Tess Brinley Robbins (& her 1 month Photo Shoot)...

Oh our sweet Tess Brinley...

Tess: meaning "harvester" or "to reap."
Brinley: meaning "virtuous" and "princess."

Oh we just love the names of our kiddos...and Tess Brinley you are the perfect addition. I must admit I LOVE the name Tess but was very hesitant to pick it as I do not like Tessa or Tessie...just some bad past experiences with those names (all those kamp kids...it's like being a teacher, certain names just have stuck out...and not in great ways some of them). But I love it...and you are so Tess.

Your Story:
Confession: I'm typing this you are almost a year old. I'm a bit behind...okay, lots behind.

Name: Tess Brinley Robbins
Weight: 8 lbs. 10 oz.
Length: 21 inches
Time: 12:33 pm. (very quick sweet girl!)
Date: December 23, 2013

So that's the vitals of your day...now let's see if I can remember your day. You actual due date was December 26, 2013. I must admit sweet one that I did not want to be in the hospital on Christmas day or even the day after Christmas. I was praying you would come early just like your two sisters (they were both a week early) and not be 3 days late like your brother. So some contractions started about a week out. Very light and very little and very sporadic.  I would think "oh she is coming today" after a very early morning set of contractions but once I was up and going with the other 3 littles the contractions would stop. Sometimes I would have just 1-3 every few days. So that was around December 19th (ish...everything is a bit fuzzy sweet Tess). Life continued with your siblings and even with Christmas parties and get-togethers around this time of year. I was big. I was ready and did I mention BIG. You were just cozy in there and as with all of you 4 kiddos I had hardly any movement up to when you make your grand appearance. Dr. McCall always gives me like a 1/2 a cm of movement just to be sweet but honestly I know it's her just being kind. Have I ever mentioned we have the best baby doctor ever!! She cared for all of you so well...

Okay, so then December 22...we think it is game time. It's late night and we can only get a hold of Jane Harrison (all the in-laws had their phones on silence...had forgotten to tell them to be on baby call). Anyways, she comes over and although they had been frequent when I was up they would slow and basically disappear right when I would sit down. So after she had already arrived we sent her home...false alarm. I just knew once I sat in the van for 45 minutes on our drive the contractions would stop and the nurses would laugh at me as I would only measure to like a 2-3 cm. So we waited. I slept that night and the next morning contractions were definitely there but still not time to go. I was scared to wait too long since Knox had come in 32 minutes but also did not want to go to early and have to have hard labor in the hospital and with no food (I'm just not a hospital gal at all!). So for a few hours I had some but as I would sit down they would slow down. But as it neared 10:30 am I remember trying to stand to go to the bathroom and if I even tried to stand up the contraction would come hard and fast. I would quickly sit to settle you back down. I would try again and contraction again. I realized I could not stand up or contractions were often...ready to go often! By 11:00 am we had mimi and papa called and the contractions were coming fast. I was calm but also knew it was time and so was a bit nervous about wanting to push in the car and having a baby on the side of the road (your father's dream). The contractions were hard on the way up to the hospital and I was truly just hoping you were at like a 5-6 cm once we got all checked in. But here is where your story, precious Tess, could pretty much mimic your older brother. I was checked and the nurse again was quickly surprised I was at a 9++ and was ready to push. Everything got fast at that point and no time for any epidural. Epidurals are nice and allowed me to enjoy Belle's labor but honestly I like the fast and crazy and boom there's a baby! I must admit your pushing felt harder than Knox. I remember looking at Shay and thinking, "I'm not sure I can do this. It didn't hurt this bad last time." You were just pushing hard in your little space but it wasn't quite time to come out of the shoot yet. Dr. McCall was wonderful and I'm so glad she delivered you! I love her so! Shay calls Dr. McCall the Peyton Manning of a Delivery Room. I pushed...alot and I remember their were other doctors on call because you had come so fast that there was so fear in...fuzzy..something. It didn't make me nervous but I remember something being a bit different. Once you came out all they had to do was look at you and they left...all clear. The nurses were so great (as they have always been) and you were perfect. Just perfect. I forget how tiny 8 pounds is...you are so helpless and so cuddly. Just this ball of baby. Just perfect. My heart was so in...right at that moment. You had all of us...your mommy and your daddy. I had a few stitches again but I'm so very used to that. Nothing will ever compare to Lulu's labor when it comes to my body and healing afterwards.

Then we spent 1.5 days in the hospital and could not have gotten out of there fast enough. I truly hate staying in the hospital those days. Nurses non-stop, pain medicine, checking on nursing, check her eyes, ears, etc. I just wanted and needed HOME. I wanted all of my family home...and that now meant YOU. You did fail your 1st hearing test during the stay at the hospital but the lady quickly told me it was most likely from how fast you came out and water/stuff was still in your ears. I brought you back a week later and all was well. You were quite purple in your forehead area for the first few days too again because of how fast you came...from the time we checked in to the time you came out it was 35 minutes. You almost beat your big brother's time.

We just melted...you were perfect and continue to be such a joyful, easy baby. You slept AWESOME from the start. You and I just made beds out in the living room. Me on the couch and you in your basket and we just woke about every 3 hours from day 1. Truly not too bad. I loved my late nights with you because it was quiet from all the chaos of being a 4th child. It was just you and I and I could just be with you. Quietly nursing and quietly bouncing to get you to sleep. You (much like Belle and Knox) loved sleeping on your belly...I know it's like against every hospital law. I was inches away and you would not sleep on your back. AT ALL. You needed sleep and so did I. So we risked it...and you rocked it. (just for the record I was never nervous. You were swaddled. No extra stuff and your neck was strong quick.

We just love you...I just remember loving you so much. Your story is one of surprise and God's perfectly penned writing in our family. Tess Brinley...you are amazing. You are our perfect 4th child. You are just exactly what our family needed. So thankful Jesus placed you in our arms and is trusting us with your heart.

Well on to the pictures...

Nurses were scrambling everywhere at this point. Dr. McCall at one point was standing and all suited up ready for me to push but all the other things weren't in motion yet. It was fast and furious!

First glance...love those long fingers!

Our MVP...Peyton Manning...I mean Dr. McCall!

Longest little toes!

First hold by your daddy....you are so lucky...the luckiest to have THIS daddy!

little bruised...okay, you were really purple and bruised...sorry punkin!

ahhh....all swaddled and cozy!

ready to go home!!! we all were. you wore an outfit from Nay-nay (Jane Harrison)

First time meeting. We didn't have the kiddos come up since we were only there for 1 day. This was their first time meeting her. They are pretty smitten...Lulu's face...

Belle literally couldn't quit touching her...

And Her 1st Photo session with mommy...

I promise she was not cold or anything was wrong...her skin just was super splotchy this day...weird looking back at it. 

This outfit is from the Ellett family. We pray we are so like them in so many ways. 

HILARIOUS! I just checked my other posts and I had already typed up this story. Like from when it actually happened in real time...not a year later like I did with this post. I think I want to save it just because it is funny and we'll see what I just made up...hehe!