Thursday, March 26, 2009
We cuddled with our new daughter for a while and a nurse came in to help me attempt to nurse Abby for the first time. A few minutes after Abby was born, Nate texted my mom and dad with the news that they were grandparents of a girl! They were in the hospital waiting room for over two hours, ready for the news at any second. My dad told me later that when my mom read the text, she jumped up and said “I knew it!!” They were both SO excited and were ready to meet her. But first, they had to run an errand at the request of the new mother. I was HUNGRY! Dr. Z promised me that as soon as I delivered, I’d be able to eat. So, of course I requested Chick-fil-A for dinner and my parents were happy to oblige.
Our friend Anna stopped by to for a quick visit and to meet her daughter, Avery’s, new BFF. Abby and Avery share a very special bond because they have the EXACT same birthdays – one year apart, almost to the minute. Anna and I also shared the same due date, April 2, only one year apart. Crazy! I have a feeling our little girls will grow up to be great friends, just like their parents.
My parents left the hospital just after 10 p.m. Nate and I rested in the labor room for about an hour, trying to nurse again and cradle our precious Abigail. We were moved up to the recovery space at almost 11 p.m. Nate changed the first (monster!) diaper, and I started to have success getting Abby to latch on and nurse. We all finally had a chance to be exhausted, and didn’t get much rest throughout the night. The nurses came in often to check my blood pressure and protein levels, and I was nursing Abby twice an hour or more. The late-night hospital staff was very helpful and accommodating. I remember one extremely kind nurse who was taking the graveyard shift, after having worked all day. She told us a “secret” about the diapers – a faint line turned bright blue when Abby had urinated. Something as simple as that really made Nate and my night!
Friday, March 27, 2009
I was on light pain meds the rest of the night/early morning and was busily rehydrating. Most of the time I rested with little Abby in my arms. It was precious. Every so often, Nate and I would just look at each other in disbelief: we had a daughter! At 5 a.m., March 27, Nate was able to finally upload the pictures we had taken and send an email out to family and friends. In between sleeping and nursing, I was imagining all of the little girl clothes (dresses! shoes!) that Abby would get to wear. I couldn’t have been more excited to be the mother of a new baby girl! Nate was “slightly” worried at the thought of all the upcoming shopping trips, in the weeks, months and years ahead! But I knew that he was absolutely overjoyed at having a little girl and couldn’t have been happier.
My mom came to visit on Friday, and Nate was able to go home for a few hours to shower and take care of a few things. I was able to sleep some more while my mom held Abby. And I also started catching up a bit on the computer, emailing friends and uploading more pictures. I had received an email from our friends Catherine and Jeff, saying they’d love to come visit us in the hospital. I remember being a little confused because we hadn’t heard from them yet and they weren’t responding to our texts.
Well, it turns out that on that morning Catherine (who was also pregnant, with a due date only four days earlier than mine) was in the hospital, ready to deliver! They also did not know the sex of their baby. When Nate came back from his errands on Friday afternoon, he received a text from Catherine: “It’s a boy!” Scott was born only 18 hours after Abby – another friend for her!
Andrew, Anna and Avery brought us dinner that evening and we enjoyed visiting with them. They also brought delicious sandwiches and salad from Central Market, which was greatly welcomed after having had hospital food all day. It was also fun to take pictures of Abby and Avery, only one year apart, while envisioning what these birthdays would be like in the future.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Mid-morning, our pediatrician (Dr. M) came to check on Abby and discharge her. We’d meet with Dr. M again on Tuesday for Abby’s weigh-in and check-up in the office. My nurse checked me and said we’d be released by early afternoon. Nate and I couldn’t wait to get home and settle in. We were definitely glad to have the extra night in the hospital for rest and recovery. But, by Saturday morning, we were ready to be in our own surroundings. Nate was especially ready to be in his own bed. The recovery room “bed” was extremely lacking!
I was able to catch about 4 (cumulative) hours of sleep through the night. I felt like I had more energy and ate my entire hospital tray’s worth of breakfast. I didn’t yet know how ravenously hungry a nursing mom is!! The hospital also gave me a 48 ounce jug for water, and a nurse would happily fill it for me about 4 times a day. By Saturday, I was down to no pain meds and had actually showered and dressed in my own comfy clothes.
Little Abby was starting to eat like a professional (we all know who passed that gene) on Saturday and was showing great vitals. She was a little sneaky though; we never could tell if she was truly hungry or just wanted to nap close by to her Mommy. Every time we changed a diaper we marveled at her long toes and skinny legs! I also could not stop kissing her button nose.
We were discharged from the hospital just before 4 p.m. Saturday was unseasonably cold and windy, with highs in the 30s. We bundled Abby in an orange hat, knitted by her Grandma Gigi and I was wheeled out of the hospital with her in my arms. Nate pulled up to the front of the hospital and we braved the wind tunnel created by the buildings. It was a little scary strapping such a small “package” into what seemed like a huge car seat! Thankfully we only had a two-mile drive home!
When we got home, Nate helped me settle in to our upholstered glider chair so I could feed Abby in her new bedroom. He then went off to the kennel to retrieve Riley so we could have the great introduction! When Riley came home, Abby was resting in the pram part of her stroller. Riley trotted in the door, keen on the new scent, and scurried around searching for the source. She came upon the stroller, reached her snout over the edge and gave the gentlest little sniff. And from that moment on, she became Abby’s greatest canine protector. She sat at Abby’s crib when she slept and at my feet when I nursed.
The next day, my mom planned to come over and stay with us for a few days. Then, on Wednesday, Gigi and the Commander would arrive to meet their first grandbaby. And in the days ahead, many other visitors booked their trips to meet Abby: Aunt Jamie & Uncle Tom, Aunt Amber and Cousin Gavin, Granny & Papa, Uncle Josh & Aunt Paige, and my best friend, Alana. It was a whirlwind few months…although I think the whirlwind never really ends!
The events surrounding Abby’s entrance into the world were a marvelous, emotional, humbling, and awe-inspiring experience. We praise God every day for his blessings and the wisdom he imparts on our new purpose in life: parenthood. As it was when Abby was born almost a year ago, Spring is in full bloom again. And once again, Abigail Jane is the brightest Spring blossom in our lives!
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