My Mom's friend came over and took some pictures of Reese. It was fun but quite a challenge- she just takes pictures for fun and my Mom and I are by no means professionals. Reese was fairly cooperative and we got some great shots. I am a little biased- but she is just such a babe!

More pictures

I love digital cameras- we have been taking loads of pictures of our sweet baby girl. Here are some of our favorites- she is growing so fast!

We are having so much fun with her. It's not as fun at 2:00am when she doesn't want to go to sleep, but other than that it's awesome. (In the picture with her mouth wide open- she is yawning, not screaming. We don't want you to think we are terrible parents!)

R.E.E.S.

So we wanted to take a minute to share why we decided to name our little girl Reese. Her name is actually an acronym for four very special women- our grandmothers (We added an E at the end so it wasn't spelled wierd).

R is for Roberta, Amy's maternal grandma. She raised 6 children in a two bedroom house made of adobe. She has filled her later years with missionary and temple work and is a great example to us of the importance of obedience.

E is for Edna, Amy's paternal grandma. Edna has been a widow for over 30 years, but has brought joy and fulfillment to her own life through constantly serving others. It has often been hard, but she sees each person as who they are- a loved child of our Heavenly Father who needs to be taken care of.

E is for Ella Lou, Spencer's paternal grandma.  Grandma Watts is one of the kindest women this world has ever had.  She finds great happiness in serving others and spending time with her family.  She is a great example of Christ like love and compassion.

S is for Shirley, Spencer's maternal grandma.  Grandma Porter is a woman that loves the Lord.  She epitomizes the scripture found in Helaman chapter 5 verse 12: "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God,  that ye must build your foundation... a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

She is Here!

So surprise- our baby decided to be born 10 days early! Reese Lorie Watts arrived at 11:25am on Monday March 15th, 2010. She weighed in at a nice 8 pounds 2 ounces and is just about 21 inches long.

Here is the short version of the story (longer version is below if you're interested): water broke at 2:00 am, hospital by 5:00am, active labor by 7:00am, started pushing at 10:15, Reese was born at 11:25am.

As some of you know, Spencer and I had decided to try for a natural birth. There are a lot of benefits to Mom and baby, and we have had several friends who have had amazing experiences. We took several classes and practiced a lot of relaxation techniques at home. We were successful, and delivered Reese without an epidural. Due to back labor (intense pressure in the lower back because the baby has not fully turned) I did take one dose of an IV medication to "take the edge off" during the transition phase (when the cervix finishes dilating and you move into pushing.) But we still considered it a success.

Child birth was the most physically and emotionally trying experience of my life, but also one of the most gratifying ones. Spencer and I were able to connect on a new level, and I truly could not have done it without him as my partner. He is the most amazing husband and my absolute best friend. He is an awesome Daddy- Reese loves him so much.

Being a Mom is the absolute best. I have never felt anything like it- that first moment of looking at and holding our sweet little baby. It was all worth it, and I love being with her every second of every day. She is such a doll and brings an added sweet spirit to our home. Her cry is very small and sweet and she coos all the time.

 Longer version of the story: Sunday was a totally normal day- the baby had not dropped at all. We went to church and then to Mom and Dad's for games. I wasn't contracting and felt totally normal. At 2:00am my water broke. I wasn't positive that was what happened, but after about 30 minutes and a contraction or two I woke Spence up.

We labored at home until about 4:30. My contractions were already coming about 5 minutes apart and were getting stronger. I was handling them just fine, but we decided to head to the hospital. We gave birth at Evergreen Hospital which is about 30 minutes from our house. We arrived and got all checked in and settled. I had not been checked by my doctor at all, so we weren't sure what we would find but I was already dilated to 4 cm.

By 7:00am I was in active labor. I had been handling my contractions well, but the baby had not fully turned so I had a lot of back pain. Half the time I wasn't even concerned about the actual contraction, just the pressure in my back. After trying several different positions and techniques, we decided that I needed some help to keep going. I was dilated to an 8 by this point, so we decided to try one dose of an IV drug to "take the edge off." I am so glad we made that decision, as it allowed me to move through transition and proceed without an epidural.

At 10:15 I started pushing. Our doctor was there for the last 4 pushes and Reese was born. Like I said, that first moment of seeing our baby and holding her for the first time made it all worth it. She is meant to be ours and I can't imagine life without her. We love her so much!

11 days and counting! We are so ready- except she doesn't seem to be in as big a hurry as we are. She hasn't dropped an inch and I still get regular kicks in my rib cage. I am starting to get some contractions though, so that's good. Her room is ready and waiting for her and we have our car seat all installed. Now we just need a baby to put in it!