Our daughter is born!

Announcing the birth of Birdie Vera Miner, born on June 22 at 9:30pm!
3.468 kg (7 lbs, 10 oz)
52 cm long (20.5 in)

Birdie was the name of one of Aaron's great-grandmothers, and Vera is a Russian name, which is also the Russian word for "faith."

Here's the story:

Thursday, June 18- I have a doctor appointment in the afternoon. He checks me and says my cervix is "preparing," and that he thinks it won't be much longer... He wants to see me again on Monday afternoon.

Friday, June 19- In the morning I wake up feeling contractions coming regularly, every 10 or 11 minutes. I think, "This is the day!" Aaron cancels his language lesson with the man he is tutoring in English. Later in the morning, though, the contractions stop. False alarm!

Saturday, June 20- Feeling good. Aaron and I have tickets to see a ballet at the Mariinsky Theater. It's a performance of the graduates from the St. Petersburg ballet academy. Unfortunately, Aaron has a bad sinus headache, so I go with my friend Alyona. We have awesome seats (row 3!) and really enjoy it.

Sunday, June 21- I announce at church that my doctor thinks I'll have the baby sometime this week. Someone comments, "Maybe tomorrow!"

Monday, June 22- Doctor appointment in the afternoon. Surprise! I'm already dilated 4 cm! My doctor says he thinks we'll meet at the Roddom (birth house) at 5 or 6 that evening, and the labor will be starting. (It's like he has it all planned out!) Later on, I'm feeling more contractions. I call him and he says, "Meet me at 6:00." At 6pm, Aaron and I walk to the Roddom (only about 5 minutes away). We do a load of paperwork (couldn't some of this have been done earlier?) They take us to the delivery room, hook me up to a monitor to watch the contractions, and right away they start getting stronger and closer together. After about 15 minutes, the doctor comes back in and says it's time for the epidural. Just about the time the epidural kicks in, it's almost time to start pushing! At 9pm, Aaron asks the nurse how much longer she thinks it will be. She says she thinks maximum 12am; minimum 10 or 11pm. Birdie was born at 9:30pm!! I couldn't believe how fast everything went! Praise the Lord! A much different experience than when Lydia was born.

Here's a slide show of the birth pictures. Aaron was quite the photo-journalist and captured the experience well!

I would have been able to come home from the Roddom on Thursday, but when they checked my blood, I had a high leukocyte (white blood cell) count. So they kept me longer and started giving me IVs with antibiotics. They thought I must have some kind of infection, although I felt fine the whole time. The only symptom was a slight high temperature one night. I finally got to come home on Monday (the 29th). I couldn't wait to get home, but at least the long hospital stay gave me plenty of time to rest and recover. Birdie was in the room with me the whole time. Aaron was the only one allowed to visit. I could have had other visitors, but they would have had to have a recent chest X-ray to be allowed in.

Aaron's mom is visiting right now. She arrived on the Thursday after Birdie was born. It's been great to have her here to watch Lydia and help out with cooking & cleaning. It was good to come home from the hospital and find everything in order in the house!