Our little girl has arrived.. :)

It was a rough week for me.. and we're still in the hospital.. but we're now crossing our fingers that we get to go home tomorrow!

I'm sitting here in our Post Partum room.. watching our baby kick her little legs and move her little hands in her swaddler.. She has made amazing progress for being so tiny..

She was born at 4:19pm on Monday, September 6th. She took labor day literally and decided she wanted out almost a full month early. She weighed in at 5lbs 9oz and was 18.5" long. She's got a full head of dark brown hair and blue eyes that we hope won't change! Jake's nose, ears, birthmark, and toes.. My hair, mouth, and hands.. So far thats all we can tell.. :)

I posted a much less scary version of the birth story on the October board.. Our labor and delivery was extremely difficult, extremely scary, and to tell you the truth - I almost didn't make it. A number of bumpies expressed interest in hearing the whole story so here it is. If you are already scared of the birth part.. you might not want to stress yourself out further.. Pics are at the end.. :)

Here is our story:

We opted to take one last trip to our ranch for Labor day weekend. I relaxed inside all weekend - reading my book and taking it easy. No fourwheeler rides.. No jumping jacks.. just book reading and pampering by the fam..

At 8:00pm on Sunday night - I was sitting on the couch when I felt wetness leak out of me. I got up to go to the bathroom and it gushed out. I sat on the potty and it was all clear.. I figured this was it - but wanted to make sure so I put a pad on and laid down. Made myself count to 2 minutes and then headed back to the bathroom. soaking through the pad on the way in. From then on it was gush after gush.. So I called in we called our OB. He said to head to the hospital up by our ranch - as we didn't know what could happen on the 2 hour drive home. So I delivered in uncharted territory.. Hospital I'd never been too. Doctors I most definitely didn't know.. all plans went straight out the window.. but I was ok with that. Everyone here was AMAZING.. and now I think it was most definitely a miracle I wound up where I did.

We headed in to Bryan, TX and got set up in L&D. We had a nice big room with a huge shower - so that was exciting.. They started me on Pitocin at midnight.. and I decided that considering I had none of my tools to guide me through my non-medicated birth - and I was feeling the back labor quite intensely.. I went ahead and got an epidural at 6am.. My epi was super easy.. not even as bad as a bee sting.. and my anesthesioligist was hilarious.. I had to struggle not to laugh the entire time..

Jake thought he was a comedian as well.. fun with hospital gloves:

...14 hours into labor - my epi quit working.. and things went downhill from there. At 18 hours - I had only progressed to 2cm...and I was throwing up.. with mom rubbing my feet and hands with ice cold hands.. jake was using his palms to apply counterpressure to my back labor..Suzanne was feeding me ice chips and sarah and mom were fanning me with a magazine.. for HOURS.. When the docs came in and said we need to take her now - you've got one opening - we opted for the C-Section.

Things got a little scary after that -My epi had quit working.. during the hours between then and my delivery - we had three anesthesiologiests trying to correct whatever the problem was - with no luck. When the decision for the C-section was made - they gave Jake the cute OR outfit to put on and we all were excited.. well .. they were.. I was moaning in pain and totally exhausted.. I vaguely remember one of the OR techs asking how much drugs had they given me.. when they said nothings working he said.. "oh sh*t" ..

We got into the OR.. they moved me over.. put up the sheet.. I could hear people talking.. I heard a bunch of stuff they probly thought I couldnt hear and I joked half-heartedly with the anesthesiologists about it.

They promised me they would make sure I was numbed..I was the first of many things that night. They started cutting.. and there was nothing numb about me. I couldn't help it. I screamed. The girl who cut literally said.. "That's never happened before!" and another doctor said. "Thats why we do a practice cut." I wonder now if she was a student.

They tried to redo my epi three times.. and we had trial cuts every time.. and every result the same..I think they tried a spinal but at that point I was trying so hard not to panic I dont remember much.

I do remember them telling me that they were going to have to put me out and Jake wouldn't be able to be in the room. That's the point where I lost it and they put the mask on me and that's all I remember..

I learned later that when the doc came out and told them the news that's also when my whole fam started boo-hooing..

I learned later that maybe knocking me out and DH not being there wasn't such a bad thing. They took out baby girl at 4:19pm.. and found that I was hemoraging quite extensively.. I lost more than a couple pints of blood and my uterus was looking bad.

They decided to try a new treatment. The first time it's ever been performed on a patient in this hospital. They put a balloon in my uterus and expanded it. During my initial recovery the deflated it bit by bit and kept me on pitocin so that it would contract down with every downsize.. (My painkiller drip was heavenly.. )

They were extremely excited that the procedure worked as well as it did. I've been treated amazing at this hospital and have had the attention of at least 10 specialists.. I'm feeling pretty spoiled. But I was told that had it not worked - I would have lost my uterus entirely and lost even more blood. I thank my lucky stars and god every day for the miracles he has given my family.

So yeah.. they had to knock me out - and all this scary stuff happened - but my first memory coming too - was my husband leaning over my bed bawling - telling me how beautiful baby girl is.. When they wheeled her into my ICU room a few hours later.. it was love at first sight.. I didn't know my heart could grow that big. I was still recovering from the anesthesia - so I was pretty loopy - and couldn't do much but lay down.. but seeing her and holding her.. it was the most amazing feeling I've ever had. That full head of hair - and blue eyes looking up at me... I could have cried for years and years..

Recovery was pretty tedious. The balloon situation wasn't bad. I was on enough drugs that I barely remember it. I was in a L&D ICU until Wednesday. It was actually not bad. I loved every one of my nurses and doctors and they waited on us constantly.. It was wonderful..

On Wednesday morning Kenadi's bilirubin levels were up to 14.9 so they put her in a bili-blanket .. a UV lighted sack that she laid inside in a diaper and it zipped up around her.. up to her lil neck. The blanket didn't work - so all Thursday and half of today she was under the UV lights.. and we only got her during feedings.

Also on Wednesday - I wasn't doing very well, I was running high fevers, and my oxygen levels and blood count were very low. I was wearing a full oxygen mask constantly and they decided a blood transfusion was in my best interest. My body was not happy with the decision and my wednesday was spent moaning and groaning and trying not to rip out my stitches when I was throwing up. (Not fun)..

By Thursday morning I was feeling 10x better.. by Thursday mid-day I was out of bed and showered.. by Thursday night.. I was actually eating dinner (well .. some of it) .. They took out my central IV line mid-day thursday and it was GREAT not to have tubes coming out of my neck anymore.. woohoo!

Baby girl was taken off of the UV lights this morning and wheeled into our rooom for good. Upon receiving news we wouldn't be going home today I was pretty bummed - but getting her for the full day made it so much better..

My IV line in my arm started leaking and they decided to take it out and see how I did with Oral antibiotics. Everything's working like a champ - so I am no longer tied to the wall by an extension cord.. It feels great to be able to go to the bathroom without something following me! :)

I'm 100X better today. I get small twinges when I move certain ways and I tire easily but thats to be expected. My milk came in and I feel nice and useful.. :) I even got to flat iron my hair so I look half human again! :)

.. and crossing fingers - we all get to go HOME tomorrow.. baby girl has one more test to make sure her bili levels stay down.. and I have one more test to make sure my antibiotics are working correctly.. and then its discharge time and off to Houston we go!! Yay!!! :)

I said this in my other post but - with me being immobile, Jake really stepped up to the plate. He was the feeder, diaper changer, swaddler, worlds best burper, and has simply become super-dad.. It just makes me tear up watching him with her.. I fall in love with him all over again at least every hour of the day..

My mom has taken turns with him and has been an amazing part of my recovery as well. I don't know what I would do without her.

I also had a bff of mine that drove all the way up here from Houston with everything we were missing.. Our carseat, clothes for Jake and I, my pump, and a bunch of other goodies.. She also brought an entire cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory that made my mouth water before I even had an appetite.. :)

I feel so blessed to have such support people in my life. I couldn't have done it without them.

Even with everything that's happened - the part that counts is that baby girl is here and she is amazingly healthy for a premie. She's eating well, sleeping well, and she's not a crying baby.. she makes the cutest little noises and is so strong for her size.

Thank you so much for all your prayers.. I'm hoping to be back online soon. I hope all is going well with everyone on here!!! You'll be joining me soon enough!!! I can't wait to get home and get back to bumping again.. :)

Until then - here are a few pics of lil girl..

Tuesday:

Friday: