Leah Kate Judy Slipp

Leaving for the hospital.

Monitoring my contractions/baby's heart rate

Out walking around!

She's here! Yay!!!

Proud Daddy!

8lbs 10 oz

Ava loving her little sister.

The Slipps!

Hi Leah!

Love her!

Leah or Ava?!

On Friday November 21st I woke up with mild contractions around 5:00am. I timed the contractions and for about an hour and a half they were coming every 10 minutes (need to go to the hospital when they are 5 min apart). I woke Pete up at about 6:30am and let him know that things were getting started. we called Mom & Dad to come get Ava. The contractions stayed about 10 minutes apart for the rest of the morning then died down about lunch time. We got pretty discouraged as we thought we'd have the baby by mid afternoon! So after talking to Tyna who told me to walk, walk, walk, we went to Canadian Tire (where my water broke with Ava) but nothing happened so off to the mall we went for more walking. We got home around 4:30pm and the contractions started getting closer together and a bit more intense. So after an hour of 5 minutes apart I called labour and delivery and they told me to come in. Away we went to the hospital around 6:30pm. They admitted me and monitered my contractions and the Baby's heart rate. They then told me to walking around the floor to keep the contractions coming. They were getting to be wicked and closer together! Pete's hand and arm I'm sure are bruised from me squeezing so hard. Not to mention all the visitors coming off the elevator and seeing me in mid contracton as I walk through the hallways!!!

We made our way back to labour & delivery where I asked for something to take the edge off! I went in asking for an epideral but somehow kept getting re-routed to other options by the nurse and doctor, who by the way were soooooo fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better nurse (Christine) and all along I wanted Dr. Mullaly to deliver and it just so happened she was on call that day (I love her!!!). So I was hooked up to an IV and given Fentanyl to relax me a bit...relax it did...take the pain of contractions away it didn't!!! At about 10:30pm I was told I could start pushing. I was given a shot to the thigh and some other shots elsewhere to freeze me and at 10:58pm, after 6 sets of pushes Leah Kate Judy Slipp was born. She weighed 8lbs 10oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. A little smaller than her big sister Ava.

The Labour & Delivery couldn't have gone any better if I scripted it out my self. I'm amazed at how good it went and am even more amazed at how I didn't need the epideral after all! I was told by the Nurse and Doctor that they couldn't believe how high my tolerance to pain is/was.

On Sunday the 23rd (my birthday) I was released from the hospital and the Slipp family of four went home. We are all doing well. Ava is adjusting well, she loves her sister and kisses her at every chance she gets. I feel really great and am amazed at how different this recovery is to after I had Ava (took me forever to get energy back). Leah is being good to us and is behaving very well, just like her big sister did). She likes her sleep and I have to wake her up for her feedings! Pete is doing well with a house full of girls...we'll see how he is in 12 years! Ha!

Here are some pictures of our Leah and yes she is a spiting image of Ava when she was a baby!