Early Arrival

So, of course, we are sorry for the delay. But, if you consider that Stella came a week early, then we are actually telling the story before it is supposed to happen; how can you call that a delay?

Diane's contractions began on Thursday the 14th, and were the of the kind to cause no concern; preparatory is what they're called. If those contractions job is to prepare us, they're fired. On Friday, the "preparatory" contractions continued. They were irregular, far apart, short...the kind that cause no concern.
Saturday, Diane and Zeze (Jeremy's mom) went to a scrapbooking class from 4-7 p.m. taught by a world-renowned scrapper, Ali Edwards (we know we know, we'll try to get her autograph for you). During the class the contractions got more painful, but only curiously stronger. They were strong enough to pause Diane's scrapping, but really not so strong as to cause concern. The other scrapping ladies cheered Diane to continue the scrap-work, and with their encouragement she endured. Did I mention that before a meal before the scrap class, we prayed that Stella wouldn't come until after the class? God is good, He hears us.
When Diane and Zeze got home, the contractions were enough to lay Diane down, and Jeremy was set to fist-rubbing her lower back in that spot that contractions really seem to bother. Really, nothing to be concerned about. Then, during a rather laid back effort to pack bags for the hospital (still a week till she's due, after all), something broke: yep, it was water. It was at that moment that we thought we ought to get concerned, and we decided it was off to the hospital. But first...

(in the bedroom)
Diane: "Let me just use the restroom before we go"
Jeremy: "Okay, but then we need to get in the car and go."

(in the bathroom)
Diane: "I think I'm having the baby!"
Jeremy: "Zeze, call 911! We're having the baby!"

(in the kitchen)
Emma: What's that noise?!"
Papa: Oh, don't you worry about that. Want some more chocolate milk?"

(laying on the bathroom floor)
Diane: "Is she out yet?!"
Jeremy: "Nope...Yep!"
Stella: "Wah...Waaaaah!"

And at about 8:15pm, on the bathroom floor at our house, we had our second daughter. We rode to the hospital in an ambulance rather than the family car, the rest is all pretty normal.

Stella was 6lbs. 4oz., 19 inches long, and pretty much looks just like her big sister. Here's some pics: