Linna Jane Saigh is here.

Linna Jane Saigh, born 8/8/11 at 7:42 a.m.
7 lbs. 14 oz. and just as perfect as can be! This is
one of my favorite pictures so far of Linna.

On August 8th, 2011 at 7:42 a.m., Papa Saigh and I welcomed 7 lb. 14 oz. Linna Jane Saigh into the world! More to come on the past 72 hours, but here's a little bit about how my labor progressed...

My labor went pretty darn fast. Within eight hours, I went from having my water break at home, to having our baby girl laying on my chest in the hospital! I really tried to keep up with my blogging while we were at the hospital, but there's only so much a girl can handle, right?!

After my contractions started early Monday morning, I decided to get the IV drugs. In just a couple minutes I realized those weren't going to cut it, and we called in the epidural man:) I was so scared for the epidural, but I can honestly say that getting an epidural is no more painful than getting an IV in your arm. My epidural was placed in between some pretty rough contractions and when I was dilated to 4 cm. But once it was in, it was smooth sailing.

Tuckered out lil' lady.

Once the epidural was in place, my nurse told Papa Saigh and I to get some rest and she left the room. Within a few minutes, I was calling her back in because I was feeling a lot of pressure "down there". She checked me and I was already dilated to 8 cm. She went to get another nurse and when she checked me a few minutes later, I was 9 cm, and they were starting to set me up to push! Papa Saigh shot out of his bed, and before we both knew it, I was pushing. I pushed for a little over an hour, and just before 8 a.m., Linna Jane was in my arms.

I watched all of my pushing via a big mirror. I never thought I'd do that, but it was pretty cool! I liked being able to see my progress, but after her head was out, I stopped watching and just pushed (too much blood, etc.). My sister and Papa Saigh were the only ones in the birthing room. My mother-in-law and my brother were in the waiting room, and they came in right after Linna was born. My parents arrived around 11 a.m., as they had been in Worthington, MN for my Grandpa's funeral.

The thing I remember most about Linna's birth, was when they put her on my chest... she was SO warm and small! I remember looking at her thinking, "OMG she looks just like me", but now we don't know who she looks like. Her face was a little bruised and her nose was a little swollen when she came out, and now her face seems like it's changing every few hours. She is so beautiful and perfect!

Mama didn't get around to putting on
makeup, but Linna is all "blinged" out
and ready to go home!

A majority of my contractions were in my back during labor, so I was on the birthing ball during those, and that seemed to help a lot. I can't believe how bad my nether-regions and booty hurt... woof! I have experienced so many emotions over the last 72 hours.

I cry when she cries.

I smile when she passes gas.

Exhaustion.

But mostly an overwhelming feeling of being head over heels in love with my little bean! Words cannot express how much I love my daughter... and I'm even in tears as I write this:) There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. She already has her Daddy and Grandparents wrapped around her little finger, and we can't get enough of her! I want to spend every second of every day with her. I would do the long nights in the hospital all over again, where she'd cry because she couldn't "latch on", had a poopy diaper, was cold and naked, etc. I never sent her to the nursery for a "break" because I just want her close to me. Am I tired because of it?! Yes, but I'm enjoying every second!


Thanks for all of your warm wishes and blessings.  More to come, but right now, this new mama needs her sleep!