A new arrival!

Our 8th child, Emma Ray Aldrich arrived on January 6, 2010 at 5:53 am.
She weighed in at 6 lbs. 6 oz. and was 18 1/4 inches long.
Emma has red hair and has already wrapped everyone around her tiny fingers!

Emma Ray Aldrich

Mama showing off Emma's red hair!

Mama and Emma

Emma's delivery was scary for us. We were being induced to help control the delivery, so we checked into the hospital on the night of January 5. The doctor started me on cervidil, and I started having contractions around 11 pm. I stayed dilated at 2 cm all night long having really strong contractions that did nothing. I couldn't get an epidural since "I wasn't making any progress!" By 5 am, I was shaking horribly and hurting so badly, I finally agreed to take a narcotic for the pain.

It helped for a little while, but made me feel like I was on an old fashioned record that had a scratch on it that kept playing on PAIN! The room was spinning and then we would hit the scratch again (another contraction) I started screaming around 5:30 and the nurse finally checked me a few minutes later and discovered that I was now at a 9! So she hurried and called the doctor and tried to keep me from delivering before the doctor arrived. It didn't work! I delivered Emma naturally without the epidural and the nurses directing the delivery of Emma. The cord was around her neck and they were hurrying to clamp it and cut it off of her. They kept telling me not to push and I really tried my best, but my body was working on its own and she was born in a few minutes! One nurse worked on me and the other one took Emma over to the side and worked on her for 10 minutes before she cried. She was having trouble breathing. Her apgar was 3 but after they worked on her she improved to a 8. My doctor finally arrived and they let me deliver the placenta. I was so relieved to have Emma here safely!

We stayed in the hospital till the 7th than came home. We are so grateful to be home. Carina did a great job watching the kids for us while we were in the hospital. The other kids all helped out with their best behavior. Everyone loves our little Emma and we are thrilled she is part of our family!