Raya Abigail Ritter!!

Get this Baby out! -- off to the hospital: lalalalala Labor .... so here's the rundown: Jeff and I left for the hospital at 8:00 am in the morning, for some strange reason (not that being 9 months pregnant is any excuse) I was emotional -- it was leaving Seth and Levi, I hate leaving them -- seriously, the only time I've really been away from Seth is was when Levi was born, and this is my first time being away from Levi. SO, at 10:30 I began my inducement. My nurse was absolutely AMAZING, she even tucked Jeff in for a nap with blankets she warmed in the microwave. I really felt like we had a special relationship, did I say she was amazing? -- I need to get a picture of her. Once I got settled, I realized how nice this was. Ok, mothers when was the last time you had a room absolutely silent, with not obligations? Suffice it to say I took full advantage of the comfy bed and fridge stocked with chocolate milk. Around 12:00 my water began leaking, this has never happened, I've always had to have my water ruptured -- and once it was ruptured the baby was out in 2 hours .. so they sent for the epidural with the thought the baby would come out soon. --- but my water leaked slowly. It didn't bother me though I was still relaxing, but no longer able to drink chocolate milk. Around 4:30 (everyone was under the impression that my water was gone at this point) I began feeling nauseous... so they checked me and I still had water. WHAT! that's why this was taking so long -- I was getting hungry too, so I started moving and finally decided that I should probably get this thing going. Apparently I have 5 times the normal amount of water than the average woman, and my sac is a lot tougher. My Dr. came and broke the rest (to many nurses disbelief) of my water at 5:40, then everything happened so fast. In a second I had tears in my eyes and was yelling for Jeff to "PRESS THE BUTTON!!!" (meaning my epidural) I heard my nurse yell "grab a gown, call for another nurse, I don't have anything ready it's all outside the door!" My doctor yell, "Rachael, just breath through it and don't push!" Raya was born at 5:45. I was laughing while I pushed, it was so ridiculous. It's a good thing I didn't break the water myself! I'd of had a baby on the floor. but also... it's a shame Dr. Tren was swamped at the office and couldn't come sooner, because I could of had this baby a lot sooner. Anyways Raya was born 8 pound 8 ounces 20.6 inches. And here's her first bath --- SHE HAS HAIR! I love that she looks different than the boys. When Levi came out, I was like "oh, another Seth."My boys with my girl :) We love our little girl!