Caroline Grace Thaxton {Birth Day}

I know I have been out of the blog world for awhile now... life changes more than I can say when you have a  newborn. All you moms out there know what I mean! Since I have been here last, I have given birth to the most amazing little girl in the world (ok, ok... I know I am a little biased)! There is so much to tell!! This is the story of my sweet Caroline's birth, mostly told through pictures... because everyone thinks pictures are a lot more interesting than my words. :)

My water broke at 10:45pm at home on June 25. We got all our things together and headed to the hospital. This was right when we got to the hospital... obviously before the contractions were really intense! Haha!

Mom and Dad rushed over from Mobile that night! I am so blessed to have them as parents! I hope Blake and I can follow both of our parents' examples in raising our Caroline.

Rachel and Aunt Nancy came and stayed all night too!! Now that's what I call L.O.V.E. - thanks for being there!!

The last picture of me and Blake before Caroline was born!! 

This is a re-enactment of how I was dealing with the contractions before the epidural... Blake fanning me with the "barf bucket" while I grip the sheets and close my eyes. I have more appreciation for women that go natural through all of childbirth... a few hours was enough for me!! I know what it is like and I am more than thankful for my epidural!!

I had the BEST L&D nurse EVER!! Megan was there all night with me and even stayed late for Caroline's birth! I could not have asked for a better nurse.

The crew just hanging out waiting!

Getting ready to push... of course I had to put some make up on after being up all night in labor! I knew there would be lots of pictures taken after so I had to be prepared. I pushed for 1.5hrs and then... I saw the most beautiful baby in the world at 8:04am!!!!

She has arrived!!!! :) Still getting cleaned up at the warmer! Our big girl weighed in at 8lb. 10oz. and was 21 inches long.

Our first family photo! Sooo in love already! :)

3 generations!! :) I pray that I can be an amazing mother to Caroline like my mom has been to me! She's the best! :)

Love my Daddy-O!! :) I have always been a daddy's girl... I have a feeling Caroline will be too!!

Rachel and Aunt Nancy admiring sweet Caroline for the first time!

 Gigi and Pappy holding Caroline for the first time!! So special! I am incredibly blessed to have amazing in-laws!! Love y'all so much!

 Amy and Tatum came too!! This is Tatum "holding" Caroline for the first time! I am so glad they got to be there!

We had lots of other family visit the night of Caroline's birth too!! She is one loved little girl already!

 Me and Caroline in our matching outfits! :)

 This is my sweet friend, Carrie! What a blessing to have found such great friends right before Caroline was born!

Rachel and Brad... giving them some practice before their little shrimp arrives!! :)

Wade and Blake holding their baby girls!

All dressed up and ready to go home! Caroline wore the same outfit I did when I came home from the hospital.

 Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather Martin meeting Caroline!

 Diane and Mammaw visited over the weekend!

 James Robert, Leslie, and Mattingly meeting sweet Caroline!

Colonel and Janny with their girls!

 Caroline's cool hip Aunt Elizabeth! :)

Aunt Summer and Uncle Matt! This is Caroline's first time meeting baby Watford! :) 

My precious friend Elizabeth came to meet our baby girl too!

All I can say is WOW! I feel so incredibly blessed to have such amazing family and friends. The Lord is good!!! Throughout my pregnancy I specifically prayed for a safe baby and healthy delivery. My prayers were answered on June 26 at 8:04am when we welcomed our perfect Caroline Grace into this world. I never want to forget how it felt to become a mother that day!! Since that day, Caroline has filled our lives with more joy, happiness, laughter, and love than we could have imagined. What a blessing straight from God! :)