{BABY} Madelyn Leigh Shotton

She made it!  On day 284 of the pregnancy at 11:53 PM on St. Patricks's Day - Madelyn Leigh Shotton made her debut!

On Monday we went to the doctor for an appointment at 3:30 pm and they told us that we would be checking in at midnight to the hospital to begin the process....what?  We were a little surprised but we were ready to get the show on the road!

In order to get things moving, the doctor started a process that led to me having contractions at home around 7:30 pm and by the time we left for the hospital at 11:30 pm I really thought I was going to have the baby ASAP.

Once at the hospital I was admitted and given an epidural.  That was my saving grace - I have never been in so much pain in my life - I was contracting every two minutes and could not see straight.  After the epidural I was just fine!  However, nothing was happening, a lot of contractions but the baby was not making any progress.   So, after over 20 hours of waiting on the baby to move down (which she never did) our doctor decided it was time for a C-Section (we had also broken my water, tried stretching, etc).  This was at 10:30 PM... my doctor arrived at 11:00 PM and realizing it was an hour until the end of St. Patrick's Day wanted us and the OR to deliver a St Patty's Day baby.  Believe  me when I say this, if our doctor wants something done - it happens!

After a LARGE dose of more epidural medicine for me the process began at 11:30 PM and by 11:53 PM we had a baby!  Our doctor's first words were "We have a chunk!" which was funny because that's what we had begun to call her too!

Truly, even though the process was long and drawn out, I was not in a lot of pain (with the exception of the hours between 7:30 PM to 1:00 AM on Monday/Tuesday).   Thanks to modern medicine, the baby and I were fine and everything went very smoothly.   Now we have been staying at the "hotel" otherwise known as Scottsdale Healthcare Shea since Monday night and we will be leaving on Saturday, if all goes to plan!  The staff here is amazing and we have been well taken care of!

Now begins the next chapter and we are already loving every minute of it!