I was sitting in a hospital bed, eating breakfast, and marveling over my tiny sleeping daughter. Here's the story, if you haven't heard it:
The day before Joanna was born was Ash Wednesday, and Matt and I were both feeling pretty sick with colds. I was having major back pain and it took all my effort just to walk. We both came home early from work and went to bed early. I woke up at about 12:30am to my water breaking. I had worried up to that point that I might not know it was happening. There was no mistaking that situation! I walked to the bathroom, quietly calling Matt to wake up. I had to work up to a hearty yell before he stirred. (I think he had taken some Nyquil.) I called my mom, we gathered our stuff, and we headed to the hospital. I was trying to time contractions on the way but they were pretty gradual at that point. We were able to park pretty close to the emergency entrance and had no trouble finding where we were supposed to be. The lady at the desk gave Matt a visitor pass and found an orderly and a wheelchair for me. We headed up to labor and delivery, where a plethora of nurses stood waiting, just for me. :) I was weighed, taken into a delivery room and given a gown to put on. My nurse (Shannon, I think) checked, and found I was dialated to 6cm. Joanna was not waiting around, I tell you. My next memories are not exactly timeline events, just bits and pieces of labor and delivery. I had 3 nurses (no kidding) all to myself for most of this. It was great. Matt got pretty woozy and had to sit down and drink juice a couple of times. I threw up during labor -- just once, and felt tons better. I labored some on my hands and knees which felt good. The pressure of the band they put around my belly to hold the monitor on actually felt good. I was pouring sweat everywhere. I even sweated my first IV out; they graciously gave me another. I couldn't figure out how to turn the TV off, so it ended up muted on a spanish channel. I kid you not, the doctor on call watched this while I was pushing. I could tell when I was actually making progress by whether she was looking at the TV. Pushing is hard. It took a while before I kind of figured it out. The first few tries I don't think my body was quite ready to push. When it got ready, pushing got easier. I did all of this drug-free, which I totally recommend. When Joanna was born (3:38am), I didn't realize it until my nurse got my attention and made me look down. (I kind of out of it, if you can imagine.) She was pretty goopy, but really pretty! We gave her her name, Joanna Rose Pence. I know I got to hold her for a bit, and they took her and weighed her and cleaned her up a little. I was shaking and shivering while the doctor stitched me up. Then I got to hold Joanna again, I think, before they took her for her bath and stuff. Matt, camera in hand, went with her. Matt probably remembers more of these kinds of details. I remember being really hungry afterward but having to wait for a while for breakfast. We stayed in the labor room all day because all the recovery rooms were full. I remember having visitors, which was nice. I spent the next couple of days really sore, very hungry, and in kind-of a daze. I actually enjoyed being in the hospital for those couple of days; everything was right there, and I could ask all kinds of questions. I also really enjoyed getting home. It was like a whole different place with Joanna. I can hardly remember my life before, and I don't particularly want to.
Here are some very early, never before blogged, pictures of Joanna. The first few are kind of, um, gory. Sorry! The first one is her 5th picture ever taken.
The day before Joanna was born was Ash Wednesday, and Matt and I were both feeling pretty sick with colds. I was having major back pain and it took all my effort just to walk. We both came home early from work and went to bed early. I woke up at about 12:30am to my water breaking. I had worried up to that point that I might not know it was happening. There was no mistaking that situation! I walked to the bathroom, quietly calling Matt to wake up. I had to work up to a hearty yell before he stirred. (I think he had taken some Nyquil.) I called my mom, we gathered our stuff, and we headed to the hospital. I was trying to time contractions on the way but they were pretty gradual at that point. We were able to park pretty close to the emergency entrance and had no trouble finding where we were supposed to be. The lady at the desk gave Matt a visitor pass and found an orderly and a wheelchair for me. We headed up to labor and delivery, where a plethora of nurses stood waiting, just for me. :) I was weighed, taken into a delivery room and given a gown to put on. My nurse (Shannon, I think) checked, and found I was dialated to 6cm. Joanna was not waiting around, I tell you. My next memories are not exactly timeline events, just bits and pieces of labor and delivery. I had 3 nurses (no kidding) all to myself for most of this. It was great. Matt got pretty woozy and had to sit down and drink juice a couple of times. I threw up during labor -- just once, and felt tons better. I labored some on my hands and knees which felt good. The pressure of the band they put around my belly to hold the monitor on actually felt good. I was pouring sweat everywhere. I even sweated my first IV out; they graciously gave me another. I couldn't figure out how to turn the TV off, so it ended up muted on a spanish channel. I kid you not, the doctor on call watched this while I was pushing. I could tell when I was actually making progress by whether she was looking at the TV. Pushing is hard. It took a while before I kind of figured it out. The first few tries I don't think my body was quite ready to push. When it got ready, pushing got easier. I did all of this drug-free, which I totally recommend. When Joanna was born (3:38am), I didn't realize it until my nurse got my attention and made me look down. (I kind of out of it, if you can imagine.) She was pretty goopy, but really pretty! We gave her her name, Joanna Rose Pence. I know I got to hold her for a bit, and they took her and weighed her and cleaned her up a little. I was shaking and shivering while the doctor stitched me up. Then I got to hold Joanna again, I think, before they took her for her bath and stuff. Matt, camera in hand, went with her. Matt probably remembers more of these kinds of details. I remember being really hungry afterward but having to wait for a while for breakfast. We stayed in the labor room all day because all the recovery rooms were full. I remember having visitors, which was nice. I spent the next couple of days really sore, very hungry, and in kind-of a daze. I actually enjoyed being in the hospital for those couple of days; everything was right there, and I could ask all kinds of questions. I also really enjoyed getting home. It was like a whole different place with Joanna. I can hardly remember my life before, and I don't particularly want to.
Here are some very early, never before blogged, pictures of Joanna. The first few are kind of, um, gory. Sorry! The first one is her 5th picture ever taken.
Happy Birthday Joanna!
We've been trying to get everyone together for play day for some time now. We almost had it on Friday except we were missing Aidan. Poor Caleb was the only boy, and I think he felt it. :) 
Then she pushed him out.
Oh, well. 
Later, Caleb came by and pushed it over for her so she could crawl inside.
Fun. 
Then, as soon as his turn was finally here, pure bliss!
Joanna picked this spatula up from the play kitchen and carried it everywhere with her, even in the makeshift walker, a.k.a. the kitchen chair.
My mom found these things called Baby Mum Mums that are rice husks, which doesn't sound very exciting. But they're long boat-shaped little rice crackers that babies can feed themselves and they're NOT MESSY. Joanna loves them, and Abby got to try one on Friday.
She had no problem with them, and I think she thought they were pretty fabulous. Joanna got a birthday present early from a friend at church, and I couldn't stop myself; we had to open it. It was pure torture for the 17 minutes we waited to see what was inside. :) It was this sweet little doll named Baby Stella who has a magnetic pacifier for her mouth! As soon I finally got it out of the package, Joanna took her, put her over her shoulder, and patted her very sweetly.
It was soooo cute! Her favorite thing to do with Baby Stella is take the pacifier off her mouth, try to put it back on, have Mommy help, take it off, try to put it back on, succeed!, then take it off again. It's cute. She's so nurturing -- Ha! Did I mention this was a long post? No? Oh, well... keep reading. 
I have been so amazed at it; it just kept blooming and blooming and blooming. It finally went kaput in the storm last weekend. It sure had a good existance if you ask me. We celebrated Matt's dad's birthday this weekend.
He turned a big age, but I'm not telling which one. We were over at Aunt Mindy's house and her dog Rusty was outside. Joanna was pining for him at the door, but he didn't pay her any attention -- is that sad, or what?
Okay, were nearing the end of this post...really. 
The sleeves have a little embroidery on them -- so sweet! 
Okay this next part is just for kicks. I ran across this picture that was taken on February 17th of last year.
As you can see I was pretty pregnant and quite swollen. I though it would be fun to take a picture on the same day this year in the same place wearing the same thing. What a difference a year (and about 75 pounds) makes.
We were married at the church at 4:00. It was a beautiful day! 
Matt made us taste it, and it actually wasn't the worst thing I've ever eaten. Luckily, the same friend who made us the wedding cake prepared a small anniversary cake. It was really good and didn't taste cold or mushy or old. 
We even let Joanna pose with us even though she sure wasn't there two years ago.
We bought Joanna a big car (for when she's a little older). Before we put it in the garage for a while, I let her take a test drive.
She can go backwards. And she can slide down underneath it and get stuck. 
We had several tries before she kept this hat on long enough for me to snap a picture.
Now for this weekend. It was basically a plain ol' weekend, but we ended up pretty busy. Friday afternoon, Joanna and I decided to go up to the high school to see her cousin Kurt's basketball game. It was the first time I'd been back to the high school in a while, and whoa, the construction is crazy over there! It was Joanna's first time in a high school and first basketball game ever. I think she liked it. She got used to the buzzer pretty fast. I ran into a friend from high school who was there watching her little brother play. So I got to show miss sweet Joanna off a little! 
Look at that smile!! 
Yup. That's me. It was kind of fun, actually. After my high-walking adventure, I started getting Joanna's "new" rocking chair ready to paint. We found this little rocking chair that was in good shape but needed a redesign. So here is it's transformation: Red with a little white heart
After some sanding 
Primed white
Dancing Green! (like all of her other furniture) 
The only thing left I want to do is either get a stencil or convince someone I know who is fabulous at painting roses (ahem, Grandma) to paint a rose on the back (where the heart was in the first picture). Then it will be all ready for Joanna's birthday (shhh, don't tell her!). Here is Joanna looking on at me working on the chair.
After all the outside work, Matt took Joanna inside, and she cuddled up to him and fell asleep! That was definitely the first in a while. So precious!
Finally I will leave you with Joanna's first roller coaster ride. (Not really, of course, but I thought that's what she looked like -- like she was going down a roller coaster.)
