Counting my blessing

We are home!!  Annie was released from her tanning bed last night, her bilirubin was checked early this morning and by 8:30 a.m. we were cleared to go!  Of course, we didn't really get to leave the hospital that early, that part took forever but by 11 o'clock we were on the road!  Bobby and I are both happy to be home with our girls and are feeling very blessed!

Yesterday, while we were sitting around in my hospital room we started talking about our blessings (or things we're thankful for) and I decided I was going to make a list.  Since I took the time to make a list, I figured I'd bore the five of you who might read this with it. Haha :)

1. God's provision for a healthy delivery for both our girls.  Rosie surprised us a week early thanks to my having preeclampsia.  Annie decided to come on her own time and as I learned Sunday morning, it was a good thing she did!  Since Annie was supposed to arrive via a planned c-section today, my OB was supposed to do the surgery.  I was a bit disappointed that she wasn't the doctor on call Saturday morning but was relieved that it was another doctor from that practice who I knew.  Once the decision was made that they were going to do my c-section immediately because of Annie's heart rate dropping, I over heard the doctor on call talking to the anesthesiologist (who apparently did not agree with the need to rush the surgery), she stood her ground and made it clear to him that we didn't need to be waiting and won the battle.  
2. So far Rosie loves here little sister.  She is already a bit protective.  Yesterday after noon, Bobby and Rosie walked down to the nursery to check on Annie and Rosie didn't want to leave her.  Anytime another baby was going into the room, Rosie would shout "No, no!  Annie".  She wanted the nurses to know they were supposed to take care of her sister and she didn't want those other babies getting in the way.
3. We've got the best parents ever!  They've all gone out of their way to help us the last few days.  They've taken care of Rosie, visited us in the hospital, run errands for us, and are making sure we're fed now that we're home.  My mom saved that day by going to buy Annie a preemie outfit to come home in because the newborn one was WAY to big.  :-)   My mother-in-law made sure our bed was made and our house was straightened when we came home today.
4. We are so thankful for our friends and family who began praying for Annie over 9 months ago and who were praying for us when they heard we were heading the the hospital (thanks to my mom's early morning Facebook post). 
5. Annie and my mom will forever have a special bond because they share a birthday.  
6. I'm so grateful for technology like the "tanning bed" Annie spent the day in on Monday.  When my dad and I walked down to the nursery to check on her, dad asked how that blue light could help her liver??  I have no idea but I'm thankful that it did!
7. A few hours after Annie was born, I was able to introduce her to her cousins in Minnesota via Skype.  By the way my favorite part of that was when my favorite 3 year old asked, "where'd that baby come from?"  TOO CUTE!
8. I got really bored in hospital and was able to use my laptop to watch my new favorite T.V. show, Parenthood, on Netflix and Hulu.  I'll also be taking advantage of this technology during those 2 a.m. feedings in the near future.
9. Bobby and I were able to send pictures to friends and family or post to Facebook thanks to our iPhones.
10. I was also able to kill some time playing Words with Friends and Draw Something.

There are of course many, many more blessings I could list and maybe I'll add them another day, but for now I'll stick to my "Top Ten" (which may or may not actually be my top blessings).  

**Can you believe I've actually had 3 blog posts in the last 3 days?  I wonder how long this will last?  I'm hoping I can keep it up but I'm not holding my breath :-)