She's finally here!

This is Harper, as my friend Robin said, praising the Lord that she's out!

Harper Bleu Raulerson

8 lbs. 7 oz. 21" long

May 9, 2011 5:27 pm

Where on Earth do you begin after experiencing one of the most beautiful, surreal, awe-inspiring moments of your life?  We have prayed and prayed for Harper and now having her here next to me is unbelievable!  The past several days have blown by in a bit of a fog, but after getting some much needed sleep, I feel like I am finally coming out of it. 

The labor process was rather easy (thank you Epidural) and I only pushed about 30 minutes before she joined us.  I have had so many visions of what that exact moment would be like (maybe I've watched too many Baby Stories on TLC) and I will say it was nothing like I expected it would be.  I'm not sure if I was just so focused on pushing or caught up in what in what people were saying around me, but it was almost like an out-of-body experience when I saw her for the first time.  I couldn't believe that she was mine!  Derek and I kept looking at each other, reassuring one another that it was all real.  Other than Derek, my mom, Derek's mom and my older sister, Susan, were in the room with us.  There was a lot of celebrating going on for sure! 

As much as I love sitting and staring at her, I love watching Derek sit and stare at her even more.  He has certainly fallen in love with her and my heart swells watching him with her.  He is going to be an amazing dad.  I thank the Lord daily for blessing me with such a kind, loving, self-less husband.  My new prayer is that one day the Lord will bestow the same blessing on Harper.  I can't wait to see how she changes over the next few weeks while trying to appreciate every moment as they come.  I'll do my best to share as many of those moments as I can capture.

Harper didn't come on Mother's Day, but she did arrive on another special day...my mother-in-law's birthday!  I think I have officially won the "Best Gift by a Daughter-in-Law" award. 

More pictures to come soon.  These will have to do for now...



Love this. 
(It looks really red here, but her hair is actually strawberry blond. )



Donna, my mother-in-law, and my mom, Linda.

My sister, Susan.

Harper's first bath.