She's here!!!! Abigail arrived last night at about 7:20. Ash was able to do a regular delivery, she was a complete hoss and example to all of us prego people through the whole thing, and at the end of it all there was an exhausted but happy mommy, an anxious but smitten daddy, and a smooshed but beautiful little girl.

Pictures will be forthcoming when I am not at work.

Her birth experience taught me several things: first, be very careful about who you call and who is allowed into the room, and stick with your wishes. You would think that simply EXPLAINING this to people would be enough, but sometimes it isn't. Find a tough and reliable person who is willing to be a bouncer when people, as well-intentioned (or just plain selfish) as they may be, try to violate the aforementioned rules set down by the parents. Barring that, sic a labor and delivery nurse on them. They're very protective. Second, as Ash put it "I love the epidural and I love the guy that put it in!" You don't have to go all granola to be a Mom. Heck, I may wind up having to have a c-section, and that won't make me an less of a Mom. I grew the little (?) guy for nine months, it counts. Three, calling people to tell them about a new baby is FUN. Fourth, pregnant people without filters do not make good bouncers. We just get mad. Grrrrrrrrrr.

Picture if you will the scenario: the rooms at Norman are huge. You labor, deliver, and recover all in the same place. There are hardwood floors, a table and chairs, a big entertainment center with a TV and a DVD player, and a hide-a-bed for the daddy. Ash was in there at midnight, getting all ramped up. She had the pitocin. And had the pitocin. And had the pitocin some more. And after about 6 hours, she was at a 2. Then came the epidural and calm. Then, about 5 and a half hours later came Abbey.

She really is adorable. We watched at the nursery window as the nurse got her all cleaned up, did all the annoy-the-baby things that they have to do, and put a little pink bow in her hair. She wasn't happy, but Brad is already learning how to soothe her very effectively.

I wonder if the people in there feel like they're in a zoo. Probably, especially when somone who shall remain nameless thinks it's a good idea to bang on the window and ask the nurse to turn the baby. Or hold up the baby. Or ask for numbers about length and head circumference and the like. I really wanted a sign or something.

So, my sister is a hoss (her post-delivery care took about an hour and a half), my brother-in-law is one very enamored Daddy, and my neice is absolutely precious. And with a set of lungs that lets you know she's a Cahill.

Hooray for babies!