Introducing the latest member of our family...

Hannah Mae Grace Caldwell arrived on Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 7:59 am, weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs, 1 oz, measuring 21 inches long! What an answer to prayer she is - arriving full term (38 weeks) with no complications for her or Mom. We came home from the hospital yesterday to a house full of girls jumping up and down, so excited to have their baby sister home - never mind Mom. (I don't get near as many kisses and hugs right now... :)

She has lost quite a bit of weight in her first couple of days, but now that Mom's milk is in, we're expecting her to gain it back right away... She's already proving to be a naturally good eater.

Here are a few more fun pictures... Proud Mom & Dad bringing her home yesterday...

Daddy bonding with his little girl. Jeanna and Haley with Hannah Mae.Home at last with my baby girl ...Proud Papa praying over his latest grandchild with the rest of the family looking on... Jessica & Mimi, too.

Daddy & Molly bonding with baby sister.

Our Baby is Here!

Our Baby is finally here! Her name is Hannah Mae Grace Caldwell. She arrived at 7:59am on Thursday May 17th. She weighed in at 9 lbs 1 oz, 21 in. long.

Hannah & Joy are doing well and should be home within the next couple of days. Mimi & Papa (Joy's parents) are here taking care of the rest of the girls, who are all very excited about their new baby sister!

Stay tuned... I'm sure Joy will update this blog with all her important details within the next couple of weeks.

Birthday Party Set for Thursday!

Latest Breaking News from the Caldwell Household....!!!

Today's amnio results revealed that Baby's lungs are almost ready... not ready enough for her to join us today; however, by Thursday - she should be "good to go"... so unless she (or the Lord) has other plans, she is scheduled to arrive by "special delivery" (C-section) on Thursday morning, May 17th!

Stay tuned to this channel for all the latest breaking news and photos...

No Baby Yet...

For those of you "checking in", there's no baby here just yet. The amniocentesis last Friday went well with no complications; though it hurt like crazy and induced heavy contractions. Cervix is dilating but I'm not in active labor... yet. The amnio results basically said that there was still a 20% chance that she could have some respiratory distress if she was delivered then. So though I feel "done", she must not be quite ready and still needs a little more time in the oven. So we wait... and try to keep from going into labor just yet.

My Dr. is out of town at a conference and holidays this week. He says he'll be surprised if I don't deliver while he's gone. (I already had a scare Monday and thought she was on the way - contractions 2 & 3 minutes apart for a couple of hours... but no...) The hospital staff helped me get the labor stopped so we can keep "cooking" her lungs a little longer.

So we get to do like most everybody else... wait 'til she's really ready and go into labor naturally. Then we'll go into hospital and deliver by C-section. Good news is that we really are in the safe zone now. I've carried her full-term - longer than ever before! Yay!!! Every day she stays in, she's that much more ready for a healthy delivery with no complications.

So I here I still sit at home, "Lady in Waiting"... on bed rest now, taking medications to keep her in there for a few days longer, hoping to at least wait until Monday the 14th when Dr. Logen gets back- since he's "the best"! Thanks to all who call, write and visit... the walls are closing in and feeling a bit claustrophobic as I watch the clock and count contractions :) The company and distractions are most welcome!

Thank you all for praying - we'll keep you posted here when the Big day arrives...

Lady in Waiting

Baby Shower - Saturday, April 21st. We were showered with blessings for our new little girl... arriving very soon... Of course, if "she" turns out to be a "he", we'll be totally thrilled, exchanging some outfits and re-decorating the nursery in a hurry!

Yes, this is really "Us"... Baby and I waiting patiently for her arrival! I’ll be 36 weeks tomorrow. I’ve already carried this baby longer than any others, which is HUGE to me. Speaking of huge, I feel huge as I’m already measuring full-term and baby is already estimated at weighing over 8 lbs… we’ll see. I am scheduled to go into the hospital on Friday for an amniocentesis to check on Baby’s lungs for maturity. If her lungs are mature (surfactant is present in the fluid) then we will promptly go into the OR for a repeat C-section. If her lungs are not mature then we’ll still be waiting: a) to go into labor on my own – in which case a C-section will still happen upon arrival at the hospital or b) for Dr. Logen to return from his week off (May 14th) in order to repeat Friday’s process…

My prayer requests are for:

1. Peace and safety through all procedures. (I’m very nervous about the amnio – big long needle – and all that the C-section involves too.)
2. Lung maturity, feeding/swallowing maturity, and temperature control for Baby.
3. Obviously - safe and healthy delivery for Baby and me, with no complications for either.
4. His perfect timing in all!

Thank you all so much for your prayers on our behalf! We’ll keep you updated as to her safe arrival and the answers to your prayers!

Stay tuned for all the details coming soon to this "blog-channel" right here, just for you!