Introducing Sydney Anne Shannon

Sydney Anne Shannon was born on May 1, 2010 at 11:35pm. She weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. She is as sweet as can be and is perfect in every way!

I was in labor for 12 hours and we almost thought Sydney would be a May 2nd baby! The joy was overwhelming once we held her for the first time. I would go through labor every day for a month to have something so wonderful and so incredible. The pain and tears throughout that day seem like nothing compared to the happiness felt at that very moment. I will never forget that feeling. It truly is God's work and His miracle. We are so, so blessed and we thank God every day for this little being that has mesmerized us.

One of my favorite moments the first week was when Sydney would look up at me as if she were saying, "I've wondered for so long and now I know what you look like!" She looked at me as if she were taking me in. It was so wonderful!

We are so proud!

Mimi and Ole

What a proud Daddy!

On our way home ...

Roxie and Harley got to meet Sydney for the first time.

Scotty introduced Sydney to his family in California.

On Mother's Day I received this email forward from a friend and I thought it was so true!

Before I was a Mom

I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom

I had never been puked on

Pooped on

Chewed on

Peed on.

I had complete control over my mind

and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom

I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests

or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night

watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom

I never held a sleeping baby just because

I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew something so small

could affect my life so much.

I never knew I could love someone so much.

I never knew I could love being a mom.

Before I was a Mom

I didn't know the feeling of

having my heart outside of my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond

between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes, to make sure everything was ok.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy,

the love,

the heartache,

the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a mom.