We had a baby!

Living the best days of our life

Author

Ella Forrest
August 26, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Annalise Marie Forrest born June 29, 2025

Birth - the most wild, holy, hard experience

I felt so thankful for the way my birth went; truly God’s hand was on it all. I won’t lie though, it hurt. Here it is in short: contractions started regularly every 5ish min at 10pm on June 28th. I labored at home through the night until about 4:00am. I went into hospital when they were happening about every 3 minutes. 8am-12:00 intense painful contractions. At noon my midwife came in and said I was in transition (so i felt hopeful it was almost over). I got in the tub for 30 minutes to push then got back on the hospital bed and pushed for 20ish more then my water broke and she was here at 1:20pm on June 29th!

July 1 (24 hours old)

park day

Our little Family

She is now 8 weeks old and we have been in bliss ever since! Dylan and I have always wanted to be parents (if you know us you know) and so we feel this sense of fulfillment in being her parents. It’s been so fun watching Dylan be a girl dad. I’ve been staying at home with her and don’t plan on going back to work - running Lifted Coffee Cart and being a mom full time!!!

Okay here’s the “behind the scenes” if you want to know a little more

Purpose in Being a Mom????

Maybe some of you can relate, but I’ve always tended to find fulfillment in what I “do.” I’ve had to work to realign my thoughts towards my identity being a daughter of God simply because I am not because of what I do or what job I have. So, during the 9 months I was pregnant, I thought once she was here and I sat on the couch for 2 weeks and then stayed at home with her all I day, I wouldn’t feel fulfilled since I didn’t have a “real” job anymore.

If that sounds like you or is a fear of yours, I want to encourage you because I was completely wrong. Since she has been born, I have felt a new sense of fulfillment and love in simply being her mom (even if that means sitting and staring at her all day). It’s crazy because I know God’s timing is so perfect and in moments when I felt that I wasn’t ready, he assured me I was. And now seeing the fruit of obeying him and surrendering to his timeline is the biggest blessing.

my mini best friend

More emotions…

I probably wouldn't have shared this 10 months ago but it might be helpful? I've always known I wanted to be a wife and mom…I’ve dreamed of these days. The day I found out / the early days of knowing I was pregnant actually felt so overwhelming. So many emotions (and probably hormones). Doubts and fears that I had to wrestle through with the Lord. So thankful for Dylan and his steadiness.
He just knew it was perfect and the "right" timing for us. It's the craziest feeling not seeing your child or even having a bump in the early days but knowing you're parents. I think we could have waited 5 years and i still would have felt the same way. No matter how "ready" you are, it's just feels like your whole life is changed (which it is). Once I was showing/felt her move it was way easier to comprehend and then when she was born I never even could imagine the days I felt unsure? The Lord’s timing is really so perfect and we haven't thought once since she's been here "oh we got pregnant too fast." In fact it's more "dang can you imagine what we would have missed out on."

“can you imagine what we would have missed out on”