Welcome to the World!

Liv Elaine Safford arrived on Tuesday, 11/1/11 at 9:20am in room 111 (so many ones) weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces and 19 inches long, 10 days early.

My water broke on Halloween night somewhere around 9:30pm.  We had just finished cleaning up dinner and doing dishes.  I had actually taken the day off of work to spend the day with my little sister to celebrate her 16th birthday, just the two of us.  She got her braces off, we went shopping, to lunch at La Jolla Groves, and then to a movie.   Oh and of course had to get carmel apples since that's one of her favorite treats she hasn't been able to enjoy eating the last two years.  I was feeling extra tired and by the end of the day, and anxious to get off my feet.  Anyway, back to Halloween night.  We had planned to stop by a neighbor's and watch a movie, but with the mass of trick or treaters, we hadn't made it out the door, and we kept having to pause the movie.  I laid down on the couch for just a few minutes, dozing off only to have my eyes fly wide open, feeling a gush of 'water'.  I jumped up and told Taylor that I think my water just broke.  In about 2.5 seconds, the TV was off, and the car seat was in his truck and he was ready. Meanwhile, I was still standing in the same place, bawling my eyes out.  

I was absolutely convinced she would come after my due date so I had a minor melt down.  The house wasn't in perfect order; the nursery wasn't finished; we didn't have anything packed or any laundry done for that matter.  I didn't wrap anything up at work that I'd planned to, and to be honest, I was so nervous that this day had finally arrived.  Taylor did a great job comforting me, then called my mom.  My mom gave me a pep talk, and Taylor gave me a priesthood blessing.  I got in the shower, packed my things, and we were off to the hospital.  

I had my first contraction about 10 minutes after we got to the hospital.  They started coming fast.  By 4am, I was getting my epidural.  It was so much better than I ever expected.  I could still move my legs and feel pressure of my contractions.  My blood pressure was really low (no surprise there since I'd been dealing with that my whole pregnancy) so it kept setting off an alarm.  My baby's heartbeat was dropping.  I guess somehow there was pressure on the cord so she wasn't getting enough oxygen.  I really didn't sleep for a second all night...and thanks to that alarm, neither did Taylor.  

That morning I could feel her descending.  I seriously felt like she was going to drop out.  My awesome doctor came in that morning....I have no idea what time, but I started pushing, and ten minutes later, she was here.  

I expected to feel this incredible surge of emotions and deep love for this little person I'd just carried for 9 months, but to be honest, it just felt so weird.  And that's all I kept saying.  This is so weird.  I felt a little guilty for not feeling any connection with her, or any emotions at all for that matter.  But by the next day, that all changed.  

She is so much fun.  I don't mind the no sleep thing.  In fact, I don't know if I am running on pure adrenalin, but I really haven't been that tired.  Pregnancy was SO much harder for me than this whole post baby thing.  I am euphorically happy which I really didn't anticipate at all.  I've been giving myself pep talks for months now trying to gear up for this, and it's so much easier than I expected it to be...with the exception of nursing.  I loathe breastfeeding.  I'd rather give birth again.  But I hear it gets easier, so I'm sticking with it...barely.  

Now, on to the two people that deserve a medal every day the rest of their lives:  Taylor and my mom.  Taylor definitely gets a 5 stars on this whole daddy thing.  He's done better than I could have ever expected him to.  It's pretty incredible how much more I love him since Liv has arrived.  He has been my number one cheerleader...even cheering me on in his sleep.  haha 

My mom is here to stay and it's been the best thing that could have happened.  She is a machine.  She took a week off work, is riding on less sleep than I am, and she's cleaned my entire house, done all the laundry, organized things, cooked, changed dirty diapers.  You name it, she's done it.  And I couldn't be more grateful.  


We've already had so many wonderful dinners brought to us, so many sweet messages from friends and family.  It's been great to share this with both mine and Taylor's families.  We're excited for Taylor's only brother Trevor to come visit for Thanksgiving to meet little Liv.  And my brother will get home from his LDS mission in March, but we are sending them both pictures. 

I am so happy, and little Liv is pretty much the cutest thing I have ever seen.  I always thought I'd know if my baby would be ugly.  Yeah right.  I wouldn't have a clue, and thank goodness for that.  Everyone deserves to have a mother who thinks they are the very cutest.  

She kind of looks 90 years old.  Of course, one cute little 90 year old! 

We'd actually hadn't decided on a name.  It was between Liv and Sloane.  The nurses cast their vote which ended up just perfect.  We named her after my grandma Elaine.  I really wish she could have been here to meet her.  

I literally had puked about one minute before this picture was taken

Taylor's face cracks me up in this picture.  I hardly ever hear him call her Liv.  He always calls her L or  'little one'. 

I admit it, I put on lip gloss and put my hair up before the picture.  Thank goodness, too.   Taylor made fun of me because I still had my big pearl earrings in while I gave birth.  But hey, a girl's gotta keep a little dignity. 

New best friends

Going home 

Waiting for Daddy to come pick us up.  Her headband is hilarious in the picture--going for the Rambo look I guess