Welcome to the world Avery Jo

First of all, both Jess and Avery are healthy and doing well.  Perfect ending to a hectic morning. 

On to the delivery details.  Jess and I spent the day at Grandma and Papa Caudle's house playing bean bags and grilling.  It was a fun day.  As everyone was winding down, and while Zynski was making a daring escape, we decided it was time to head for the hospital as Jess had been having contractions every five minutes or so for an hour or two.  We got to the hospital, and after 15 laps of walking around the labor and delivery unit, they decided Jess really was in labor and that she wasn't going to leave the hospital while she was still pregnant.

Then began the wait.  From 11pm on Saturday until around 3am on Sunday we waited.  Grandma and Papa Caudle and Grandma and Grandpa Kebert took turns visiting with Jess.  Aunt Meg kept her walking the halls and things progressed.  Around 3am Jess decided it was time for the epidural.  Of course, I left for this part, as a needle that big would've scarred me for life.  Right before Jess got her epidural, her water broke and soaked the poor nurse who was downstream. 

Things got a little crazy after that when the awesome nurse noticed some cord alongside our baby.  The nurses acted quickly, professionally and awesomely to get Jess to an emergency C-Section to ensure both mom and baby safely made it through.  Now, let me say that if our baby girl wasn't so cute, she'd be grounded already for playing with her umbilical cord when she clearly shouldn't have been.  The doctor arrived at 5:07 am and after running to the OR, Avery Jo was born at 5:25am. 

Both Mom and Avery are happy and healthy now.  We are trying to rest, but neither of us is really used to sleeping at 11am yet.  Not to mention, this is where they expect me to sleep:

Thanks to everyone who has been calling, emailing, twittering, facebooking, texting, etc.  Please keep the kind thoughts coming.  Jess and I have been down a long road to have a child.  Every finish line that we thought we were close to got pushed away from us.  It is still kind of surreal that we finally reached the end.  I do believe it is true that God wouldn't have sent anything to us that we couldn't handle.  Jess and I had our rough spots during all the bumps, but we made it through as a stronger family, more appreciative for this gift than we'll ever be able to explain.  We look forward to seeing everyone soon as we get our daughter started on her own path.  We'll do our best to keep the pictures and updates coming, but feel free to call or stop by if you can't get enough.

Love,

Kory