The Day You Were Born

I have very few memories from the day Aaron was born. The anesthesia made me very sick and groggy and the day is a blur. Most of the few 'memories' I have came from the videos Jory made and the stories he told me. I was so blessed with Abby to not have any grogginess and to have a clear mind all day. I am so thankful to have memories so I want to record those before they fade. This post will be my longest ever and will serve to preserve a precious day for me. You are free to skip it. And I will also warn you that the first picture of Abby as she came into the world is on this post and most people would not find it pretty. I was so nervous the day your were born! I was anxious to have you here and healthy. We had to leave for the hospital at 9:45am and I thought that would seem late and that the morning would drag on, but it was just the opposite. I was so scattered that it took me a long time to get ready. I also started two tasks that I completely forgot to finish and didn't think about again for 12 hours. That's not like me at all!

I wanted to take one last picture of you inside of me, but that task got dropped as well (though your daddy took some video as we walked into the hospital). The day you were born I was exactly nine months pregnant. It was a beautiful day and before we left for the hospital I was sitting outside with your grandparents watching Aaron play. I was thankful to have your grandparents in town. They came in the night before and stayed with us. It was a blessing to have them here for your birth and that meant so much to me, but it was also so nice to leave your brother in their care. It was obvious that he was one thing I would not have to worry about.

We got to the hospital and had the most pleasant admission experience. This had been a process when your brother was born and I was braced for that, but this was smooth and efficient and the nurse, Kim, who prepared me for the Operating Room was wonderful. We were done by 11am and I told your daddy that it was going to be a long hour waiting to go into the OR at noon. My surgery was scheduled for 12pm, but our doctor had told us it could be later depending on what was going on at the hospital that day. Your daddy had been praying for weeks that we would not be delayed in meeting you and right after I said that we would be waiting for a long hour a nurse came in and told us that our doctor was ahead of schedule and would be ready to go at 11:30! So they went ahead and got me into the OR to get things ready. We didn't have any waiting time at all!

Your daddy had to wait for a while to come into the Operating Room. This is the last picture he took before they called him back.

I missed him so much while I was in the OR by myself. I finally said, 'I'm ready for my husband to be in here' and I didn't even realize I said it out loud, but I heard my doctor tell a nurse to go get him and the next thing I knew he was standing by my side. He is such a calming force in my life and I needed him.

Your surgery went so quickly! Well, at least compared to the one other one I have had. There were no complications, no strained voices, no yanking trying to get you free. They just went in and lifted you out and at 11:55 you were here! Daddy got to take this picture of you. You were awful mad when you came out and that cry was one of the greatest sounds I have ever heard. When the doctor told me you were okay I cried.

You had dark hair and you looked just like your brother to me. You were smaller, but just beautiful. Right after you were born I got very sick. It was scary for me, but the anesthesiologist had been prepared and was there to help me. So I told your daddy to go be with you while the nurses weighed you, checked you and cleaned you. He took this picture and then came back super quick to tell me you were doing great.

My doctor was surprised by how big you were. At four days early, over eight pounds is a pretty big girl. Most of your weight was in your length, though. You were a long baby!

They took me into the recovery room and you and Daddy came too. No one else was allowed to come in there. We were in there for an hour or so and I made your daddy leave super quick to tell your grandparents (Papa and Kimmie and Papa Tom and Grandma Sheri) that you were here. He came back with Grandma Sheri's phone and took some pictures for them to send to everyone they knew.

Once I was feeling better the nurse helped me sit up and I got to nurse you. You did everything all by yourself! Your daddy and I and the nurse were all so impressed. You just latched on and ate. You even tried to use your hand to help you latch on. You knew exactly what you were doing. That was a huge blessing and having such a good eater is something we are thankful for.

After you ate the nurse wheeled us to a regular room. We went past the waiting room where your grandparents were and they took this picture.

Back in our room we had a lot of nurses checking you out and you had your first bath. So the grandparents had to wait some more before they got to come in. Here is your Grandma Sheri holding you finally.

I was doing really well and so were you, so Grandma and Papa went to get your brother so he could meet you. He stayed at home with his babysitter Brooke while you were being born so that I could have your grandparents at the hospital with me.

I was so excited to see your brother! Brooke said the entire time she was with him he kept saying 'Abby born. Abby born.' He had such an excited look on his face when he walked into the room. He had flowers for us and he had signed the card himself. It was a special moment for me.

Aaron couldn't wait to hold you and he was so sweet with you.
He was a little confused, but he sure loved you.

After that it was dinner time, so all of the grandparents took Aaron to Souper Salad where he proceeded to show them how to tear up a salad bar. This left Daddy and I alone with you and we had some very precious time.

I loved watching your daddy hold you. He is such a good daddy and he loves you so much. You are blessed that God gave you him as your father on earth.

Our hospital experience was so wonderful. It was very peaceful compared to where we were when your brother was born. At that hospital there was always someone coming in to check on something and here we had a lot of alone time. It was very calm and peaceful.

Grandad and Mimi came up as soon as Grandad got home from work. They brought you a teddy bear and took lots of pictures.

This was one of the greatest days ever. Everything worked together perfectly and we were so blessed with our beautiful, wonderful gift from God.