The Daniels in Action: Everly Rose Daniels

Our sweet baby Everly Rose arrived and we are loving her so much!

Everly Rose Daniels

5:17 pm

6 lbs 13 oz

19 ½ inches long

This birth was so much different than our other children. Each one really has their own story about how it all came to be. On the morning of the day she was born I went with the girls to the Apple to do my swimming water aerobics class. While I was doing the class I started to have some pretty hard contractions. They were only every 15 minutes, but they were painful enough that I had to stop swimming until they passed. I just continued on as usual waiting to see how things played out. The contractions kept coming, but were so spread apart that in between each one I'd convince myself that it wasn't bad and definitely wasn't labor. Then I'd have one and say, no that hurts, this is labor. I headed home and Zac was still there so we decided to farm the girls out and head to the doctor's office. We ultimately ended up at the hospital around 12:30 and things very very slowly progressed. I had been at a 4 for 3 ½ weeks and 80% effaced and in all those contractions I only got to be a 6. Dr. Alphin suggested that I should just get an epidural and then he'd break my water to move things along. After some deep thought I decided to go along with it. The contractions were more frequent, but they weren't horrible yet so it was a new experience for sure. The epidural turns out to be pretty painful when it's not being compared to excruciating contractions. But it was so worth it! There is nothing like sitting there watching yourself have a horrible contraction on the monitor and feeling nothing. It was wonderful. I actually started feeling the contractions and they were hurting and the nurse guessed that I was probably ready to deliver. That was about an hour after they had broken my water.

When Dr. Allphin got back everything was ready to go and he asked Zac if he wanted to deliver our little girl. Zac was on board and did an amazing job. It was wonderful that I wasn't in pain so there wasn't that horrible tension in the room that usual happens when I have a baby. It was really cool to experience that with him. Now I guess he'll know what to do if we ever had a 5th baby and I had to deliver in the car. She barely cried and just loved to be snuggled and nursed. This was by far my easiest and most trouble free birth of them all, Everly gets a gold star!

The kids came to meet Everly that night with Grandma Packer. They were all so excited and so in love right away. It was very sweet.

We also got a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Durtschi that night. New babies are so exciting!

Zac brought the kids back again to visit after school the next day. It was so fun to have them all there. We somehow missed getting a family picture at the hospital...but worse things have happened and I think we'll survive.

That night we got a visit from Adam and Sheena and Grandma and Grandpa Daniels. Everly loved getting smooched on by them all.

While I was at the hospital, Zac did an all star job of being the dad and the mom. He got these little ladies ready for school and even fixed their hair! I was so impressed and mostly just grateful to have such an awesome husband. He was worn out between work, kids and football. It was a very busy week.

The first time Adeline saw me nursing she was so confused and surprised and curious. She watched for a while, asked a few questions, watched some more and then ran off to get her baby so she could nurse too. It was so sweet.

Everyone loves having a sweet baby at home. When she is awake there is a constant line for who is holding her next. Eloise loves to pick her up and carry her and Adeline is always trying to follow in sister's footsteps. All of it makes me very nervous!

Everly's bilirubin levels were pretty high so she had to have a billi blanket for a few days, but the levels came right down and she is doing great now!