We found out we were pregnant with Elizabeth while we were on vacation in New England. The best part about that was being able to tell our whole family in person. I actually had a great pregnancy without much sickness. I really enjoyed food with her! In fact, the doctor thought I was pregnant with twins in the beginning because I put on weight so fast. Heath and I decided early on that we would not find out what this baby was and that made the pregnancy all that more exciting. It was fun watching Caleb's interest and excitement. I remember his face lighting up the first time he felt her kick and I think I that point he knew there was really something in that big belly of mine. We struggled for a long time with names. One night we were talking before bed and tossing names back and forth. I knew that I wanted Elizabeth to be the middle name because that is my middle name, but we couldn't agree on the first name. Finally Heath said to me, half asleep, "Why aren't we making her first name Elizabeth?" I just sat there and thought about it. It actually kept me awake that night because it made perfect sense. We were so close to the delivery that we kept the name a secret. We didn't agree on a boy name until we were in the car on the way to the hospital. We shook on the names in the car because I didn't want Heath coming out of the operating room and saying a name we hadn't both said yes to.
I had a scheduled c-section because Caleb had been delivered c-section and the risk was too high delivering vaginally. My surgery was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Friday, February 25, 2005. I was nervous about this one because with Caleb it was an emergency and my epidural wasn't strong enough and I felt a lot more than I should have. I made sure the doctor knew that I didn't want to feel a thing. The excitement of finding out whether it was a boy or a girl was intense and just the thought of finally seeing the little life inside of mewas overwhelming!
Once the doctors started and we knew it was almost time to see the baby, the seconds felt like very long minutes. Suddenly the doctor told Heath he could stand up and tell me what it was. Again, the five seconds felt like five minutes and he said, "It's a girl!" The tears fell down my face immediately! And to hear her cry and hear the doctors say she was healthy! She was so beautiful! Heath said the best moment for him was when he got to walk out of the operating room and tell everyone waiting that it was a girl and then reveal her name: Elizabeth Anne Lockhart. I am so glad that we kept it a secret because it made that moment so special for him. 
They brought her to me almost immediately because her blood sugar was down since I had been restricted from eating anything since the night before. That was a special moment especially since I had waited several hours to see Caleb when he was born and it was the middle of the night. With her I was awake and ready to enjoy her. My parents brought Caleb up that afternoon. We had taken him to Build-A-Bear and he built her a bear to give her when she was born. He proudly marched that bear in the room and crawled up into my bed. He couldn't understand why she couldn't hold it. After visiting for a few moments and all the attention had shifted off of him, he looked at me and said, "I wanted a boy!" It was the cutest moment and it still makes me laugh!
She fit so naturally into our family as if she had always been a part of it. She was a very good baby who nursed well and slept well and Caleb doted all over her! She has always had a sweet personality and has always looked at her brother as the king of the universe. And now she is no longer a baby, but a bubbling, opinionated, 4 year old!
Thank you God for my sweet little Elizabeth and the four years you have blessed me with her. I am so privileged to have been given her to raise to know You and love You. I love everything about her . Her intense love and need to be affectionate is so different from me but such a blessing to enjoy. Her love to help me and take on the role of caregiver even at the age of 4. Her beautiful curly hair that I would give anything to have. Her adorable giggle that lights up the room. Her desire to be just like her brother even when that isn't the most desirable choice. Her love of anything with four legs. How she says, "I love you to heaven to back!" How she takes your face in her hands and plants a kiss on you. Her love of all things sweet! And her precious little prayers to you that always list anyone she has ever met! She has such a sweet spirit, Lord, and I pray she keeps it and one day directs it towards Your Kingdom. Lord, bless her on this day and all the days ahead!
1 year old
2 years old
3 years old
Today she is 4!
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