I feel like I had a baby....

Actually, my daughter Micah did all the laboring and delivered a beautiful Audrey Rayne Yliniemi into the world yesterday at 6:23 p.m. Audrey weighed in at 6 lb. 12 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. The doctor thought she was a month early, but we think they miscalculated, because she's a fine size and very healthy.

I left my laptop with Micah at the hospital so she would have something to do when she wasn't feeding and holding her new treasure. This computer tells me I don't have disk space to hold more photos, but here is the link to the Facebook photo album I made of Micah's birthing day. Hopefully you can still see them even if you aren't on my Friends list!

Micah began having back labor on Sunday afternoon. She and husband, Adam, were on a shopping trip to buy baby stuff with Adam's two sisters (one of whom is due with her own baby any day). They were 2 1/2 hours from the hospital and didn't have their delivery day suitcases with them in the car. After all, she wasn't due for 3 or more weeks! So they ran home, got the bags and headed to the hospital. Micah labored the rest of Sunday, through the night until Monday afternoon, at which time she finally opted for an epidural. Poor thing! She worked really hard at labor, but she was so relieved after the epidural. She had had about 1 1/2 hours of sleep, but she really perked up after the epidural. She labored a few more hours and Audrey came into the world. She has the greatest doctor and the nurse was so good with her. Micah and Adam are 20 years old and have been married for 2 years. They are eager to learn how to care for their little girl, so she is staying in the hospital until tomorrow to get familiar with this new little person and also because she has a blood clotting condition, so they want to watch her. She's having no problems, praise God!

Grandma (that would be me) acted as photojournalist, and I posted pics on Facebook as quickly as I could so Micah's six brothers and sisters and assorted friends scattered over the continental U.S. could follow her progress.

All is well, and Micah and Adam are excited to be parents and finally see their little girl. Grandma and Grandpa are excited to get to do some babysitting!