Gemma Kayte LeBeau

My niece was born today!! 7 pounds 14 ounces, 12 inches long! She is perfect.

This is my older sister, Dawn's, forth child. My mom also had four children with my dad. They both went in the same order... Girl, boy, boy, girl. So it was as if Dawn's "Jean" was being born. Dawn was in the delivery room when I was born and she really wanted me to be in the room when her little girl was born.

I have never been in a delivery room before. I had an idea of what to expect from my Family and Human Development (my minor) classes... but it was nothing like experiencing it live.

We got there at 7 am. Ready to break her water and have her come naturally after that... but like most things... that didn't go as planned. Her doctor got called into delivery and wasn't going to be there until later on in the day. We started penicillin, pitocin, an antibiotic and a IV for hydration... so many tubes. The pitocin was going to speed along the contractions and basically induce labor. The doctor didn't come until 1:30 ish and then things went fast. He broke her water and her contractions started getting very regular and she dilated up to 7 cm in ten minutes from 4.5... she was also on an epidural so she really didn't feel... well... anything. It must have been a really strong epidural mixture because it basically paralyzed her. She could not move or feel anything from her waist down. It was hilarious. I am so pro-epidural it is ridiculous.

I was not expecting the smell. Birth has a smell. Very interesting lesson to learn. Awesome. Kinda. Moving on... It was magical. So wonderful. Not gross at all, or scaring which I was half expecting... It was simply beautiful. This little person came out of my sister... this perfect being. She was so well mannered too... she hardly cried, thought the doctor wanted her to continue... she opened her eyes immediately and was looking around, opening her mouth... just seeing what the world was all about... It was so precious. I was the first to hold her after her mom and dad... I was the only family member besides them in the delivery room. My sister really went above and beyond to make me feel special today. It was so kind of her.

Dawn and Craig's oldest daughter just turned 4 two months ago. Her next is 2, turning 3 in April, and her last boy is 18 months. Now she has a newborn. Yeah... she is getting her tubes tied tomorrow morning. Good decision?

Baby Gemma is beautiful. I can't wait to see her again tomorrow!!!