Earthquake Baby

Last week the Mahaney clan was blessed with the exciting arrival of Elena Hope Pyle, granddaughter to CJ's sister Sharon, and son of our nephew JD and his wife Cheryl. This makes--if I'm counting correctly--20 great-grandchildren for CJ's mom, with several more on the way! We are so grateful that God kept mommy and baby safe and we thought you'd enjoy hearing about Elena's exciting birth, as told by her grandma, Sharon.

Congratulations JD and Cheryl! With love, Aunt Carolyn

Elena Hope was born on earthquake day. She came in dramatic fashion about 3 weeks early. Cheryl was putting on her makeup at her mom's house. She had spent the night there because her sister was going to babysit Isabelle while Cheryl went for her doctor's appointment. She had been having what she thought were Braxton-Hicks contractions, but suddenly she felt what she called "the worst menstrual cramp ever" which made her drop to her knees. She called for her sister and her mom, who threw a blanket down on the bathroom floor and called 911 at 9:13 a.m.  At 9:15 a.m. the baby basically fell out! Would that we all could have had 2 minute labors! Her sister Claudine somehow knew what to do. She had her last child 7 months ago, and she said she "ironically" had taken a class on medical assistance. Anyway, she had an unused syringe she used to suction the mucous and used a shoelace to tie off the placenta. In God's mercy, kindness, and faithfulness, mom and baby are both great. Poor J.D. was an hour away and thought his mother-in-law was joking when she called to say the baby had arrived. He knew it wasn't a joke when he heard the baby crying! No less than 8 paramedics arrived 6 minutes later in 3 ambulances and a fire truck, not a woman among them! There was Cheryl in her pretty, long dress and beautifully done hair and makeup holding her baby! She weighed about 5 lbs. and is about 18 inches long, although now she is in the 4's, a little peanut. Later that day J.D. sent a picture and texted, "Elena was born and the earth shook."  They came home yesterday and all are doing well, praise the Lord! I told Stacey (due Sept. 16) and Stephanie (due Dec. 12) they had better not try that trick at my house. Midwifery is not on my resume!