We're an Auntie and Uncle...Welcome Stanley Dale Harcey

On Friday, July 2nd, 2010 at about 10:30am, I recieved a phone call from my brother-in-law Bryce letting me know that Gina may be induced that day! I couldn't believe it! He asked me not to call my parents yet because he was going to wait until he knew for sure that she was going to be induced. I agreed to that, although secrets are so HARD for me especially when my little sister was possibly going into LABOR!! I was so excited that my hands started shaking! I didn't know what to do with myself...and I wasn't even having the baby! :)

At 12:00 Bryce called back and told me that Gina was going to for sure be induced! I was so excited, and of course called Noah to let him know that I wanted to leave Austin as soon as possible and head up to MN! Noah, like any good husband, asked when the last time my car had an oil change...when I looked up at the sticker my heart sank a tad...it was already 1,000 miles overdue! So, I quickly called Covert Ford, they said the wait was 1.5 hours, I told them that I would be there shortly! I had just finished my last appointment for the day, and I had a few expense reports to do to keep me busy while I waited for my oil change! At about 3:00 Noah called, he asked the plan...I said, "well I just got an oil change" he replied with, "what time are WE leaving!" I was so excited!!! We were headed on a road trip up to MN!!

We left at about 4PM, and started our 18 hour drive up to MN. Miss Abby was pretty excited too because she was going with us! We had a few minor traffic delays on the way up. We hit a jack-knifed 18 wheeler in Dallas and it was pretty heavy rain for most of the drive through Oklahoma. At about 11:30Pm, Noah turned the wheel over to me! I continued to drive through the night until 5am with updates from my dad.

Around 11:00Pm they broke Gina's water...I thought the baby would be out by 1:30AM...I was a little off. After getting updates of, "dialated to a 4", dialated to a 6", "she's pushing now", it ended with "she has to have a c-section"! I was so scared for my little sister, it was hard to get any sleep at all, which explains why I did only get 1 hour on the way there....very rare for me to live on that little of sleep! Noah took over around 5am with the driving, but I remained excited and awake all the way up!

We arrived at 11:00 AM to Minneapolis hospital. Greeted by my family, we went up to see Gina, Stanley, and Brycetta! To my surprise, Gina had just gotten out of her surgery, so I got to see her wheeled into her room. She looked great, but very tired! We decided to go up and see Stanley next. Stanley was up one floor from Gina, so he could be closely monitored with his blood sugars. Happy Birthday Stanley, July 3, 2010!!

When Jennie and I got upstairs to see Bryce and Stanley, my eyes shed a few tears. What a precious gift that God had blessed Bryce and Gina with! He was absolutley perfect! He had a ton of hair, cute chubby cheeks, and the sweetest little face...I loved him so much! I can't explain the feelings that came over me while I looked at Gina's little boy! It was amazing that he was just inside her belly, and now he was out in the world and breathing on his own just fine! It's such an overwhelming feeling to see your sister's baby... I think because you've been thinking about that part of your life since you were a little girl playing with dolls, and now you are holding your sister's child...what an incredible feeling...especially since he is so darn cute! :)
It was fun celebrating the fourth of July in MN! We had a slumber party at Jennie and Ryans! We ate my mom's pulled pork that was intended for the lake, but Stanley allowed his aunt and uncle from Texas to get in on the FUN of a MN fourth of July...for that he may be my favorite nephew! :) We will forever remind little Stanley that his birth was the year, and probably one of the only years, that Grandma and Grandpa Dale watched the Minneapolis Fireworks! :) For years to come, Stanley will get to have lots of FUN birthdays filled with Fireworks, 4th of July cake, sparklers, etc! What a smart little guy! :)

Gina had a speedy recovery as well as little Stanley, and both of them were able to go home today...I'm sure Bryce was so excited to have his family all at home!

Congratulations to a Beautiful couple and now a beautiful Family! This will be the first of many posts about my nephew Stanley! :)

Until we meet again....