While I can still remember the last couple of months, I'll try to journal it for you, sweet girl! We made it though most of this pregnancy without the liver problems I have had in both of our other pregnancies. We went to great lengths to keep my liver as happy as possible. :) But ... around week 31, symptoms presented themselves, and so we went into Kelaiah (and Mommy) protection mode! We knew it wouldn't be long before we got to meet you.
You and I actually spent part of weeks 32 & 33 in the hospital, being monitored and put on some medicine to see if we could keep you a little longer before having to deliver you. It was hard to be away from home so long, but the rest was good for both you and me, and we did NOT want to have to deliver you at 33 weeks if we could help it! Praise the Lord the medicine worked, and we got to come home for week 34. (We got home from the hospital, and Caleb got a bad bug. Daddy had to turn right around and take him to Cooks all night long!)
Speaking of Daddy, he has been playing Daddy and Mommy for about 5 weeks. He is so awesome!!!
At the beginning of week 35, on Sunday the 9th, we could tell that things were getting worse. We drove up to Denton Sunday after church, and Dr. Cummings checked us out again. All along you passed all of the tests they could do on you with flying colors. While in the hospital, I got to see a sonogram of you, and I could see your fuzzy head! I saw your little eyes blink, too, and the face on that sonogram was so precious! (And it's exactly what you look like, too!) Dr. Cummings told us to go home, get things together, and come back Monday for an appointment. On Monday, he decided that we would deliver you that Thursday! We were so excited! So at 3:30 Thursday morning, we headed out to Denton Presbyterian hospital.
Our c-section was scheduled for 7:30 am, but it got pushed back a little bit and you were born at 8:37 am. As a side note, this c-section was pretty rough. The anesthesiologist couldn't seem to get the spinal tap right, I got extremely sick on the operating table ... I'm glad to say we won't be doing that again. :) Your Daddy will have to fill in birth story details, because I was just working on getting through the surgery! I'm pretty sure I would have passed out if it weren't for his calm, sweet self standing by me and telling me it would be okay. At 8:37 am I heard you cry for the first time, and I was overcome with joy! Dr. Cummings had checked to see if you were a girl or boy, but Daddy and I didn't know until you were born. I had to beg them to tell me! They were both watching and forgot I couldn't see! :) Dr. C said, "Oh yes, it's a girl! But I already knew that." You were beautiful the moment you were born. And although you struggled to breathe a little in the beginning, after several minutes, it was obvious that you were extremely strong.
They let me see you briefly, and then they took you to the NICU to check up on you. You had a little breathing and eating help in the beginning, but by the end of the first day they had you on regular room oxygen with just a little pressure in a cpap. Your Daddy visited you off and on all day long, bouncing between you and me. That night, I got to be wheeled to the NICU to visit you, too. Your eyes were so tiny and sleepy, and you were precious! I didn't get to see your hair until the next day, because they had a hat on you. Some nurses said it was blond, and some said it was dark. It's a beautiful color of red-brown right now, with definite long fuzz on top. In fact, after I washed it last night, you pretty much have a mohawk. Ha!
By the next day, we were able to hold you. And we did it as much as possible!
On the second day (we think, though it might have been the third), I got to nurse you! And you were a terrific eater from the very beginning. Daddy got to give you a bottle, too.
And he got your first kiss.
We never dreamed that we would be able to take you home when we went home, but amazingly, Saturday they told us we could "room in" with you Saturday night and take you home Sunday! (provided that you ate well all night and your bilirubin didn't increase overnight).
So Sunday, we packed you up in your new carseat, and we took you home! You were so very tiny!
Even the newborn clothes we had for you were pretty big! Look at your scrawny little legs!
When we got home, Caleb, Kerith, Granna, and Hayley were all SO excited to see you! Caleb said, "Mom, where's your baby?" when we pulled up. He lovingly touched your head and feet, and he gave you kisses on your forehead over and over. Kerith calls you, "Kewayah", and she asks where "the baby sister" is constantly during the day. We are having to keep you in the back room, because Kerith has been sick. I can't wait until you can come out front and enjoy watching your brother and sister.
Monday, we took you to the doctor to weigh you, and you were only 5 lbs 9 oz! When we took you back for a weight check later in the week, you hadn't gained quite enough weight. So we had to give you formula 3 times a day to chunk you up a little.
Caleb (who put on his car pjs and said Daddy could be the traffic cone), Daddy, and you, watching football.
Coach came down for Christmas, and we got to have a white Christmas this year! You and I stayed in the warm house, though.
This is you at one week old!
I'm happy to say that this week, you have gained plenty of weight and are doing great! You're still sleepy, and we have to make you cold sometimes to get you to eat! But you're sleeping pretty well and you're on a 2.5 - 3 hour schedule, and so far the Lord has kept you from any sickness.
12/23/12 - 10 days old
You are a precious blessing to us, and we look forward to an adventure as a family of 5. We love you precious Kelaiah! (Kelaiah means "voice of the Lord" and Noelle means "Christmas".) I'll blog more once I get a little sleep. :)
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