[AdrienneG]

Thanks everyone.

The birthmother is doing very well. She and I spent a lot of time together. I stayed in her room and had a bracelet that gave me 24 hour access. She was happy to have me there. The nurses barely had to do anything because I helped care for her while she was in the hospital. I have photos of her holding Jonathan and checking him to be sure he's okay.

She and I bonded in our time in the hospital together, watching movies on my laptop and I do food-runs for her since she didn't like the hospital food. Her teacher brought her missed classwork and homework assignments to her mother's house, and her mother brought that to the hospital for her to do her work and be caught up in school. She said she is looking forward to school. I have 2 letters that she wrote to the baby that are just so sweet. I'm keeping it for him to read when he is old enough to read.

I have tons to say but not enough time to type it, and all in all was a very blessed event.

I am going to check on her and make sure she already has the instructions for her own care now that she is out of the hospital.

Oh yes the labor was intense! She went from 3cm to 8cm in 30 minutes, and it is no wonder she was worried I wasn't gonna make it to the hospital in time. By the time she had her epidural, she was already 8cm dilated (They had decided to put it in when she was 3cm but it happened so fast she still could have her epidural).

I was able to rub her back hard with the flat part of my fist, which she said helped her get through the contractions and just listening to my voice telling her to breathe. As her cousin I was focused on making sure she was not panicking. I am so glad I got to be there for the birth, and so glad she even wanted me there...cuz I was prepared for her anything including her saying no, or changing her mind about the adoption.

She loves the baby and I will tell this baby how much his birth mother loves him dearly and how much we bonded through this whole process.