Kailee Jo

Bret and Erika tried to fill in the long, wishful days of that last month of pregnancy with a fun maternity photo shoot. Daymia took some really great photos.

Kailee spent another month growing and growing.

Erika's facebook post: We found out we were expecting when I was 3 weeks and 5 days along. Now we only have 3 weeks and 5 days left! Starting to feel like a whale but it's well worth it. We can't wait to meet Kailee Jo!!

Erika continued to distract herself by making and selling car seat blanket inserts. She made enough money to buy her first sewing machine for many projects to come.

Those final days for Erika were painful, sleep deprived, tough, sweats and long bath days but she continued to wait patiently for her baby girl to arrive.

The morning of March 15, 2016 was very exciting!

Erika's Facebook post: This is us. Heading to the hospital. TO HAVE A BABY!!!!!!

I anxiously kept my phone close for text updates throughout the whole day. I sent encouragement, prayed, found myself holding my breath, prayed, cried, reminisced about the day Erika was born, prayed.

Pitocin

Contractions 20 seconds apart lasting 1 minute or longer

Painful hours passing

No progress

Epidural

Relaxing for both Erika and Bret

Boring hours passing

Dilating

Steady contractions

Then this text came in:

After a few follow-up texts, with the last one from her at 9:51 saying, "time to push, come now". I was immediately out the door trying so very hard not to speed down main street (or cry more anxious, excited tears) as I hurried as fast as I dared to the hospital. The next hour was intense! Kailee's heartbeat started dropping again like it did before the epidural. They started switching Erika from side to side during pushes, increased her oxygen, and increased the pitocin to encourage more frequent contractions to hopefully get Kailee here faster.  I saw Erika set aside every bit of her own pain in a focused determination doing everything in her power to do what was best for her baby girl.  

Erika was a hero! Bret was a champ!

In the last 15 hours I have watched my determined Erika Jo courageously push through labor and delivery to reach her goal, "I just want to hold my baby girl". I witnessed pure unconditional love as she comforted, encouraged, and praised her sweet Kailee Jo during the minutes and hours following birth, setting aside her own pain, discomfort and exhaustion as the divine mantle of motherhood encompassed her. Erika Jo, you are spectacular!

♥ Welcome to the world baby girl ♥

Kailee Jo meeting her mommy.

Admiring parents already in love.

While Erika and Kailee figured out nursing and had snuggle time, Bret fell into a deep sleep for a quick nap. He had been up for 21 hours at this point and was completely worn out.

Then Bret had one on one time for her first bath and they settled in for daddy snuggles while Erika had a few minutes of rest.

After a room transfer at 1:15 a.m. the Hellbusch family settled in for their first night together and I went home to relive the entire beautiful experience in my dreams.

Kailee Jo Hellbusch

March 15, 2016

11:33 p.m.

7lb 4oz

19.5" long