Emelia Rose Sutherland is born

Well I'm a little behind with this news, but.... on June 12th, at 5:56pm, Emelia Rose came into the world. Crystal (my assistant) had her sweet baby girl just when we thought she would- right as I rolled out of town for a wedding in southern Colorado. HA! Darrell and I were loading up the car and locking up the doors at literally the same moment she was born. Crystal and I joked for months that we knew that was going to happen! Right as we hit Grand Junction to head south, I received the text message from Crystal and I knew before opening up my phone that it had to be the news. So unfortunately I had to wait several days until we got back to meet her, but such is life.It is so amazing. Really. I mean, I myself have yet to experience it first hand, but just the day before, Crystal was at the office, working away! She was 5 cm. dialated and not interested in staying home and constantly thinking about when the baby would come, and decided to come in to help her keep her mind off the waiting game. Emelia had a fit of hiccups that day and we laughed as we placed our hands on her belly and felt her helplessly hop around with hiccups in the womb. Now here I was, just a couple days later, visiting Crystal and Ben at home.... and Emelia again, got the hiccups. I think that is when it really hit me that just literally moments ago, she was a part of Crystal and all the sudden she is here, her very own little person. Just amazing....Now of course I miss the heck out of Crystal. Not just because it's wedding season and we are crazy busy, but mostly the chatter at the office and the company of a good friend. Holy cow, Crystal is a mama.... :) Now we will be the very last of our friends to have a baby- we get harassed all the time- you know who you all are!!- so this concept of our friends becoming parents and expanding families is not new news. But at the same time, the whole process never ceases to amaze me, and having Crystal here 3 days a week all the way through her pregnancy just made it very real and much closer to home.

At 5lbs., 9 oz. she was not a very big package, but an incredible one all the same. She is growing quickly and I'm sure that growth will be well documented around here! ;) Now if I can only get through wedding season without her mom...! :) I love you, Crystal.... congratulations!