Introducing Kelli Mae

She's finally here! After 9 long months of anticipation, Kelli Mae Hodges made her grand entrance into this world on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 12:50 p.m. She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and measured 19 inches long. She is absolutely the most beautiful baby girl in the world! We love her and are so excited to have her in our family.

Our Precious Baby Girl

Michael and Kelli's first meeting. He was so excited to hold her.

Proud Daddy! She already has him wrapped around her finger!

Our first family photo!

Going home from the hospital.

Sleeping Beauty

Her Birth Story

Because I had gone over my due date, my doctor scheduled an induction for Tuesday morning. I could not sleep at all on Monday night because I was uncomfortable and nervous but mostly just excited. I called the hospital at 6:00 a.m. and they told me to be there by 7:00 a.m. We were there at 7:00 on the dot. It took about an hour to get me all settled in, but by 8:20 a.m. I was hooked up to the Pitocin anxiously awaiting my first contraction. I was dilated to a 3 1/2 when I arrived at the hospital, so I only had 6 1/2 more to go. My goal was for her to be born by 1:00. At 10:00 my doctor came and broke my water. I was then at 5 cm. That was when the pain of the contractions really hit me. Up until that point, I thought maybe I could do it without any medication. But by 10:30 I wanted my epidural. I received my epidural at 11:00 and I was then at 6 cm. At about 12:20 I called my nurse because the epidural wasn't working on the left side of my body. I could still feel my contractions. She came in to check me and said, "Um, let's just have a baby. You are ready to go. Let me go call your doctor." I couldn't believe how fast it had gone. By the time my doctor got there and ready it was 12:40. It only took about 4 contractions and Kelli was born at 12:50 p.m. I had accomplished my goal with 10 minutes to spare!!