Emma Louise Hawkins

After about 3 strong pushes....she was OUT! I went into the hospital around 7am and had Miss Emma at 4:05. She is absolutely adorable and looks alot like Will when he was a newborn. She has blondish hair which neither of the boys had at birth. It will be interesting to see if she keeps the blond locks. After the pediatrician looked her over after birth, they noticed a small murmur in her heart. The next day she had an echocardiogram to see if anything was wrong. They have discovered a small hole in her heart called a VSD. They also discovered something called a PDA. Which is something at the top of her heart that needs to be closed and it has remained open. Apparently this heart condition is very common and both of these defects should closed and repair on their own over time. They are NOT life-threatening and shouldn't affect her quality of life. The best case scenerio would be they close and repair on their own. The worst case scenerio would be to surgical repair the defects. We went to the Pediatric Cardiologist yesterday to do another echo on Emma to see if the opening at the top of the heart (PDA) had closed and thankfully it has closed! The little hole in her heart is still 4 mm and the cardiologist was very encouraging to say that she feels it will close on it's own. Apparently 4mm is very small and they are not too worried about this being able to close on its own. CLosing could take weeks to months or even years. But all the docs say this is not life-threatening and will not affect her quality of life in the least. That makes me feel better!
We go back to the cardiologist on Aug. 31 to do another echo so we will update then.
Please continue to pray for her and her little heart. Pray that this will close soon and that she will be a healthy little girl! God has already given Matt and I an extrodinary amount of peace about this. Of course we were worried at first, but we have been praying for peace and for healing.
Emma is a wonderful, peaceful baby. She rarely cries so when she does, Matt and I just look at each other and say..."Oh, how cute her cry is!" HOw long will that last? Not too long Im sure!
Everyone is fine here, just trying to adjust to little sleep and to a new life inside our home. The boys love their sister. Wanting to hold her every chance they get! Well, I better go tuck the boys in their bed. Finally a moments peace in the house! Ha HA!

Love,
STeph

Nana came down and let the boys cool off by eating popscicles on the living room floor!
Matt and the boys went to Home Depot early one Sat. morning to make these tool boxes. Me and the boys painted them to make them extra special.
Jake is really focusing on making his "just right."
Mom painting Baby Emma's room!
I am ready to have this baby girl!

Family Shower for me and Paige
My cousin Dawn is pregnant too! Having a girl in December!
The Yummy cake for our shower!
Will and Jake riding in our neighbors' little red mustang

We spent the night in T-town one weekend and Dad decided to play pregnant too!

Well, one week from today we should have a little girl to welcome to our family! My doctor wants to induce me one week from my actual due date because of my Graves Disease and some high blood pressure issues I had after I had Jake. I went to the Doctor a couple of weeks ago and they estimated her weight by ultrasound and she was weighing 6lbs 10oz. at that time. They estimate she may weigh around 8 lbs -8 1/2 lbs. So I am somewhat relieved that they will be inducing her b/c she could be well over 9 lbs if delivered at my actual due date. That would not be fun! Ha !

I have been feeling pretty good considering it's been 100 degrees outside and 9 months pregnant. The boys and I have been trying to stay inside most of the day. Usually around 6 or 7pm we all go outside and play with the neighborhood kids for a few hours. One of my neighbors, Ashley, was due Monday (8/6). As of today, she hasn't delivered yet. So, we are usually sitting on my porch under the fan with swollen ankles and drinking lots of water watching the kids get red faced and worn out! She should be delivering her baby sometime this week. HOPEFULLY!

I took the boys out one day last week when it was scorching hot to a wonderful inside jumping gym called "Jump Zone" It's only a few minutes from my house and they loved jumping and playing and getting all that energy out. I had fun just sitting around watching them play.

I have to say that I am extremely excited about bringing baby Emma home to this wonderful house. I truly believe that the home that Matt and I have created is just perfect and very happy. I know that she will be loved and have so much fun here. I believe that she is meant to be here. I believe she is a little miracle and can't wait for her to meet her other little miracles called brothers. Will and Jake are getting excited about their little sister. Just the other day Jake said, " Where is baby sister? Is she out yet?" I said , "Not yet. Just a short while and she will be here." He is going to be the more jealous one, I think. He has always been so close to me. Will has too, but it's been different with Jake. Jake has always been more "baby" acting. It's hard to believe he is 3 years old! I know he is going to seem so big when we bring this tiny baby home. Will is going to look like a teenager Im sure! Ha!

I also cannot believe I will be having 3 children. I don't seem old enough or mature enough to have 3 children. Only old people have 3 kids! Ha!!!!!! I guess God thinks I can do this. I hope I don't disappoint Him.

Tomorrow, our friends and good neighbors, Bonnie and Nancy will be taking the boys out for most of the day. They want to give Matt and I one last break before I have this baby! They are going to take the boys to Chick Fil-A and then back to their house to make cookies and play! They just live about 2 blocks over in our neighborhood. They are wonderful friends that we've known for about 6 years now. I've had a couple of baby showers in the last couple of months. Paige gave me one with all my girlfriends and then my Mom gave Paige and I a double shower a couple of weeks ago with all of our family. That was so much fun! Paige was having some contractions that day, so she wasn't having so much fun. She has been having some pre-term contractions b/c of her demanding work schedule and just stress with her job. She was on bed rest for about 4 days and then went back to work. She says she's been feeling much better but she still has a few contractions a day. The Dr. doesn't seem to worry as long as her cervix hasn't dilated or anything. Hopefully she will just rest as soon as she gets in from work and drink lots of water!Mom came up here last week to help paint the nursery and fix up some stuff around the house that I needed help with. The nursery looks so cute with the green walls and all the pink accents around the room. This weekend I will be stenciling her name on the wall above the crib. Mom and I hung some cute wooden/decorative flowers on the wall yesterday when she came up.

Well, I better go see what we are going to have for dinner tonight. It will have to be something with hamburger meat. The boys and Matt have been wanting Sloppy Joes, so I guess I will fix that. YUM YUM!

For those that will read this before I have this child, please say a special prayer that everything will go good during the delivery. Pray that Baby Emma will be born healthy and safe and that I will be healthy and safe too. I am especially nervous about the induction b/c I've never been induced before. I pray that the baby is ready and that I am ready. Just pray that everything goes perfect with this delivery. God had taken good care of me and this baby during the pregnancy, I pray the delivery and afterbirth will be perfect as well.

Steph