The Baby Announcement

I'm back! Did you miss me?

Okay, I'm not really back, but I'm getting there. As of June, Writerly Wednesdays will start up again, but only one every two weeks until I feel like a human being again. (Which is coming along quite nicely.)

SO, I've had enough requests to share my news:

Kirianna (Kir-ee-ahn-ah) Seraleis (Sarah-lees) 

was born Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 7:08 PM, 

weighing 8 lbs, 7 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. 

She was born at home with an incredible midwife and staff (email if you're in central Florida and would like a recommendation), after 4 days of labor and almost no sleep.

Now the quick story:

"Sera" (we have a tradition of going by middle names in this house,) is a true miracle baby. I've been wanting another baby for 5 years. Maybe I'm crazy because the next youngest is BEYOND a handful and my oldest is starting into college this fall. (No, I'm not that old. He's advanced. Really advanced.) Regardless, I've felt this need to expand our family for years, but the hubby wasn't ready. By the time he was, our youngest was 7 years old. We spent a year trying to conceive--a year riddled with disappointment, early miscarriages, and the fear that perhaps it wasn't in the cards. In fact, I'd decided it wasn't going to happen. We started building a house. We sold our old house and moved into temporary housing. Book 2 was headed out to the big bad world...

And that's when we learned little Sera was on her way.

My miracle baby.

Fast forward 9 months... I have never aspired to experience a natural birth. Ever. I'm a doctor's daughter (and granddaughter) who firmly believes that modern medicine is inspired and should be used. I suppose that's why we were shocked by the intense feeling that we should attempt a home birth.

Insanity, right?

But it went well.

My midwife has delivered well over 1,000 babies and was shocked when she saw the placenta. The main arteries that nourish the baby were where the "water breaks." (That's SO not normal.) In fact, my water broke right along one of the arteries. She told me that had my water broken across an artery, my baby would not have survived. As in, had we gone to the hospital and a well meaning practitioner blindly broke my water, it's very likely my little girl would have been a fatality. A stillbirth. 

We feel beyond blessed. Humbled and blessed. Every time I hold Sera I'm reminded what a miracle she is. (And I do that a TON--the holding.) I'm totally sleep deprived, completely in love, and beyond overjoyed.

So A to Z-ers (and everyone else), what have you been up to the last month? Eat any unique cheeses? Read/write any amazing books?

P.S. I've got a couple FREE (and amazing) reads for you at Lightning Quick Reads: 

THEY CALLED ME LUCKY

DEALING WITH DJINN

Leave me some comment love, eh? (I promise to return it.)