Introducing Emerson Leigh Kennedy

We are so excited to announce the arrival of our little girl, Emerson Leigh Kennedy! As I think of all that I want to put into this post, I hope I can find the words. This past week has been life-changing, in all the best ways! On Tuesday (November 8th -- Election Day), I went to the gym like usual and then worked a normal day at UNCG. Boomer had a soccer game at school that evening, so I was on my own for dinner. I stopped by a Kernersville restaurant called Cagney's for my go-to pregnancy craving: a small cheese pizza. As I was waiting for Boomer to come home and watching the election results, I started to feel cramping, but I wasn't really sure what that could mean. Boomer arrived home around 9PM, and as we watched TV in bed, I felt that maybe it was more than cramping. We searched online 'Braxton Hicks symptoms' and other pre-labor signs, but by 11PM, it seemed like the real thing! I started recording the time of each contraction; around 3AM, they were about 4 - 6 minutes apart. Boomer had stayed up late to watch the election results, so with neither of us getting much sleep, we set off to the hospital around 4AM. Oh, but we took one last baby bump picture!

 It is now Wednesday, November 9th -- my due date! Just a few days before, I was worried that I was going to go late and have to be induced. Of course Boomer picked on me for being concerned! But now, here we were going to the hospital on the exact day that had been marked on my calendar since March. We made a quick stop through the drive-thru at McDonald's, and then we checked in. When we first arrived, I was at 2 cm (10 cm being go-time!), so hospital staff wanted me to walk the halls a bit to see if there were any changes. I walked for about an hour and then was at 3 cm. At that time, I was officially admitted. For the next several hours, there were times of long waiting and then times when things went by so quickly! Boomer and I still look back at it all as a blur!

I got to 6 cm and stalled for a bit. That was frustrating! They cut back the epidural to get things moving again. Up until that point, my pain had been minimal. I hardly knew when I was having a contraction! Mom, Dad, Meg, and Boomer were all in the room as we waited to get to that magic number 10! They were great to distract and encourage me. It was a long wait (and two shift changes later!) when I finally hit 10 cm around 10PM. We took one last pic of just Kennedy Party of 2, and then Mom, Dad, and Meg went to the waiting room to hear the news.

 It seemed like there was still a chance that the baby would be born on the due date...but two hours of pushing later, we were closing in on midnight. We continued until around 1AM, when the doctor said that the baby's head was turned just slightly. The decision was made to use the vacuum to bring the baby through. It was such an amazing sound to finally hear those little cries! The doctor let Boomer announce the gender: a baby GIRL! We were both crying (well, Boomer says it was his allergies!), and it was such a joyful, overwhelming moment. Just as a precaution, the NICU team was called in to look at the baby. Then we were able to hold our little girl!

We are so excited to introduce our daughter, Emerson Leigh Kennedy!

Emerson Leigh Kennedy

Born November 10th, 2016, 1:57AM

7 pounds, 15 ounces

21 inches long

Mom, Dad, and Megan had waited out the entire labor (such troopers!), and at around 3AM, they were able to come in to the room to meet Emerson. Dad ("Grandpa") was thrilled to see Baby K was a girl -- he says he called it all along!

We stayed in the hospital the rest of Thursday and Friday. We were blessed by visits from many friends and family. Mom, Dad, Megan, and Emerson's two cousins Zander and Maddox came; then Emerson met Bret (Paw Paw) and Cathy (Granny). It was so special to see all the love for this little girl. Emerson also met Aunt Darby and Uncle Goosie, Caroline, Emily, Carrie, and Christina. We also received a constant string of texts and phone calls from so many loved ones. All the encouragement and excitement was such a blessing! 

We were discharged on Saturday morning. (Boomer drove about 20 mph the whole way back to Kernersville!) It is indescribable the feeling of bringing your child into your home for the first time and into the room that you prepared just for her arrival. Boomer and I both said that there will be many 'firsts' in the upcoming weeks and months, and we hope to cherish them all, including this first: leaving the hospital as Kennedy Party of 3.

Grammy and Grandpa gave Emerson a sweet 'Welcome Home!' reception

I know this has been a lengthy post, but I hope to remember all the details of Emerson's birth. I want to end by saying as much as I already love Emerson, I am even more in love with her father. Boomer was and has been such an amazing encourager, supporter, and provider for his two girls already. I could not ask for a better husband for me and father for our little girl.

Thank you for your prayers as we settle in at home!  <3