the ARRIVAL...of us and Sophie!

So I got a call at like 2am on July 22nd saying my sister Britt was in labor. I called on flights and by 6am I was pounding on my sister Amy's door and after about 20 mins of me knocking- I mean, come on people!!- I was yelling at her to get ready because we had a flight to catch at 7am to Chicago. She threw a few clothes in a bag and, after an entertaining flight with dear Rob as our personal flight attendant, we were landing in the Windy City a few hours later. We took a cab to the hospital with a sweet driver who understood the importance of getting there quick, and after a big tip to him, we ran in the hospital to find that we had made it in time! In plenty of time actually. It turned out to be a LONG day (us Koplins like the laboring process to be as lengthy as possible apparently), but we had fun. My mom taught us Yoga in the waiting room, we got to know Dave and Sara a little better, ate vending machine food, laughed at the name of the hospital wing we were sitting in, and finally, as I stated below, after 2 hours of pushing and a C-Section, and bugging the nurses every 10 minutes to make sure everything was ok, Sophia Grace Howell had finally arrived. Amy and I got to stay for another day and a half bonding with the new babe, talking Brittany into breastfeeding, and watching my mom eat heaps of pasta and grapefruit at midnight. It was SO FUN to be there and we are so blessed to have lives where a trip like this is possible. Thanks daddyo for all your years at Delta, and to our husbands for being willing to take care of the kids while we took care of our big sister!
And thanks to Britt and Nate for finally acknowledging that children aren't a drain on the economy and bringing Sophie into our lives!

we made it!

Yoga

irony...
She made it!!

first family photo
hearing the story

the proud auntiesthe proud papa