We got up bright and early that morning. Ga Ga had spent the night with us the night before so that Andrew was taken care of. I was so excited, showered and got ready for my special day! I couldn't wait to meet my girl!
We went to the hospital for a 9:00 c-section, so we arrived about 6:45am. They got us all settled into a room and got me all ready for the surgery. Daddy got to wear the attractive scrubs, too!
Can you see through his shirt- "World's Greatest Dad!" Ha!
We were already to go, and shortly before 9:00, they kept having people come in for emergency c-sections. There were triplets that needed to be born, and there were two other moms who needed surgery right away. I just felt fortunate that my daughter was healthy. Even though I was frustrated and couldn't wait to meet my daughter, I felt so blessed to be the one with the healthy child this time. I could certainly relate to those other mother's situations, because the same thing had happened to me when Andrew was born. The doctor came in to tell us it would be at least another 2 hours. I wanted to cry, because I just wanted to meet my sweet daughter. I remember rolling over in bed to rest for a while (since I had only slept about 4 hours the night before because I was so excited!), and within 30 minutes they came back in to get us. So it ended up being quicker than we thought, and we were so happy.
The surgery took longer than I remembered, or maybe it was because I was so anxious to hear that little cry. I just kept laying there, holding Craig's hand, looking at him, and feeling just overwhelmed with joy. I couldn't believe that the time had come. The best sound was her little cry. Tears just streamed down my face as the doctor held her up so I could see her. The doctor said "Wow, she's beautiful," and everyone in the room was making comments about her hair! She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I could not stop crying.
First family photo (minus big brother!)
I kept asking Craig if she was okay. I just wanted to hear them say "yes." They took her over and Craig cut the umbilical cord. I sent the camera with Craig and I had told him to take a million pictures, which he did! Ha! I had regretted not having the camera when Andrew was born, so I wanted to make up for it! I think we took 500+ pictures just from our 3 days in the hospital! Ha! Craig went with her to the nursery and took about a million more pictures. I was so proud of him!
I couldn't believe how much she weighed! I was carrying around an 8lb baby! No wonder I was so huge and ready to pop! They told us later that her skin was very peely, which meant she was "well cooked!" Ha! They said she was very ready to be born, and really could have come a week earlier. She was just happy all scrunched up inside mama! Ha!
The best news came when they listened to her heart and confirmed that it was perfect. I just breathed a huge sigh of relief (and cried some more!)
I still can't believe how big she looks! How in the world was she inside me?? Ha!
I just could not take my eyes off her- she was so beautiful. All the nurses and doctors who came in and out that day commented on how adorable she was. And of course, how much hair she had!
This was the moment that I had been anticipating ever since I found out I was pregnant. I could not wait for big brother to meet his little sister. I just couldn't imagine how special it was going to be.
He was so excited to see her, and he looked so proud walking through the door with his little rose he picked out for her, and the bear he made for her. I could just cry looking at these pictures. He was so sweet this day. I never want to forget it.
He got right up in bed with us and just fell in love with her the second he saw her.
He was just so sweet and gentle with her. He kept putting his arms around her and he could not stop smiling. There was not a hint of jealousy (I knew there wouldn't be!), and he was just thrilled to have her here.
He gave her the bear he made for her. He was very excited to do this. I think he thought she was supposed to play with it though! Ha!
Of course, the pediatrician was there at that moment so they wanted to take her back to the nursery to be checked over. I was not real thrilled with the timing of this, since Andrew had just gotten there. This is what Andrew did when they walked in to get her. Ha! He was not happy, and not afraid to let them know it!
This is what he did when they took her away from me. Ha! We just cracked up. We had to promise him she would be right back.
When she came back she was showered with love from Ga Ga...
and Papa.
And daddy.
And of course, big brother! He just wanted to keep holding her. I love how his legs are crossed and he looks so comfortable! Ha!
Kerigan had her first bath that afternoon. Andrew got to "help." She didn't really like her bath too much! But I just loved getting her all cleaned up and snuggly!
When she came back from the nursery the next morning, the nurses had fixed her hair and put a sweet little bow in it! It just made me want to cry it was so sweet, because when I was a baby, the nurses did the same thing to me! (I had the exact same hair as Kerigan when I was born!)
Big brother came back the next day too, and Kerigan gave him the gift she had for him- the Kung Fu Panda he had been begging us for! Can you see the excitement in his eyes? I wish we would have video taped his reaction. He was so excited.
He had to give her a kiss! He was so happy. It was so precious, this day when they were leaving and he was telling everyone goodbye and giving hugs and kisses, he leaned over to Kerigan and whispered to her "Thank you for my panda." It was the sweetest.thing.ever.
Andrew came every day to see Kerigan. He had so much fun staying with Ga Ga and Papa while we were in the hospital. And he was always excited to come and see his sister.
Sharing secrets already!
I had talked with the pediatrician about having Andrew's cardiologist come look at Kerigan, just to make sure everything was okay. Not that I didn't trust them when they listened to her, but I just wanted to be 100% sure! Andrew's awesome cardiologist, Dr. Mooradian, made a special trip for us and came to do her echo (ultrasound of her heart) himself. She also had a chest x-ray and EKG. He came out of the room and told us she looked great and he had no plans to see her again! We were so thrilled to hear this news. It was again, unbelieveable to me. Is this really what "normal" feels like? Shortly after this she also had her hearing tested, and she passed with flying colors! Woo hoo! We were celebrating big time after all this great news.
Kerigan had a lot of special visitors come to meet her. Jean and her daughter Sherri came to visit first. Sherri works at Mercy, so it was nice having her stop by. They are special friends of ours who also had a place at the lake with us for years. I have so many special memories of their family.
Uncle Jason, Aunt Rachel, Evie and Jayden also came to meet their niece/cousin.
And my best friend Alissa stopped to visit also. She is also expecting her second baby in October- and she just found out it is a boy! I was so thrilled to hear this... her daughter Lilly has the most adorable clothes that she will be passing on to us! Yay! Ha! Plus, their son will be Kerigan's little boyfriend. They will be in the same room at day care and will grow up together, just like Andrew and Lilly.
I have been having so much fun having a daughter and dressing her up in all her adorable outfits and big bows! It is too much fun!
The other night in the hospital I was on the laptop and Kerigan was lying beside me in her boppy and she was so wide awake and alert (this was about 11:00pm! Ha!) She was so precious, her big eyes just looking up at me so sweetly.
Finally she drifted off to sleep... I love how her little hands are folded.
Going home day! We came home on Friday, July 15. I loved dressing her up in her going home outfit and pink bow. I had it picked out for several months- Ga Ga bought it for her. She just looked adorable.
I still can't get over how big she looks here. She fits into her car seat perfectly. It is so funny, we have a picture taken in this same spot when we brought Andrew home, and you can barely see him!
On going home day, Kerigan had only lost 3% of her birth weight (normal is 10%). She weighed 7lb 14oz. She had her one week check up today and she already weighs 8lb 2oz (1oz more than her birth weight). She is eating like a champ! We just love having her home. It couldn't get much better than this!
We love you sweet Kerigan! You have made our family complete.
