Mackenzie's Arrival...In Pictures!

First Family Photo!

Daddy watching over his baby girl

Our sweet baby girl!
Fresh out of the oven!

Mackenzie's Birth Story...Part 2

So…I’ve sufficiently left you hanging for a couple of weeks for the rest of Mackenzie’s birth story and since she turned 1 month old yesterday I thought I better hop on the good old blog and get to telling.

Once in the operating room I hopped (or gently climbed with my big belly in tow) up on the table and the doctors began to do their work but not before Will entered the room and about got checked up against the wall by one of the nurses As Will came into the Operating Room there was no direction given and he came a little too close to the surgical equipment, which really irritated the angry old scrub nurse which made me laugh….and just when I needed it.

No this is where thing began to get a little emotional for me. There were so many things going through my head and I looked up at Will who was being so supportive and calming. I knew our lives were about to change and I was nervous about the surgery. Plus with my blood pressure being so high and the Mag I just didn’t feel that great. But before we knew it I heard our little girl scream. Yes…she came out screaming and there was none of the awkward silence waiting to hear her first cry. The doctor handed her over to the nurse and I got my first glimpse as tears filled my eyes.

She was beautiful and she was ours. Mackenzie Elizabeth Collum was born at 12:57!

They handed her off to Will and he cuddled with our little girl and let me get a good look at her then after I was moved back to my bed I got to hold her for the first time. What an amazing feeling. Knowing that we first saw a little flicker on a ultrasound and now I was holding that precious baby in my arms after months of hard work (and yes…it’s hard work but worth every second). What a miracle! God is Good!!!

We headed back to my room and the nurse check Mackenzie some more, Grandparents came in to meet her and Daddy took lots of pictures. We made calls to family to let them know she was here and several text messages were also sent announcing Mackenzie’s arrival.

Then a few hours later (I’m foggy on exactly how long due to all the drugs I was on) the nurse said she would like to see the baby to check her breathing because she didn’t like what she was hearing. Here Will and I thought her little grunts and snorts were cute….but the nurse was concerned and called in the Respiratory team. Then before I could blink they were sending Mackenzie to the Special Care Unit because her Oxygen levels were not good. For the first time in month Mackenzie and I were going to be separated. I cried and Will assured me everything was going to be ok.

After some very tearful goodbyes Will and Mackenzie headed off to the Special Care Unit and I sat alone waiting for my Parents to come back to the hospital. I wasn’t alone for long but they were some lonely minutes but I was truly in denial about the whole situation.

A little while later Will came down to give me an update and let me know that they had to put an IV in Mackenzie and have two failed attempts on each hand they finally found a vein in her head. Will’s eyes looked so sad and hurt but he told me she was strong and doing ok.

Will then took my Mom and then my Dad to see Mackenzie in her special room as someone stayed with me and I tried to rest.

Approximately 24 hours after her birth Mackenzie and I were reunited and I got to love on my little girl once again. She bounced back quickly in the hospital and I began the first steps into Mommyhood and recovery from major surgery.

Now we are all back home and doing very well. Mackenzie is thriving and Will and I feel so blessed.

Happy 1 Month Mackenzie!!! Mommy and Daddy love you more than words!

Mackenzie's Birth Story...Part 1

September 21, 2011 my life forever changed as I entered Mommyhood for the first time. Since then things have been a blur of diaper changes, feedings and baby burps but we are adjusting well to our new family and loving every minute of it! So….here’s the (long) story of how it all went down.

Wednesday September 21, 2011 I woke up feeling not so great. I called in sick to work thinking I would make an appearance after my morning appointment with my diabetes specialist. So off to the doctor I went.

I sat down with the nurse who took my blood pressure, which was very high. So high in fact she waited a few minutes and took it again to which the results were elevated even more. The nurse with the specialist wrote my numbers down and suggested I call my OB after my appointment to let them know the situation.

So…on my drive home from my first appointment I called my OB and spoke to Terri his wonderful nurse. She asked me to come in for a BP check. So I made a quick call to Will and let him know what was going on. He made the decision he didn’t want to miss the appointment just in case anything happened and he would be home as soon as possible because he also didn’t want me to drive with the elevated BP.

Off to the doctor we went. I check in and the nurse took my BP again….still very high. The OB (Dr. Kauffman…who is AMAZING!!!) came in a shipped me off to the hospital once again for observation and possibly a baby.

We got checked in at the hospital and the charge nurse of the Labor and Delivery floor greets us and says….”So…we have you scheduled for a C-section”….Will and I looked at each other in shock….”Um…we’re just here for observation.” She said she would check with my OB but in the meantime she would get me all hooked up to begin checking my BP and the baby’s reaction.

So…off to a room I went to get hooked up and we were off to the races. It seemed like the next couple of hours (I’m not really even sure how long it was) flew by as nurses and doctors came in and out of my hospital room and we were finally told I would be taken to have a C-section at 12:30. We made the calls to family to let them know today was the day our little girl would entered the world. We were so excited and I was extremely scared.

I remember at one point tears were streaming down my face as the emotions of everything began overflowing within me. Will held my hand an assured me everything would be alright and reminded me we were about to meet our baby girl!

Off…to the operating room I went.