Quinn’s Birth Story

All images are credited to my sweet friend, Megan, with Megan Houze Photography.

If you are in the San Antonio area I could not encourage you enough to have her as your newborn and/or birth photographer. She was so respectful of us and attentive to the sensitivity and preciousness of these sacred moments. I am forever thankful to have had her sharing and capturing these amazing moments with and for us.

8:15am We just got to the hospital…I’m scared, nervous and SO excited!

9:00am I’m at 5cm, water is broken

9:15am check in at triage…answer a million questions…get changed into my gown, get IV, no pain or contractions yet…

10:49am my favorite nurse greets me in the delivery room, the IV fluids are going. I’m still not in any pain and am not having any contractions. My nurse called for the epidural…

11:00am Anesthesioligist comes in. He’s calm and steady…my nurse and Matt hold my hands while he gets to work…numbing is amazing BTW…I’m ready for pitocin. 

11:20am No consistent contractions yet…stay tuned…

11:45 Contractions are coming strong and consistent now…nurse ups the pitocin levels some more

12:15 I ask my nurse to let me know when to call the photographer…she checks the clock, shrugs her shoulders and with a smile and a little wink says, “Ya, you should probably have her start heading this way.”

Me: wide eyes… “Oh my goodness, really???”

12:19pm I text Megan, “You don’t need to rush, but you should probably start coming this way. At 6cm now.”

1:15pm Our photographer arrived at the hospital. I’m smiling and laughing between contractions, but having to breathe through them when they come. Matt was chill, completely relaxed…this was his 7th time too. 

2:00pm contractions are consistent and strong. Watching the clock, waiting for the nurse to come back to check on my progress. 

2:30pm nurse comes back in, checks my progress, says, “it’s time to have a baby!”

2:31pm the room quickly transitions into a delivery room, doctor is on her way

2:32pm Matt whispers in my ear sweet words of encouragement…I start to shake and begin to get teary eyed…

2:35pm I’m noticing how nervous and ultra excited I am to not only meet this baby but especially find out the gender…no one in the room knows…all are talking about what baby is going to be. We all chat for just a second about who will announce the gender…all decide doctor will say it as soon as she sees!

2:36pm my nurse, Brooke, who also delivered Cosette last year, asks me how many pushes I’m planning on (Cosette was 1) so I say 2 or less!

2:37pm doctor is ready, staff is ready, flood lights are on, legs are in stirrups…everything is in place

2:38pm doctor says, “okay…on the next contraction give me everything you’ve got….”

2:39pm one push later…doctor says, “baby’s head is out…hang on…let me clear the face….” I say, “does baby have hair??” All say, “yes!!!”

Doctor says, “one more push…readyyyy……go….”

2:40pm The moment we have all been waiting for!!! 

“IT’S A GIRL!!!” 

The room erupts in squeals, laughter, and PURE JOY! My heart explodes, my face covered in tears…I cannot control the emotions!!! 

I ask the doctor to make SURE baby is really a girl! Haha

2:41pm Heaven on earth…I behold my sweet baby girl for the first time.

2:42pm Matt cuts the cord

2:44pm We announce her sweet name…Quinn Haddon Wallace. Her first name one I have loved and held onto for over 11 years…her middle name, after the man who spoke one of the most meaningful quotes I’ve ever heard

2:45pm Quinn is weighed, measured, and checked…she is absolute perfection. 7lbs. 12oz. 19.25 in

Joy, excitement, relief, astonishment…so many tears…I am completely overwhelmed with emotion

2:50pm I get Quinn back in my arms…I am still in shock she’s a girl…I cry all over again…and then a calm comes over me.

I close my eyes and silently pray. I thank Jesus…and repent in tears over my lack of trust in not wanting to be pregnant again. He knew better…He always knows better. This precious gift is perfection. Clearly I do not know better.

4pm The room is cleaned, baby is wrapped up, and the staff clears out…the room is quiet, still and peaceful…our photographer leaves to give us a few moments alone with our precious baby girl. 

4:15pm we call our friends, “Can you bring the kids to us?”

5:00pm all 6 siblings walk into the room to meet their new sibling, still not knowing the gender.

Baby is wrapped in hospital blankets with both pink and blue stripes. Kids continue to ask, “what is it?”

5:05pm we sit them all down on the couch…photographer in place to capture the raw emotions and response…Daddy says, “are you ready to know???”

Kids, “YES!!!”

“You have another baby…..SISTER!”

Our sweet, precious, God given gift, Quinn…you are one well loved little girl!!! We adore you!

And now…we are officially a family of 9! 

Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

“I, the preacher of this hour, beg to bear my witness that the worst days I have ever had have turned out to be my best days, and when God has seemed most cruel to me, he has then been most kind. 

If there is anything in this world for which I would bless him more than for anything else, it is for pain and affliction. 

I am sure that in these things the richest, tenderest love has been manifested to me. 

Our Father’s wagons rumble most heavily when they are bringing us the richest freight of the bullion of his grace. Love letters from heaven are often sent in black-edged envelopes. 

The cloud that is black with horror is big with mercy. Fear not the storm, it brings healing in its wings, and when Jesus is with you in the vessel the tempest only hastens the ship to its desired haven.”