gidget's birth.

Each baby that has come into our family has taught me something.  Gidget has taught me about patience, hope, contentment, and really relying on God's timing.  After two years of trying, a miscarriage, and seven rounds of clomid, I finally found out I was pregnant with Gidget.  The clomid turned me into a crazy person and I did not like it.  It was my seventh month taking it and I couldn't do it anymore.  I decided on my way to the doctor for my monthly blood test to check my ovulation levels that I was done with the clomid.  I felt this feeling of peace and calm and felt completely content with our two beautiful children and that if we were supposed to bring another child to this Earth it would happen in God's timing.  It was two weeks after that appointment that I found out I was pregnant. 

Besides being so hot and uncomfortable pretty much all summer, the pregnancy went well.  I woke up on Thursday, October 4 at 5:30am (39 weeks) to contractions.  They were strong enough to wake me up, but were manageable, so I just kind of waited around and decided to should finish packing my bag!  I told Mike to go to work since he had an important meeting, but told him to be ready to leave really quickly just in case.  12:00 rolled around and Mike got home and the contractions were getting stronger.  I couldn't figure out when to go to the hospital because I didn't want to be sent home, but I also didn't want to have the baby at home.  Around 2:00 Mike and I decided it was time to go.  We got to the hospital and the nurse checked me and I was only a 3.  They decided to keep me for a couple hours to see if I progressed at all because I told them how fast Dottie came.  Finally around 5:30 I got to a 4 and they decided to admit me.  The contractions were really painful and I was ready for an epidural.  The anesthesiologist took a while to come and by the time he finally came I was too far along and things were happening fast that he had to give me a spinal block.  Relief started to come and my doctor came in for the delivery.  Not too long after the relief from the spinal I started to feel a lot of pressure and the contractions again.  The spinal stopped working.  I always wondered what it felt like to have a baby naturally, and now I know.  It was painful and I was shaking uncontrollably and my adrenaline was off the charts.  Finally after a few pushes SHE was here!!!  

Gidget Renee Santiago

Born at 7:30pm. 

6 lbs 13 oz

19 inches long

They laid her on my chest and all that mattered was her. We waited to find out the gender with both Dottie and Gidget and I would do it again.  There is so much anticipation and surprise; I love it so much.  

I was so anxious for the kids to meet her!  They came the next morning and that moment was everything.  I knew Finn would be the best, loving brother.  He is so sweet with babies.  Seeing him cuddle Gidget and rub his nose against her cheek brought me to tears.  He kept calling her Renee (her middle name) because the name Gidget seemed foreign to him, but we could not stop laughing! Dottie thought and still does think that Gidget is her baby and was so excited to be able to hold her.  She had many questions and also made sure to tell me she had a baby in her tummy.  She is a little mommy and cannot wait to be able to really play with her.  

I could relive these moments over and over again.  They are so special to me and I never want to forget them.  I feel really lucky.