Hannah Kaye's Birth Story in Pictures

Matt captured this miraculous moment...the first time I set eyes on my new,  babydoll straight from heaven.  After an unexpected C-Section and a million tender mercies to keep our family safe, it was such a special experience to hear her first, tiny cry.  It felt like heaven's door was flung wide open as she was handed down to us...and 3 weeks later as I write this, it is still cracked open just a smidge.  Hannah had a soft little goose honk that won my heart over instantly.  When we glanced over at her as the doctor pulled her out of my abdomen, Matt and I were both a little shocked, thinking, "Who's baby is that?"  We were expecting to see a mini-Madi but she was a perfect little angel baby with her own little look.  So sweet and perfect.  

6 lbs 6 oz--18 1/2 inches--Born at 1:32 a.m. on Sunday, July 22nd

First time touching my new girl.  I was trying to be very "present" and cherish this moment but was so very numb having an out-of-body experience.  Those are some good drugs!

Telling myself, "Keep your eyes open, keep your eyes open!"

Recovering.  Dad took Hannah to the NICU for monitoring for an hour and then met me in recovery.  I was slowly coming to and floating back to earth.  Was able to nurse baby girl (still weren't sure of her name for a few days...went back and forth between Grace and Hannah). 

Looked like a plastic, perfect babydoll :)

Mama is OUCHY in this picture but mending FAST!  After getting unhooked from all the blasted  shackles--IV and catheter--I was a new women and never sat down again which is, I'm sure, why I felt so great so quickly.  

New Daddy...for the second time.  The hair says it all.  Actually, Matt got his best night of sleep in the hospital! :)

First sibling introductions.  "What is that!" Madi looks curiously and skeptically on.  Actually Madi was pretty oblivious for the first week or so, but always seemed happy and smiley when she locked eyes on her new sister.  

This picture shows how witto both our baby girls are.   Madi was just 2 days shy of 14 months when Hannah was born.  Our tiny twinner tots.  Deep breath, Mom.  You can do it!!!I love Madi's little hands in this picture. 

The First Responders Crew.  Michael, Jill, and Jodi literally probably saved my life.  I wouldn't have ever gone in to the hospital unless I had a family member to leave my very sick baby Madi with.  I still thought I was weeks away from delivery and wasn't gonna go to the hospital unless my water broke (although I'd been contracting for 3 days).  Well, Jill and Michael came up on the whim that they could be helpful and we finally decided to go see what was happening.  I was dilated to a 6-7 and babies chord was about to fall out.  She had flipped since her last appointment days earlier and was feet first breech.  If my membranes had ruptures, like I was praying for all day, we would've had a very serious situation.  Oh, the many miracles that made this a blessed story with a happy ending!  Anyway, I love this crew of my own personal guardian angels.

While I was in the hospital having Hannah, Madi was home  puking her guts out and giving the blessed babysitters, Michael and Jill, a run for their money.  She was up off and on all night and when she came to visit, she looked like a little zombie baby...so sick.  But even this had it's benefits.  She became a mild, chill, cuddlebug for several days as she recouped and loved on her aunties, taking lots of naps and actually sitting still for a few minutes!  When she came to visit us and meet sister for the first time, our pediatrician happened to bop in to check on the baby and looked at Madi as well.  Turns out she had a wicked ear infection and he wrote us out a prescription on the spot.  Another tender mercy!

Some of my favorites!  P.S. Jill has been so sick with her own pregnancy but put a smile on her face to help  her precious Madi for several days (even catching her puke in her hands on one occasion).  Jodi was sicker than a dog, and later had to start her own dose of antibiotics, but put her own needs aside and tenderly nursed witto Madi back to health.  OOOOh, I love my sisters.  

Our happy family

Uncle Josh meets Peanut

Every time I even looked at my precious babygirl, I would begin pouring my heart out in THANKS to my generous, loving, watchful Heavenly Father.  I just loved her SOOOOO much SOOOOO instantly!

Angel Face

Proud Papa and Baby Googly Eyes

I could just eat her up!  She loves to be touched, instantly honed in on my voice and smell.  She has a very sweet, mild, calm disposition...easy to soothe...LOVES to be held!

TRUE LOVE

I HEART MOMMY (or so her shirt says)

OH, NO!  Dad is feeling it coming on now, too!  He got sooo sick.  Our awesome pediatrician eventually prescribed him antibiotics as well.  After a week of being sicker than he'd ever been, he went back in and they gave him an inhaler, even heavier duty antibiotics, and a cough syrup with Loritab.  He is still not back to normal but doing much better!

Hannah does NOT like being cold and that's about the only time we can really get her to open up and holler.  She struggled a little with blood sugar levels in the hospital and almost had to go to the NICU to be IV'd.  We escaped that route by bundling her big time and pushing feedings.  She was just soooooo sleepy she'd rather have never been disturbed and struggled to wake up and eat.   She is an excellent little nurser now, though, thank heavens! 

NAUGHTY FEET!  Those cute witto piggies were the reason  Mama had to be sliced open.  Feet first breech is not very common and it's very hard to turn them once the feet have descended.  Dr. Horsely, bless his soul, immediately spotted them on the ultrasound and could tell she had turned even when three + nurses couldn't figure out her position but could see the chord would be a problem.  Her little owwy heels were constantly being pricked for blood.  And she loves hugs, NOT needles (or so her shirt says).   

Swollen Feet!  Daddy lovingly attempted to paint my toenails at the hospital.  He got a little shaky and we were both giggling but we had to go through with the paint job because we had selected an unforgiving shade of "prostitute red" and didn't have any nail polish remover.  

Heading home!  We were only in the hospital for 3 nights, did super well, and were ready to get home to see if we could beat all these germs and resume real life.  Luckily Mom and baby only got minor colds that didn't settle into sinus infections/ear infections/nastiness like everyone else.  Another tender mercy among the list of millions.