So after weekly visits to the Dr, a lot of poking and prodding, and one trip to L&D, it was decided at 29 weeks that I would be on STRICT bed rest. Man does bed rest mess with your mind! I have never felt more lazy, useless, and depressed! But my ultimate goal was so important that it was all worth it! CJ went a little nuts during my bed rest but luckily he literally flipped a switch right when she was born and went back to my sweet boy!
Anywho, the night of November 21st was a bad one! I was 35w2d along and we had had a particularly difficult day with CJ and I was having some shooting pains. They subsided though and I went to bed. I tossed and turned all night! I wasn't having any pain but the braxton hicks contractions were not stopping! Every time I turned or shifted my stomach felt like a rock!
Just 3 days before her grand appearance!
By the next morning I just felt really "off." I called my OB who told me just to go into L&D, since I was already dilated the week before. So my mother-in-law and I pile in to the car to go to the hospital. They stuck me in triage and the nurse finally comes in to check me...I'm 3-4cm already! She calls my dr to see what she wants to do. The nurse comes back in and says "we're having a baby today!" I was completely shocked! I knew I would have her early but didn't really think that that would be the day! It was funny how it turned out because my sister had just moved back to Huntington Beach (the night before!!) and my Dad was on a plane to come see us for Thanksgiving!
After about 9 hours, a lovely epidural, and two pushes, our sweet little girl came into the world on November 22, 2011 at 6:52pm weighing 5lbs 8oz and 17.5 inches long. My first thought when I saw her, up side down, was "she looks just like her brother!" They took her to the warming bed right away to check her out. Turns out her little lungs just weren't ready yet. So after a quick snuggle and kiss, Chloe and Daddy went down to the transition nursery. I gotta tell ya, it is heartbreaking not being able to snuggle your newborn right away! It would actually be two days before I was able to really hold her.
Brand spankin new!
She still wasn't breathing well so she was sent to the NICU. She was in there for a total of 15 days!! Longest 2 weeks of my life! I still hadn't held her the day I was being discharged, because she was on a CPAP machine and they wanted to keep the stimulus to a minimum. But we had an amazing nurse that day who told me that I would not leave that hospital without holding my baby! After all the waiting and the paperwork I was finally able to kangaroo hold my little girl. And amazingly, her stats had never been better than when we were chest to chest. It was one of the best days of my life!
First time snuggling - Thanksgiving Day!
Finally got that yucky mask off my face!
Daddy's first time holding his little Princess
So after 15 days, a CPAP machine, a feeding tube, lights for jaundice, a hear murmur (that we were told was normal and went away!), learning to nurse and bottle feed, being able to be in an open crib, and passing her car seat test, we were finally able to bring her home!!
CJ was so excited to see his baby sister! We took a video of his first time holding her. He was so tender and kept telling me "oh Mommy, she's so cute!" in this hushed and reverent voice. And yes, I was bawling!
