Grace's 3rd Birthday Party

In early Novemeber, Evie got invited to Grace's 3rd birthday party. Grace is a very special little girl to our family. We met her parents through our church. Their story isn't mine to tell, but I will say that Grace is a very special blessing to them, and to all of us.

Her birthday party was held at City Park, which is one of my favorite places to go. I looked forward to bringing Evie so much! Shortly after we got there, Evie decided she was hungry, and I realized that even though I had a bottle, I hadn't brought anything with me to warm it. Maria and I put our heads together and decided to use the warm hot dog juice from the crockpot to heat it. The bottle didn't smell very good, but at least it was warm enough for Evie to accept.

One of City Park's greatest features is the famous carousel. I was excited for the chance to share this memory with Evie, although it was very bittersweet for us. My absolute favorite day with Nile was spent at a carousel last year, so he was in our minds. Sadness aside, it was fun to see Evie look around at all of the people, mirrors, and lights. I think she had a blast!

Daddy's Surprise

One weekend, shortly after Halloween, Kyle and I made plans to bring Evie to the park for a picnic lunch. Unfortunately, our plans got ruined by some rain. Kyle decided to send me to Wendy's to pick up some lunch, and while I was gone, he and Evie were hard at work on my surprise. He made an indoor tent. It reminded me of my childhood. I look forward to sharing these happy memories with Evie as she grows.

6 Weeks Old

Here's one of my favorite shots from Evie's 6th week. I love snuggling my baby girl!

Happy Halloween 2011

Every year, our church does a Fall Fest to give the kids in our community a fun, safe place to go for Halloween. We do something called trunk-or-treating, in which the church members decorate their car trunks with a theme and pass out candy from their vehicles while the kids walk around the lot. We also have a chili cookoff (that I NEVER win!), inflatable bouncers and games, face painting, and baked goodies. This year, we decided to do a family theme of bumblebees and ladybugs. Evie slept almost the whole time, but I take that to mean that she was having so much fun that she could barely stay awake. Haha.

Bible Study Kickoff BBQ

In January-ish of 2011, some of the ladies in my Sunday School class decided it would be a great idea to start a Bible study group outside of church, and it was a hit! These ladies have been a great support system to me since Nile's death and through my pregnancy with Evie. I thank God for them all. Our first study was done on Beth Moore's Praying God's Word. I highly recommend it, if you're interested in checking it out. After that study wrapped up, we took a short break, then decided to resume with a new book, Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. Again, I'd highly recommend it.

Anyway, as a kickoff to the new book, we all got together at Lisa and Andy's house for a BBQ, and we brought our families. We've been praying that the men will catch onto our great idea and make their own Bible study group - hint hint.

We thought it would be fun to dress up our kiddos in costumes, so Evie got to model her giraffe outfit again. I'd bought it when I was still pregnant with her, so I'd just guessed on what size she'd be in for Halloween. I guessed wrong! It was very snug and the pants were short, but she still made an adorable giraffe, don't you think?

Tummy Time

Any experienced parent will tell you that tummy time is a vital part in your child's development. It helps to strengthen the neck muscles, and allows the baby to learn head control. It's basically the first step in the direction of sitting up. Evie does so-so with her tummy time. Here's a cute picture we took from a Saturday morning back in October. She's showing off her head control skills.

Evie's Newborn Photoshoot

Evie had her harvest themed newborn photoshoot on 10/16. Half was done in our home, and half was done at our local pumpkin patch. Nikki Mayeux, our fabulous photographer and friend, did a wonderful job! She even carved Evie her first pumpkin. The plan was to take a few photos with her inside the pumpkin, but it was a bit too small on the inside. Oh well :(

I was soooo worried about the photoshoot because newborns are so unpredictable. Thankfully, Evie was easy-going. She only fussed twice, and Kyle was able to calm her down in no time at all.

My favorite part of the photoshoot was capturing her unruly, but beautiful hair. Check out Nikki's blog (under the family section) for a special post about Evie and Nile.

Unfortunately, because my internet is so slow and the photo files are so large, you'll have to check out my facebook or Nikki's page to see them. Enjoy!

www.nikkimayeuxphotography.wordpress.com

Highlights from Week 4

Evie had a few "firsts" during her 4th week. On 10/15, she had her first pumped bottle of milk, which she took well. I had been a little worried that she wouldn't readily accept a bottle since she rejected a pacifier for about a month, but she did well. Her acceptance meant that I could finally get out of the house for a few hours at a time, which was exciting. Don't get me wrong...I love my daughter dearly, but ever mom needs a break from time to time. That same day, Evie also had her first visit with Mr. Allan, my high school We the People teacher and friend, and she went to the local park. We didn't stay long because it was still really hot. On 10/16, she had her newborn photoshoot with Nikki, but I'll post more of that individually. On 10/17, she went on her first shopping trip to Target and Hallmark. Target was also Nile's first store! It's so important to me that they share these experiences.

3 Weeks Old

Here are a few shots from Evie's 3rd week. One is of her sporting her Geaux Saints onesie. One captures a rare moment of calm while she sits in her swing - trust me, that didn't last. Another one shows her Aunt Joyce and her friend Lauren stopping by for a visit.

Of note this week, Evie moved into size 1 diapers on 10/14/11. My little girl is already outgrowing her newborn clothes and diapers!

Big Grin

No, this doesn't count as a first smile, but it is pretty cute. I wonder what she was dreaming about. I prefer to think that she dreams about her big brother.

Evie's 2 Week Well-Baby Check

Dr. Vigour asked us to bring Evie back to see her sometime during her 2nd week to be re-evaluated. She had no concerns for her health. I think she wanted us to come back because she was worried about our anxieties about SIDS. The visit went really well. She weighed 8 lbs, 10 oz. and was 21.5 inches, which meant that she was getting plenty of breastmilk. Kyle and I spoke to Dr. Vigour in detail about the apnea monitor, and how helpful it was to us. All in all, it was a great appointment.

Visiting Nana

Every Sunday evening, Kyle and I try to bring Evie over to Jeanise's house so that Evie can visit with her Nana. This time is especially important to us since Jeanise plans to move to Idaho once Taylor graduates from high school. We want to sneak in as much bonding time as possible before she leaves.

1st Time at Church

Evie went to church for the first time on Sunday, 10/9/11. Everyone was so thrilled to meet her. I often remind myself that Evie isn't only my rainbow baby - she also represents hope to so many others who were affected by Nile's death.

We only came for the service itself, and we ended up staying in the nursery with her. Here is a picture of Grace and Leah meeting her for the first time. They were both so excited about the new baby.

First Tub Bath

Evie's umbilical stump fell off on 10/6/11 at 1 week and 6 days old, which meant she was allowed to finally have her first tub bath. We gave it to her on her 2 week birthday. She still wasn't a big fan of the experience, although I could see the curiosity about what we were doing to her creeping in.

2 Weeks Old

Here are some cute pictures of Evie during her second week. In one, she looks like she's pondering the world's mysteries. In another, I caught a cute yawn.

How Sweet is This?!

Daddy and daughter :)

First Walk Through the Neighborhood

Here's a picture from Evie's first walk through the neighborhood. It was so great to step out and get some fresh air. Being cooped up in the house for a week straight was no fun for mommy! Kyle was a very proud papa - he never even let me get a chance to push the stroller more than 10 feet.

First "Bath"

You're not allowed to give a baby a tub bath until the umbilical stump falls off, so Kyle and I spread everything out on the kitchen table, just like we did for Nile. Here is a (fuzzy) picture of Kyle scrubbing Evie during her first "bath" on 9/29/11. She was 6 days old. Evie didn't enjoy herself too much, although she briefly stopped crying when Kyle massaged the shampoo into her hair. The peace didn't last long though.

Evie's 1st Pediatrician's Appointment

We loved Nile's pediatrician (Emily Vigour) so much that we decided to keep her for Evie. She had her first well baby check-up on Wednesday, 9/28. She was completely healthy and happy. She even spiced up the appt by puking down the front of Kyle's white shirt in the middle of the appt. Haha.

Our biggest concern going into the appt was whether or not Dr. Vigour would approve a prescription for a hospital grade apnea monitor. Given our fears about SIDS, it was extremely important that we get the machine for our peace of mind. In fact, Kyle and I had previously been taking turns staying awake with Evie in our arms, in 2-3 hour shifts. The lack of sleep was killing us. Thank God, Dr. Vigour easily approved the prescription, and the wheels started turning immediately. Unfortunately, there was a lot of back and forth between my insurance company and the monitoring company, so we had to wait to get the monitor on Friday. No matter what, things are so much easier now that we have it. Yes, there are false alarms, but the overall peace of mind is worth it.

The monitor itself keeps track of high and low heart rate, as well as apnea (no breathing) episodes. So far, we've only gotten false alarms due to loose cords or misplaced leads. We've also learned that you have to turn the monitor off prior to burping Evie because the patting will trigger the high heart rate alarm. Now that we've had it about a month, we're much better at operating everything smoothly.

Ryan and Ashley's Wedding

Evie's birthday was special for another reason entirely. Kyle's older brother Ryan got married to his longtime girlfriend, Ashley Grosh. They decided to elope in Las Vegas...complete with an Elvis officiant! It was very fun, and even though we couldn't be there, Evie, Kyle, and I watched the wedding ceremony through the internet video stream. Congratulations, guys! We love you!

Our Hospital Stay

Evie and I stayed in the hospital for 3 days after my c-section. Health-wise, there were no complications, which is great. We had several vistors while we stayed, and I'm so thankful for the outpouring of love, support, and excitement.

The recovery from this c-section was SO MUCH easier than my first surgery. I guess my body just knew what it needed to do. I moved around a lot easier, and was able to do things that I would have never been able to do the first time around. For example, I showered by myself every day. The first time, Kyle had to hold me up while I very gingerly washed myself. I remember my every movement being terribly painful, but it was manageable this time.

We left the hospital on her due date, Monday, 9/26/11 at around noon. I felt both excited to go home and start real life and extremely scared that Kyle and I were going to attempt parenting again after such a loss. I knew that we would need support as we transitioned into parenting again.

Introducing Miss Evie Faith Arrington!

You'll have to forgive me for being about a month behind on my blogging. I promise, it's been for a very good reason. Let me see if I can pick up where I left off last time.

On the morning of Friday, Sept 23, 2011, I woke up early, showered, then packed my hospital bag. Shortly afterward, Shelby came over because she was going to follow us to the hospital. The drive to Ochsner was surreal. I couldn't believe that we'd FINALLY gotten to our daughter's birthday. I remember telling Kyle repeatedly that he'd better drive safely. I also remember looking up "This Day in History" on my cell phone. I wanted to be sure that Evie had some fun facts.

We checked into the hospital at 8, even though I wasn't scheduled to have my c-section until noon. There was a small chance that we'd get to go early, and that's what we were hoping for. Needless to say, that didn't happen. We stayed in the family waiting area until about 9 or 9:30, at which point I was called back to the shared triage room. I changed into the horribly unflattering hospital gown and got settled in as best I could. Kyle was pretty disturbed because there was a woman with intense contractions near us, and I think her moans freaked Kyle out.

My time in the triage area was pretty unpleasant. First, I hadn't had anything to eat since 9:30 the night before, and my surgery kept getting bumped for emergency cases. It was scheduled for noon, but I didn't go back until 4:30. I begged repeatedly for the nurse to allow me to eat or drink something, and she eventually agreed to give me a tiny amount of ice. I was really worried about the lack of nutrition, especially because if mommy doesn't eat, baby doesn't eat either. I figured that it couldn't be good for Evie. Secondly, there was no TV or entertainment. Thankfully, Kyle was able to bring his laptop back, so we ended up watching Father of the Bride 2 on Netflix. (Comedic movies about childbirth seem to be a theme with me during my delivery days. I watch Three Men and a Baby the night before Nile was born. I think it helps to calm me.) The biggest problem with my triage stay was that the nurse blew out 2 veins - one in my left wrist and one in my right hand. It was absolutely miserable to have to go through the pain repeatedly, and STILL not have a successful IV line run. The hospital eventually had to have the anesthesiologist come to place the IV line, and he did it with no problems in my left inner elbow.

By the time I got called back, I was very tired and out of it. It's easy for people to say that I should have slept. You try sleeping when you know you'll be meeting your baby in a matter of hours! My spinal block was placed without any issue, and I was quickly prepped for my c-section. I remember feeling extreme fear while I waited on Kyle to be brought back. I knew that the surgery would be dangerous due to the possibility of placenta accreta, and I knew that there was a very real chance that I could end up with a hysterectomy or massive blood loss. Honestly, I think the fears clouded a lot of my birth excitement once the surgery started. Still, I prayed and knew that it was in God's hands. I wish I could say that I had a sense of calm, but the truth is more that I felt resignation to whatever my fate would be.

The surgery started and progressed very quickly. My overwhelming concern once it started was that I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I felt that I really had to focus on making myself breathe, but the doctor assured me that the feeling was a result of the numbness spreading to my diaphragm area. I remember that I felt absolutely no pain or pressure with Nile, but I knew the exact moment that the doctors pulled Evie out. I remember telling Kyle, "I'm empty." I heard her cry shortly thereafter, and it brought tears to my eyes. My baby was out, alive, and healthy! To God be the glory.

They cleaned her off and Kyle went over to cut the cord. I'm glad he was able to have that experience with both of his children. I'd told Kyle before surgery that I wanted him to stay with Evie after her birth, so he followed her to the nursery while the doctors stitched me up.

I was very curious about how the surgery went, and my OB informed me that I'd actually lost less blood than an average first time c-section. My placenta ended up being a non-issue since they were completely prepared.

If there's one lesson that repeatedly gets pounded into my mind, it's that God knows what He's doing even when I don't. I knew that I'd had a lot of unexplained anxiety about waiting to have a vaginal birth. My OB informed me that I'd made the right decision about having a c-section. She said that Evie's cord was wrapped around her neck tightly, and that if she'd descended into the birth canal as I had previously hoped, it would have been life threatening for her. I thank the Lord that He kept my baby safe and helped to guide me to the right decision. God is good.

Meet Evie Faith Arrington, born at 4:55 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011. 7 lbs, 4.6 ounces and 21.5 inches long. She was born with a full head of dark brown hair.

39 Weeks, 5 days

I barely slept at all on Thursday night. It's hard to rest when you know you'll be having a baby the next day! Under doctor's orders, I couldn't eat or drink after midnight, so I tried to eat more than usual. I remember how hungry I was when I had Nile.

I tried to sleep, but I gave up at about 2 am. I knew Kyle wouldn't be able to resist Blazing Saddles (and I was in the mood for a light-hearted movie), so I purposely put it on to wake Kyle up. It worked ;)

I finally fell asleep for about 2 hours at 5 am. I woke up, packed my hospital bag, and we were on our way to Ochsner to meet our baby girl!

Sandra and Ra'mon Visit NOLA

On Tuesday, 9/20, my childhood BFF, Sandra, and her son Ra'mon came into town for a quick visit. We love you guys!

38-39 Weeks Pregnant

Again, I apologize for the delay, but it's been for a very good reason!

Because Dr. Hamilton wanted to watch my fluid levels, and because I was so far along, I had weekly appts for fluid checks, non-stress tests, and cervical checks. At my 38 week check, Dr. Hamilton told me that I was 1 cm. dilated and was 40% effaced. Yay for progress! My fluid levels went up, which I was happy about because I was actively trying to stay better hydrated. Evie was still head down in her scan, and her NST looked great.

My 39 week appt was supposed to be on Thursday, Sept 22nd, but I started to feel unwell on Wednesday. I was working my last day prior to maternity leave when I started to get a headache, pressure in my neck, and sudden nausea. Because I have easy access to blood pressure machines in the clinic, I had my coworker take my pressure. It was approximately 125/84, which is NOT my normal. When I'm not pregnant, my pressure is typically about 100/60. When pregnant, I run closer to 110/70. I waited all day for a call back and never got one, so I just made sure to watch my pressure and relax as much as possible. The next morning (my first at home on maternity leave), I got a call from Dr. Hamilton's MA, Monica, asking me to come in ASAP for another lab, fluid check, NST, and cervical check. Everything seemed fine, but when Dr. H checked my progress, I was still a tight 1 cm. and 50% effaced.

When I heard these numbers, I had a heart-to-heart with Dr. H about how realistic my VBAC chances were at that point, and she told me that she'd be surprised if I dilated enough to allow for it on the 28th. I had a complete emotional breakdown then. Despite wanting the VBAC, I'd felt the same way, and I was having intense anxiety about something going wrong with Evie while we waited for the 28th. After my discussion, we decided to bump my c-section up to Friday, Sept 23rd at noon. Wow! We were right around the corner from having a baby.

37 Week OB Appt

Today was a big day for Kyle and me. He took the afternoon off of work so that he could come to the doctor with me, and I'm so glad he was able to come. First, I had to go to a prenatal testing appt to do a non-stress test on the baby and to have a quick ultrasound to check Evie's position and amniotic fluid levels. The non-stress test was uneventful, which is good. Evie's heartrate stayed on a good pattern, and I showed two very small contractions during the 20 minute time frame. Yay! Next, the nurse confirmed what Kyle and I had been hoping for all week. Our little bambino turned head down! Next, she checked the fluid levels, and said that I measured at 8.6 cm, which is just slightly lower than what they'd like. Doctors prefer that you stay within the 10-20 cm. range. The nurse assured me that I don't need to worry because doctors don't really get concerned until you drop under 5 cms. Plus, since I'm full term, an induction wouldn't be dangerous anyway.

Next, I had to meet with pre-op, despite that fact that I now know that I won't be having a scheduled c-section. It's hospital policy that all women meet with pre-op so that they can prepare for epidurals or spinals. After all, birth can be so unpredictable.

Lastly, I met with Dr. Hamilton, my OB. She checked me and told me that my cervix was still high, tight, and closed. UGH! She halfway joked that Evie just isn't getting the memo that it's time to come out. Because my c-section is off the table now, we had a discussion about how long we were comfortable letting me go until she had to intervene anyway, and we settled on Wednesday 9/28 at 10 am. If I have showed no progress at that point, it will be a c-section anyway. If I have showed some progress, she will be able to give me pitocin to try to get my contractions moving well enough to progress labor.

Honestly, I have mixed feeling about today. Obviously, I'm thrilled about the possibility of having the unmedicated vaginal birth that I've always wanted. However, I'm slightly concerned about complications arising from my low fluid levels. I'm also more and more scared of stillbirth risks as I get further along in my pregnancy. I think I'm just feeling the anxiety about having come so far down this healing road. I'm scared that the rug is going to be pulled out from under me at any moment. On the car ride home, I tried to remind myself of something that I need to hold closely to my heart. The pregnancy has been absolutely filled with challlenges of all sorts - and God has beat every single one! I have to stop limiting Him in my mind.

Be in prayer for my family and me as we take this journey together. We are so close to holding Evie in our arms! God willing, sooner rather than later...

36 Week Baby Checkup

Last Tuesday, I had what I thought would be a routine 36 week baby appt. I was also told that I would have one last ultrasound to confirm that Evie was still breech. The appointment itself was fairly uneventful. The OB checked me and said that I still had no cervical dilation or effacement. She also told me that I had tested positive for group beta strep, which is very common in pregnancies. GBS is something that all women have, although it only manifests in a cyclical way throughout life. I remember that I was negative for Nile.

After my appt, I went in for the ultrasound, and I got the shock of my life. The little bump that I was SURE was Evie's head turned out to be her precious little bottom. She was in the process of trying to do the impossible - turn head down. Yay! Because of this change, my OB told me that I needed to have another ultrasound in a week to check for any change. If she is able to turn head down, everything that we thought we knew would change.

I was in absolute shock! Of course, I was thrilled at the possibility that I would have a shot at the vaginal birth that I had always wanted. Still, I was very worried that I would get my hopes up too high, only to hear that she couldn't complete the turn. The waiting game begins...

Evie's Diaper Shower

Because Evie is our second baby (and because we're reusing a lot of Nile's old things), I thought it might be neat to have a diaper and wipe shower. My awesome friend Daphne helped plan everything, and my equally awesome friend Traci made the cake.

We had a great time. I had been worried that people would ignore my wishes about primarily receiving diapers and wipes, but I had nothing to worry about. We got soooooo many diapers! Evie is set! I can't wait to actually diaper that cute little baby butt :)

35 Weeks, From the Inside

I realize that I've gotten behind on my blogging again, so I have a pretty big update to give. I'll be 35 weeks tomorrow, which I feel so excited about. I can truly start saying, "any day now" when I wake up in the morning. I've been so in-tune with my body lately that the slightest little twinge has me on high alert. So far, no real progress. My next OB check with be on Thursday, and that's when I'll start being seen weekly. I will also be getting cervical checks and a group B strep test at that time.

I mentioned in a previous post that my MFM told me that my placenta did move up, but that it has aligned along my c-section scar. It turns out that this could cause some problems for me down the road. As you know, Evie has to be born by c-section anyway, due to her breech position. I spoke to the doctor about my concerns, and it seems that this surgery will be complicated. Her goal is to cut along the same c-section scar, but to work under my placenta once she gets inside. Ideally, she'll be able to pull the baby out, then encourage my uterus to clamp down, causing the placenta to detach naturally. The greatest immediate concern is blood loss - first, it's dangerous to cut so near the placenta. If that goes well, I have to hope that my uterus will have enough clamping power to force a low-lying, anterior placenta out. My OB spoke to me about the possibility of placenta accreda, which could be a very real problem for me. It happens when the placenta actually fuses with scar tissue. Unfortunately, the OB won't know if I have placenta accreda until she's already in surgery. To plan for the worst, she has ordered that I will have 2 units of blood on standby in the room.

The news made me very emotional at first, but I'm feeling better now. For one, I'm putting my faith in God that He will watch over me, Evie, and my OB during this surgery. For another, I trust that my doctor is very prepared for every outcome. I trust that she knows what she's doing and that she'll be able to handle whatever comes to her. I'm sure the emotional rollercoaster is far from over, but I'll keep you posted as things develop.

Nursery Prep

My mom and I have been working hard at cleaning out the storage unit and getting Evie's nursery ready. It's been a big challenge, mostly because I feel like I haven't had any "nesting" instinct so far. We've made a lot of progress recently, as you can see. The only big things left to do are to hang curtains and make Evie's painting, just like I did for Nile.

34 Weeks

Here's a belly shot from this past Sunday, at 34 weeks. I'm definitely feeling HUGE!

Bowling Fun

Because I was feeling energized, I decided to meet up at the bowling alley with Kyle and Tyler, and I had a blast. I'm sure I was quite a sight to all the other bowlers, since it looked like I also had a bowling ball under my shirt! Good times...

33 Weeks

33 week belly shot :)

32 Weeks

Here's a belly shot of me at 32 weeks.

Lisa Huynh Photography

Here's a great picture that I recently found from Lisa Huynh Photography (the fabulous young lady who shot both my wedding and Sarah and Brian's.) Enjoy!

The Big Ultrasound!

Today was the big day! There were a lot of birth decisions that were on hold for Kyle and me until we saw today's results. Here's a basic update:

At 1, I went to a 3rd trimester meeting hosted by Dr. Hamilton and one of the L&D nurses at Ochsner. I can't really say that I learned much, but that's no one's fault. It's just that I JUST went through a pregnancy, and I also stay on top of current info through my Babycenter and TV shows.

My OB appt was after the meeting, and it went well. My BP & urine were normal. The doctor said that I was measuring about a week behind in terms of uterine measurements, which shocked me because I feel HUGE!

Dun dun dun! At 3, I met with Dr. Robichaux, the fabulous Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor. It was 90% great news! Evie's choroid plexus cysts on the brain are nowhere to be found!!!!! She is also measuring pretty well on track. The doctor estimates that she weights 2 lbs, 12 ounces, which would put her in the 39th percentile. He says he's quite pleased with those numbers. My placenta has also moved up, and the bottom of it is about even with my c-section scar.

Here's the not-so-unexpected kicker. Evie has decided to follow in her big brother's footsteps in terms of positioning. I was not surprised to hear that she's breech - trust me, there was no mistaking the feeling of her head pressing up into my side near my ribs! She's actually completely frank breech, which means that she's got her legs and feet up in front of her face, as well as her arms and hands. I just can't imagine how that is comfortable, but she must be happy. I asked Dr. Robichaux about whether or not carrying breech babies was hereditary. He said that it isn't, although some women have the repeated issue because of the way their uterus is shaped. It seems that mine is more of a jellybean shape instead of a balloon.

ANYWAY...given the news, I've made the decision to go ahead and have another scheduled c-section. I actually thought I would be devastated at the thought of not being able to have a VBAC, but I'm actually okay with it. To tell the truth, it just feels nice to be able to have a plan. I can't lie - it's also nice to know that my due date will be moved up by at least a week. Yay! I am planning to ask my doctor if she would agree to deliver Evie on Wednesday, Sept 14th, which is my brother's birthday. He's away in Afghanistan right now, and I think it would be a nice gift for him. Who wouldn't want a niece for their birthday?! Of course, this is assuming that my OB will agree to the date, since they usually like to do it at 39 weeks exactly, which would put me at Sept 17th. I'll keep you posted.