Welcome Britta Paula Reeve!

RICHLAND, WASH. -- I was so certain our third baby girl would arrive early. So certain. A few months before she was due, doctors did an ultrasound to check her growth. When they declared she was measuring two weeks early, it just cemented my feelings further. "She's going to be early!" 

Well...

Fast forward to Thanksgiving. Nothing. My parents came to town. Nothing. My actual due date, November 28, rolled around. Nothing. 

I tried everything I could think of. Except one thing. 

A few days later a friend convinced me to try castor oil. It was the last thing I wanted to consider. I'd heard horror stories. But as my mom's days in town neared to an end, I was desperate. So I tried it. On Thursday, November 30, around 8:30 p.m., I drank some with a glass of orange juice (per the friend's instructions).

It worked like magic. I woke up shortly after 1 a.m. that morning with some serious contractions happening. We headed to the hospital around 4 a.m. on December 1. I was already dilated to a 6. And just before Noon, our little Britta was born.

Despite what the doctors thought via ultrasound, she was not big. In fact, she was my smallest baby weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. 

Britta Paula Reeve, 7 lbs. 9 oz., 20 inches long

She's beautiful. Her little body has some muscular problems doctors are trying to figure out, but she is one of the loveliest things I have ever seen. And we are all so in love with her.

Welcome to our world baby Britta!  

Paige and Marin are smitten and fight about who gets to hold her and help change her diaper.