 10:50 pm (Central Time). Momma Natasha and Baby Kate both performed admirably. Around 4:00 pm Natasha started feeling "pressure like she felt with James." She continued with her daily activities including, but not limited to, cutting fabric for baby blankets, giving James a bath, and showering/preparing for an evening of happy breathing and baby birthing! At 8:30 we called our friend Sean over to sleep on the couch (shout out to Sean and Kate - not the plus 8 ones - for caring for James last night and today...and possibly tomorrow. We are EXTREMELY grateful for your help!). When Sean arrived we packed the car, and headed off to the hospital!

Natasha had time to convey her severe elation between her every-three-to-five-minute "surges" aka contractions.

We arrived at the hospital between 9:15 and 9:30ish and the nurse hooked her up to the contraction reading machine. She then "checked" Natasha, only to discover that she was fully effaced and dilated to an 8 or 9! (For those of us who are not hip to the labor lingo this means "SHE WAS LOCKED AND LOADED AND READY TO HAVE THE BABY!!!")

Consequently, she was directed to her room where she laid down and continued her baby birthing magic. After a few more contractions she felt like she was ready to push, so the nurses called the doctor. The doctor arrived and after a couple pushes and some strategic breathing Baby Kate emerged triumphant from the womb at 10:50 pm! Both she and Natasha performed wonderfully and are happy, healthy, and safely recovering. I was extremely impressed that Natasha conducted herself so calmly and without an epidural. Woah. I'm sure that when things calm down Natasha will share her thoughts and reflections regarding the experience in a subsequent post, but until then, and without further ado, I present - Baby Kate Eva Cullimore.

Dr. Broome cleaning up Kate. Thank you Doctor, and well done.

Kate with Mom and Dad; don't Mom and Little Kate look great!?!

Mommy and the baby..how precious.

The weigh in. Official Stats: 6 lbs. 8 oz. and 19 inches long. The umbilical cord was not measured.

Sweet Baby Kate.