Introducing.....

Well, Lily Starling Hardee is here, in full force. She made her long awaited debut July 20, 2010 at 2:01 pm. After two days of labor and an epidural that didn't work our baby girl was born, weighing in at 8 lbs 3 oz and measuring a whopping 21.5 inches long. As a new mother I would like to say no one prepares you for the actual reality of what motherhood is. You are not warned that you will never have the same amount of sleep again and you probably won't be sleeping with your partner in the same bed for any amount of time. No one tells you that for the fourth night in a row of being up at 3 am with a screaming baby, you may not like the baby you have birthed very much. But somehow you muddle through.......

I just want to say I don't know what I would do without my husband, especially the first three weeks. He was there to take over when I could take no more, not to mention putting in overtime at work so we can afford the SUPER expensive formula that we need to feed Lily.

Lily is the missing piece to our puzzle, we love her like we have never loved anything else. I am so happy to have made it through those first few very rough weeks so now I can appreciate the blessing Brad and I have been handed. Sammy has adjusted just fine, much to my relief, and he loves her too. He is very protective of her and allows her to kick, drool and share my lap with no complaints. LOL.

Every day I cannot wait to get home to see that cute little face and get kisses and smiles! Brad and I talk to her about the stuff we are going to do as a family once she is old enough. She likes to sit on the kitchen table in her "bouncey" and "help" me cook supper. Everyone always told me there was nothing like motherhood, I never believed them until now. I never knew something so tiny could hold the biggest piece of my heart.

I am so thankful for a happy, healthy baby. God truly creates miracles when babies are born and I am so happy he has entrusted us with ours!