We welcomed our Mekayla into the world at 9:49 am on Monday July 14th! She weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz and was 20 inches long. It was a planned c-section birth that went smoothly and without complication and everyone was happy and healthy for at least a day. It was a beautiful day and I can't remember feeling that happy and comfortable in a really long time... I know, I know, part of it had to do with the drugs, but really, it was more than that. A real sense that all was right as it should be and that everything that really mattered in my world was perfect! I LOVE THOSE KIND OF DAYS.I wish I could report that the days following that one perfect day were just more of the same fantastic perfection, but I'm just grateful that things weren't a lot worse than they got. Things were going so well at first that we decided to head out for home a day early and the docs could see no reason for us not to begin the adjustment and recovery at home. So, off we went, and things just seemed to fall apart.
My recovery was going really well... it still is for the most part and Mekayla is still very strong and beautiful, however, a nasty chest cold has settled right down on our little family and made my body ache like nothing I have ever felt. I thought a few of my violent coughing fits would split me in two, but alas... I am still alive and in tact.Then we discovered that the bilirubin levels that were "ok" the day before, somehow reached a "high risk" zone and there became a real threat that we might have to return to the hospital for treatment. I believed exactly what the doctors were telling me about jaundice being common and not being too much cause for alarm... then I started asking questions about what it really was and what caused it... what could happen if it goes untreated and what it would take to treat it if the levels were "high risk." That's when things got really scary. At her age, Mekayla's bili reading of 21 was just too high to ignore... not quite the risk of brain damage, but within 4 points of being a real threat.
I hate it when kids get sick and it is even worse when they seem so tiny and helpless. We have Mekayla on phototherapy and it seems to be doing the trick. So far, it is ok and the only side effect is a globug baby at the bedside and she is still crazy cute. I will keep yall posted on any updates, and we should know on Sunday if I really need to be freaking out... of course you know I already am... but I am trying to keep that under wraps for the sake of my poor hubby... I think my emotional roller coaster might just be freaking him out a bit.
Anyway, Kaia has been adjusting well to the new baby situation, but is having a tough time with sharing the attention. I am doing the best I can to give her the attention she is so desperate for and have found ways to overlook her erratic and near psychotic behavior in lieu of the stress it must be for her. For the most part, she has been a doll, but I caught her trying to reason with Mekayla that it was time for her to go home.
Poor Mekayla was just laying there... asleep, not even moving, not making a peep, not demanding any of my attention in any way, and I wasn't giving it to her... but Kaia knew that somehow that little baby was siphoning off some of the loves that used to be all hers and she thought that it was time to send the baby back to the hospital.
I am convinced that she still loves the baby and that she would be so sad if she never came to visit, but it is apparent that she is having a tough time of adjusting. Ben is doing really well. In fact, I am surprised at how well he is taking care of everything. I am sure that it is hard on him to have to share the attention and disperse it appropriately as well. Especially now that my mom is no longer managing the chores and distracting Kaia with oodles of attention and prizes and all the spoiling activities that grandma's like to do.
I must admit, it was really nice to have her around and I am sad to have her go. I just couldn't justify keeping her away from her home for more than a month because I need my mommy... but sometimes, I just do. I am so glad to have family that loves and supports no matter the cost or inconvenience. I am one lucky girl!
Anyway, sorry for the sporadic thought processes and the long delay in posting the news. I gotta get back upstairs and feed my little glowbug.
11 comments:
Congratulations. She is adorable. I am sorry about the chest cold. Just your post about the post c-section coughing sent me right back to how painful coughing and laughing was.
Lucas was a globug baby too. It is scary, but something the are use to handling.
Lucas also had the same issues about home. He was OK visiting Owen in the hospital, but once he came into his home, it was harder and he wanted to take him back. It is normal, and it will change to love for each other, for me I saw that much sooner than I imagined in the way they looked at each other. One thing that helped us was for Owen to give Lucas a present, something he could do near us while I was nursing the baby -- for us, it was a lego table.
All the best. Hang in there!
Congrats! She is beautiful! I hope you are all getting better soon.
Congratulations! I've been waiting for a post announcing the news. I myself have been on a bit of a blog hiatus, so I guess I can't complain. Hopefully everything else will settle down soon. We had to take Derrick back to the hospital a couple of times to check his bilirubin levels, and spent some time putting his in the sun, but eventually it resolved and things were good. I've never known anyone that juandice was really a problem for, just more of an annoyance for the first couple weeks. Hopefully it will pass soon. Good luck with Kaia, she'll adjust before you know it.
YEAH! She's finally here! Congrats! She is so stinkin cute. I'd like to kiss those cheeks if you don't mind!! Ahhh...nothing is better than a brand new baby. I'm sorry to hear you got sick right after...that is awful! We will keep you guys in our prayers for sure!!
Yippee! She is home...and she is out!! ;) She is darling. Congrats to all of you. I can sympathize with your pain of being split in two. Awhile back (2004) i had a surgery where they cut me just like they would a c-section and any emotion (cough, laugh, cry, etc) just about killed me and i thought i might die! Literally. I am so sorry and hope you are feeling better. Keep posting more pics of the little one--they change so quickly at this age.
And by the way--you can garuntee you won't see any "after shots" of me once this baby is out! I think the post pregnancy belly is by far worse than the pregnant one! (at least for me) I hate to even leave the house the first two months or so because i am so embarassed.
Congratulations on the new bundle of joy, she is precious. I'm sorry that things haven't turned out perfectly, I know we all have those hopes with our babies. My prayers are with you and Mekayla. I'm sure that my little Ethan will have the same troubles w/ adjusting to a new brother, so you will have to let me know how you handle the sibling jealousy for attention.
Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you! I have been waiting to hear, but I am acutally surprised you are on top of it as you are! I have had tons to blog about myself, and have yet to have had the energy to sit and so it. (of course none of our news is exciting as this:) Congrats again! I hope things clear up soon! She is beautiful!
Congrats Ben, Sierra & Big Sister Kaia!!! We miss you!
~Ben & Mari Wilkinson (your old neighbors)
hey! Congratulations! She is so cute! All of us (the walkers) hope everything goes well!!
Congratulations on your beautiful baby! This transitionn will have bumps and I wish you the best in navigating them. Your heart is huge and there is enough love in it for an army - you're going to do great!
She is so cute and so are you! Two girls how sweet.
I second the present for the jealous sibling idea Yertle had. Also lots of big sister attention and jobs help. And it's nice. Put your feet up and have the diaper changing supplies ferried to you. Diapers, wipes, chocolate...followed by lots of praise of course.
I still try to get mine to do it. At five and 7 it's a little tougher for them to get excited about. Actually, the 5 year old might still go for it for lots of praise. Hmm...
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