Ellie Rebekah Rose
born July 10, 2008. 7:35PM
6lb 11oz. 19″
Mom and baby are doing well. Unfortunately we don’t have a lot of great pictures yet, more to come tomorrow.
It was a crazy, surreal day. Here is what it looked like:
9AM – Rick happens to stay home for a conference call
10AM - Susanna feeling crampy, Rick stays home from work
1PM - Susanna thinks maybe her water broke, but still no definite contractions
2PM - we go to the hospital to be sure her water hasn’t broken. She is 4cm dilated, 90% effaced
3PM - the hospital says she could stay, but she decides to walk a bit since there are still no consistent contractions
4PM - Susanna WALKS home from the hospital in the NY heat. If anyone wants to bring on contractions, this did the trick.
4:15PM – Rick comments that walking TO the hospital to deliver would be an even better adventure tale
4:16PM- Rick gets hit
4:30PM – We meet up with cottage friend Tom who we were supposed to have dinner with and whom Micah LOVES. He walks home with us and decides he will stay the night at our place with Micah
5:00PM - We arrive home, contractions are now 2 minutes apart
5:30PM - our pastor, Zac Martin braves the NY streets to drive us to the hospital.
5:45PM – We circle grand army plaza a couple times, getting the New York courtesy of no one letting us merge
6:00PM - Triage tells us, “you’ll have to wait for a room.” Susanna in tears
6:15PM - “Oh you’re the one who went walking” is repeated by many a staff member as we get pushed through Triage to a room. Susanna is 6cm dilated
7:30PM – Without enough time to get an epidural, or for the doctor to arrive, Ellie pops her head out
7:35PM – The pain over, Susanna is chipper and alert. The positive side to no epidural, with Micah she was completely out of it
9:00PM – It seems like any other night as Rick hits the Brooklyn streets for flowers, pizza, and grande java chip frappachinos. Rick marvels that 1.5 hours from arrival Ellie is born. 1.5 hours later he is casually eating dinner
9:15PM - The hospital takes Ellie to be cleaned up and warmed up
11:30PM – We are taken to recovery where we find Rick cannot stay and visiting hours are long over. Ellie has still not returned, this is definitely NOT like our Atlanta experience with luxurious private rooms, Micah never left the room for a minute, and Rick had his own sofa.
1:15AM – Ellie is FINALLY returned to Susanna
But all in all, we praise God for a healthy delivery and Ellie’s arrival. We also thank God for such great friends in the absence of family here in New York. Tom for his last minute and eager service. Zac and Mel for their care and advance thanks for their service tomorrow.
Susanna
Rick
rickandsusanna
Congratulations. You don’t know me but I have been reading your blog all through the pregnancy and really enjoying the experienced. I am also a Canadian living in the States. I am also pregnant (29 days to go) with one child at home (Anastasia is 16 months old). It has been really fun to follow you through knowing you would deliver first and then I would soon follow. What a story! I can’t believe they took your baby away for 4 hours. May God bless you and your family. Kathy
SHE IS SO CUTE!!!! Welcome baby Ellie!!!! Rick, thank you for your humorous description of yesterday’s events:)
that’s the way to have a baby! (i’m sure it was a bit scary though!) so glad that she is here and safe in your arms! hope the next few days of life with 2 go well! (oh and the pronoun “she” is so much fun!!)
Thank-you, Rick and Susanna, for the gift of another beautiful little granddaughter! We love her already! Mom
Yay!! Ellie has arrived! I love Rick’s play-by-play of the day’s events. Luckily, Rick, you decided to stay home.Susanna, you are a trooper. Walking HOME in NY when you are 4cm dilated, however did you do it? You are amazing, all 4 of you. Welcome to your new family!!
Congratulations you guys!!!! I have the shivers after reading of such an amazing day for you all. What a blessing. Praise God!!!! I am thrilled for you and can’t wait to see more pictures of this treasure.
Wow guys. That is one of the most fantastic birth stories ever. And all natural too! What a lady you are Sus!Praise God for a safe delivery.Welcome baby girl!Love, Jo
Thanks so much for the phone call last night Susanna! You sounded fantastic- all natural! it’s a first for the challies clan! I’m so proud of you that you did it! Ellie is cute! (of course!) I would have been a little freaked if my baby vanished for four hours- no wonder they wanted you to feed her before she left! Second babies come so much faster don’t they? You still don’t have my record beat there.. maybe next time!
Can’t wait to see more pictures- hope you had a good night. Blessings!
Congratulations!!This post was so fun to read, and I am so glad to read about such a quick and relatively easy delivery. Looking forward to more photos.
Welcome to the world Ellie! Congratulations Mom and Dad and Micah! Hope to talk to you soon!
Congrats guys – I was hoping for the 10th but alas, I’m still pregnant=) Look forward to seeing more pics and watching little Ellie develop and become part of your family. What does Micah think of her?
Congrats Rick and Susanna! So glad everything went well…can’t wait to see more pictures! Love, Christy and Andre
Congratulations with the birth of your little girl, Ellie! I like the first picture! lol May God bless you and your family. Lois
Congratulations! I saw that Rick was home yesterday morning, so I thought something might be up. I’m happy to hear that it went well and that everyone is doing fine.
Wow! What a day. I’m so thrilled for you guys. She’s a beautiful little bundle and we can’t wait to meet her.Love,Adrienne
Congratulations!!!!! I am so happy for all of ya’ll.
Congratulations!
What an exciting day you had! I hope the next few days of beginning life as 4 go smoothly and that Micah attaches to his new little sister well. Praise God for this new life!Blessings,Beccap.s. Great middle name. 
Congratulations on the birth of a beautiful daughter, Rick and Susanna! And way to go on having a “natural” birth! Susanna, I’m praying that your recovery be swift and painless so you can spend all your time with that lovely lady!
congratulations you two, you made it susanna!
we can’t wait to see your new daughter in your new home 
- tim
Congratulations on your beautiful Ellie! What a lovely name!
Congratulations! This is indeed reason to rejoice in God!
Congratulations. I am glad to hear it went all well!Definitely great to have the events of the day in such detail. A nice story to tell Ellie.
I enjoy reading your blog a lot.Maud
Hello there Rick and Susanna! This is your neighbor-Julia. You came to see my balcony once. Thank you for sharing the wonderful news with me. I can’t be happier for your family! When can I come and see you??? Please give me a call when you get a chance. I’d love to stop by.
congrats rose family! ellie’s first pictures show much cuteness & character;) this was a fun post to read, and susannah, im glad youre doing well. wow, you’re a trooper!! i pray the best for your recovery, and can’t wait to see you and your family when things settle down!:)
congratulations to both of you! what an adventure you had. babies are such amazing evidence of God and his grace. praying for your recovery.
Congratulations!!! We are so happy for you all! Thank you so much for sharing – we cannot wait to come into NYC and meet Ellie! Susanna – what an experience, oh my!! So glad you all are healthy and happy!Let us know if you need anything, Keely, Al, Chloe and Braydon
Along with the others, I say congratulations! What a beautiful little girl. I am glad everything went well, and I too enjoyed the play-by-play.
Congratulations! We are so happy for you and enjoyed laughing at the humorous details of the days events. She’s beautiful
Congratulations! We are so happy for you and enjoyed laughing at the humorous details of the days events. She’s beautiful