Eight is great

At about 6:30 in the morning on July 28, 2008, Ben and I were on the way to the hospital for my scheduled induction. Our daughter was due on August 12, but I'd developed preeclampsia and had to have her early.

On the way there we talked about the birth I was envisioning (epidural as soon as possible, and not to rule out the possibility of a c-section since the doctor thought I'd be having a big baby). We talked about what kind of kid we hoped she'd be. We hoped she'd end up being super-perfect and sleep through the night from the get-go (HA!).

We got there and they started me on the pitocin at around 7. I didn't feel any contractions until 11:30. Then, all of a sudden, it HURT. A LOT.  I was dilated at a 5 (which is the minimum required for the epidural), so they called the anesthesiologist. Three minutes later when he showed up, I was at a 10 and ready to start pushing. This is important because if you're dilated higher than an 8, they won't give you the epidural. I felt like I had to push, like, now. But they wouldn't let me.

Because they couldn't get a hold of my doctor.

What?! He's the one that told me to be here!

But he showed up (eventually). I remember it was the worst pain I'd ever felt. I argued with a nurse and bit Ben's hand (not hard). The nurse yelled at me, I yelled back. At one point I'd decided I just couldn't do it and tried to get up and walk home. Ben gently reminded me that the baby couldn't be born if I wasn't there.

At 1:16, no epidural or c-section required, Allyson Joy Funk made her grand entrance.

The doctor estimated she'd be "oh, somewhere around 8-9 pounds." She was 6 lbs 8 oz.  She did not sleep through the night from the get-go. She learned to talk a little late, but once she figured out how to do it... oh boy. (Every now and then I like to remind Ben that there was a point in time where he thought she'd never learn to talk.)

She is energetic and talkative and loves video games and her friends and Monster High and the St. Louis Cardinals. (She thinks Jedd Gyorko is cute but would be cuter with a beard.) She is a picky eater who would eat PB&J and Reese's peanut butter cups all the time if you let her. She's stubborn but very sweet. She actively seeks out lonely kids on the playground at recess and asks if they'll play with her. When she grows up she wants to study to be a veterinarian, but she does not want to be a veterinarian. Instead she wants to run an animal day care, and the vet training will come in handy if an animal gets sick while in her care.

She helped decorate her own birthday cake. Her one demand: No sprinkles on the writing. Which is harder than it sounds.

I can't wait to see what this year has in store for her.