Our first family picture!
Mommy and Eleanor...Day 3 of hospital stay.
Madeline seeing her baby sister for the first time!
Daddy, Mommy and Eleanor not too long after she was born
!
Our precious baby girl!!!!
On May 25, Sloan and I woke up and got ready since we had to be at the hospital at 7:30 am. My c-section was scheduled for 9:30 that morning. We pull up, park in the designated parking spots for mom's in labor (or not, and just having a c-section), walk the long walk over the sky bridge, down the hall, up the elevator to the Labor and Delivery desk at Baptist. So I start checking in/filling out some sheet I guess to let them know I am there when another nurse walks up and says, "Both our c-section rooms are full. It's been really busy here this morning. The lady who was supposed to have a c-section at 11:30 walked in here in labor, so she is in the room you were supposed to be in, so you will have to go out to the family waiting area and we will come and get you when we have a room." Part of me wanted to look at her and say, "get me a room now...I'm hungry and I know I can't eat till after the surgery" while the other part of me knew exactly what it was like to walk in to labor and delivery in labor when you are scheduled to have a c-section (happened with Isabelle, but that's another story). So, the more rational side of me won out and Sloan and I went out and sat in the family waiting room. We chatted with some family members of a friend of ours who was having a c-section at 7:30 (she went to school/church with Sloan growing up) and got to hear what they had (boy). Sloan's dad came up and hung out with us for a while as well...it was nice to have some company since we were waiting for what felt like an eternity (especially when all I could think of was I could be at home sleeping/how hungry I was). All I know is that I was glad I was not in labor having to sit out there like 3 other women were...one was having twins and one was having baby #3 and she said her other 2 kids came pretty quick after her water broke. We finally got called back at 11:30ish and had the same nurse that our friends had had. I actually found out later that the nurse had asked our friend if they would be ok with them giving the little boy his first bath in the NICU while moving her to her postpartum room just so someone else could have their room in Labor and Delivery. Apparently, our friend told them that she would only do that if we were getting the room...the nurse told her I was, so she agreed just so I could get back there (what a sweet gesture)!!
Our nurse, Jennifer, was great. She got my IV hooked up and 2 bags of fluid in me in no time. All the "extra" questions were asked, blood was drawn and sent to the lab, anesthesiologist came in and asked me his questions, more IV fluids were being pumped into me, etc. My doctor, Dr. Hubach, finally came in...she was so apologetic that we had to wait so long...and I apologized to her for messing up her schedule all day, which of course was not my fault, but I still felt bad. She was ready to do the surgery (and get on with her day, I think)! I got my "yummy" medicine (if you've ever had a c-section you know I am COMPLETELY exaggerating about how "yummy" that medicine is they make you drink), put my "cap" on over my head and waved goodbye to Sloan as I was being wheeled out to the O.R., passed Dr. Hubach as she was suiting up and then went into the "icebox" (what I call the O.R. cause it's FREEZING in there). I hopped onto the operating table and chatted it up with Dr. Hubach and Jennifer while I was waiting to get my epidural. The anesthesiologist gave me the epidural, I laid down and it started kicking in. While I was focusing on "going numb" and the anesthesiologist was poking me with a stick to make sure I couldn't feel anything the people "behind the curtain" were busy prepping me for surgery. At some point, I think when Dr. Hubach started the c-section the NICU nurses and Sloan walked in. Even though this was my 3rd c-section it's always strange to me that I am laying there awake and they are cutting me open...a million different thoughts always race through my head all while talking to Sloan and itching my nose since the oxygen mask bothers me. So, I hear Dr. Hubach say, "Looks like she has some hair." Sloan stands up to look and I freak out a tad cause I don't hear anything after she says that...as in I don't her crying. I ask why isn't she crying and Sloan says, "they haven't even pulled her out yet." Way to go...freak out for no reason. Dr. Hubach pulls her out all while the surgery tech is tugging and pushing my stomach...I hear her cry and then Dr. Hubach shows her to me. First impression was she was cute and looked a lot to me like Isabelle did, but I couldn't see her all that well and she didn't let me look at her too long (although I was right on both accounts)! Eleanor is given to the NICU nurses to do APGAR scores and more suctioning, etc. The 2nd anesthesiologist is telling me stuff I already know...probably trying to reassure me as to why she is not crying as much...although, she cried a lot and it was DEEP...we were all laughing at how deep and raspy it was. Sloan left my side and actually got to go back "behind the curtain" (I guess cause he was suited up) to take pics of Eleanor with his iPhone while Dr. Hubach was finishing the surgery and commenting on how hungry I must really be cause she kept hearing my stomach growling (she said it had been making noises the whole surgery)...good thing this is my 4th kid and I know her well, otherwise I would've been truly embarrassed. To top off things in the O.R. while she is sewing me up the nurses station buzzes in and asks her where she is. We all laugh and she kind of says quietly, "uh, the O.R.". The nurse then asks how much longer she will be cause one of her other patients is ready to deliver a baby. She says that she is stitching me up and it's going to take another 5 minutes or so to finish; well, I think she ended up finishing in record time and then after saying bye to us, she was outta there.
We all went back to the room we were in before Eleanor got here to get her weighed and measured. She was 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21 inches long and made her debute at 12:57 pm. I was glad the operation was over...another one down/success. Sloan and I enjoyed her for a few minutes before my parents, his parents, his sister and her boys call came in to meet Eleanor. We could only hold them off for so long since they had all been up there for a while.
Miss Kristin (Conklin) brought our girls up to meet their baby sister. They were so excited to see her. Delaney and Isabelle couldn't wait to hold her and Madeline just wanted to give her kisses...she was actually VERY sweet with her. I FINALLY got to eat lunch and let me tell you, that footlong turkey sandwich from Subway tasted SO GOOD and I ate every bite of it.
We got moved/settled into our postpartum room and just hung out as a family. Miss Kristin took the girls home and Sloan and I rested with sweet Eleanor. She was such a sweet baby (and still is). I love how the Lord just makes more room in your heart every time you have another child to love them just as much as you already love your other kiddos. God is good and He gave us another miracle!
Here it is 9 weeks later and Eleanor is still as sweet as ever and is such a good baby. She truly is a blessing to our family and it's hard to remember what life was like before she was here.
