The Next 007

So without going into too much detail, here’s the scoop. My water broke at 3:30 on Saturday (today is the actual due date you’ll notice). I was feeling just fine so we finished setting up the nursery and ate a piece of our rhubarb pie (look, I'm Menno and it was fresh out of the oven). We left for the hospital just after 5 and that's when the first contraction started. I had only been at 2 1/2 cm on Friday afternoon and by 7pm on Saturday I was at 6. By 9, I was at 9 1/2, so I pushed for an hour (So in explanation of the post title: It. Is. HELL. And I am convinced I have now endured enough screaming and torture to at least audition to be the next 007 - oi vey! Seriously, I think the whole block probably heard me – at one point we figured maybe I was scaring her and that’s why through about six contractions, only half her head was out…) and then there she was.

Now here’s the funny story: on Friday at the clinic, we saw Laura & Aaron, the couple from our childbirth ed class who were due exactly a week after us. Laura said the doctor told her if she didn't go into labour on Friday night, she should come in first thing Saturday morning and they would get things started. (I think I posted about that already and yes, I was jealous.) So on Saturday morning, I made them a congratulations card and we were going to just leave it on the windshield of their car. Nope. Our delivery nurse gave it to them instead - they were right across the hall in the birthing wing. :) They ended up having a girl too, so our girls were mere ounces apart, a quarter of an inch apart, and about two hours and technically one date apart and got to be nursery-mates for a couple days. Very fun.

And without further adieu, here she is:

Anja Helena Leanne J.
18 June 07
10:02pm
7lbs, 19 1/4 inches

Oh, and here's the name explanation:

Anja - It's Russian and it means gracious and merciful.
Helena - After Bren's Grama. (Greek for 'light')
Leanne - after five of the most incredible women I know because,
conveniently enough, you all have either Leigh or Anne or Leanne as a middle name.
So, Chandra Anne, Tamra Leanne, Kara Anne, Erin Leigh, and Lindsay E. Anne - thank you for the role you've played in shaping me into the woman I am (and I mean that in the least cliched way possible)!
I love you!

And can I just say: she has the best Dad EVER.