The body (the road to meeting Viviana)

This post contains graphic pictures

Read the introduction, the previous post, first...

In the maternal assessment center on the 6th floor of the hospital, our baby's heartbeat was monitored. The baby seemed to be sleepy, but no concerns. My IV was hooked up and we waited. And waited. The nurse pointed out that I was having contractions. They weren't painful like the last time, just the start and what I had been feeling most of the weekend. Jeff was given his scrubs and our parents spent some time with us as we sat in this small room, me in my gown in a recliner, Jeff sitting in the chair nearby.





There were visits from two men I liked to see, those who were to provide me with drugs. Love those guys. They explained what I was to expect. At this point, it all still seemed so weird and dreamlike. Dr. Chow arrived a little after 9:00 AM and chatted with us a bit about final thoughts or questions before getting prepared for my surgery. As he departed he says, "I gotta go read my manual." Nice. Our parents left and went to their waiting room post. I walked with Jeff and a crew of capable hands to the operating room. How absolutely strange walking to the operating room! Jeff's waiting room was pointed out. We kissed and said our I love yous before I walked in the room. It felt like a movie set. It didn't seem real. All the bright lights, so many tools, so many people, all there for the sole purpose of getting my baby out and doing so with our safety at the top of their minds. I felt safe, secure and scared all at once.

I sat on the edge of the table waiting for my spinal anaesthesia, also referred to as a spinal block. It's the same concept as the epidural I had with Mirabella, but it would numb me faster with one shot lasting about two and a half hours (from what I can remember of what they told me). I hung my head down as one man held my shoulders down and the other cleaned by back with a cold solution, which he said would be the worst part. I could handle that if it was the truth. Then the poke, not comfortable. It stung like crazy for a few moments, but it was manageable. I laid down on the table with assistance and my cathetar was put in. How was I this nervous for that to happen? After all, I knew much worse was to come. It didn't hurt. I don't even remember feeling it much. My doctor was in the room now and we were minutes away from birth time.

One of the anesthesiologists said, "We're going to bring you from the R rated version to the PG one and then we'll get your husband" as I could tell I was all sprawled out, naked from the chest down, on the table. I was so fearful of the shaking reaction I had the last time I was on the table. It was so out of control it felt like a seizure that wouldn't end. They prepared me for the possibility I may have that again, but when Jeff came in and grabbed my hand, still no shaking. I was so happy that it never came.

Jeff held my hand, rubbing it as I was loving being able to stare at him unaltered with no shakes. I felt tugs and pulls, but no pain. There was constant anticipation about feeling pain, but I was fine and no pain would come, in the operating room. It is such an odd feeling when they start to prepare you for the pressure, telling you it'll be like someone is standing on you and you feel it, but without any pain! An anesthesiologist let us know that it would be about one to two minutes before the baby was out by his estimation. Whoa. Jeff was told to get the camera ready and I wondered if there was apprehension on his part of having to finally look over the curtain that protected us from seeing what was going down. He stood over that curtain and started snapping without hesitation, with a ton of playful provoking by the crew. "Come on Jeff! Get ready! Are you snapping, Jeff? Keep snapping!" they would say.

The curiosity was killing me as with each snap, Jeff would have something to say. "Oh my God! Oh, wow! Oh my gosh. Oh..."







I was told by Jeff later that each of his comments, the oohs and ahhs of all sorts, came with the reveal of each body part. First the head, then the shoulders and then..."OK Jeff, you are going to announce what the baby is. Get ready!" the guys said. I waited in suspense as I stared at Jeff and he looked on...and finally..."It's another girl!!!" he said with a sweet excitement. It was 9:54AM on Monday, April 5th.

More to come...

The introduction (to a scheduled c-section)

Sleep did not come easily on Sunday night (Sunday, April 4th), the night before my surgery. At this point, I was heading to the bathroom several times in the night, but thankfully on most nights, I was able to get back to sleep fairly easily. Not the case this time. I was consumed by the thoughts of surgery and knowing our baby's arrival was within a few short hours. I had already been doing the countown all week...at this time next week, we'll have a newborn baby...at this time next week, we'll be home with a new baby, etc. Now the countown to his or her birth was in an hourly measure. It was crazy! I did relatively well with falling back asleep after the first few bathroom breaks that night until around 3:30am. I could not get back into my sweet slumber. There was too much to think about. With every minute I was awake that passed, the frustration set in further. My alarm was set for 5:20 AM and I needed this sleep. Still, too many thoughts to allow for that until I awoke to my alarm which made me believe I had at least gotten a few more minutes of shut eye. I was grateful. I hit snooze a couple times, even though I knew no more sleep would come.

We hustled to get ready so we could get ourselves out the door and Mirabella to daycare with enough time for our commute. Mirabella cooperated fully and slept until the very last minute, so we had only ourselves to contend with that morning. She finished her last bottle as an only child, we quickly got her dressed and out we headed.


We were still late getting out the door, about ten minutes behind, go figure. We gave Mirabella a ton of kisses as we both walked her up to the daycare door knowing she had no idea her world was about to change along with ours in just a few hours. The thought chokes me up as I type.

Traffic was heavy. Surgery was scheduled for 9:30 AM and we were asked to be there by 7:30 AM. Not looking good. With my track record of tardiness, I was feeling decent about our degree of lateness, about 20 minutes behind when we got to Abbott. "We were wondering if you were going to make it; usually people are early!" one of the nurses in the maternal assessment center said, fortunately with a smile. We were there and our nerves about being late calmed which allowed for the nerves of what was to come to surface. Oh my gosh, we were going to meet our child, and soon! I was scared for the surgery, but so excited for this long awaited day. How could we love someone so much we hadn't even met yet? Having gone through this process before with Mirabella, we knew it was possible.

Five days: Photos of Viviana and her mom and dad

Today (Monday, April 12th) we are celebrating one week of our new baby's life! Viviana has brought so much happiness into our world already in this short period of time. Mirabella continues to be a little sweetheart to her baby sister which of course, we are eating up like crazy. The kisses, the cheek rubs, her giggles when she sees Viviana, all of them keep us smiling to no end. Here are some photos of Viviana, Jeff and me taken at the hospital.















I have a few more posts coming before this blog closes, so check back for details of our time at the hospital, the first meeting between Mirabella and Viviana and more. Thanks to everyone for all of the love and support we have received thus far!

Lively. Lovely.

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome another baby girl into our family!

Viviana (Viv-ee-on-uh) Colette was born at 9:54am on Monday, April 5th. She weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. She is perfect to us and we are all doing very well here in the hospital. Viviana looks a lot like Mirabella did as a baby, not so long ago, and Jeff and I love that we'll get to watch two sisters grow up together. We were able to introduce the two for the first time tonight and that meeting was in a word, precious. As soon as Mirabella was in close enough distance to Viviana, she gave her a big kiss! It was awesome and so touching. More smooches followed, along with more precious moments.

We have a bunch of photos to share once we are able to upload from our camera, so we'll get some of those up when we get home. In the meantime, here are a few below from our first day with Viviana taken from a couple other cameras and my phone.

From the recovery room (along with the one at the top of this post)...






And a few from my phone once we got settled into our room...






We have more details and photos to add ahead, so please check back if you are interested. Jeff and his girls...

...sure has a nice ring to it, huh?

Our new baby has arrived!

More details to come...

In just a few hours...

...we'll have a new baby! (Oh, and it's early in the morning on Monday, April 5th, not Sunday as the post says.)

My c-section is scheduled for 9:30am and we are supposed to arrive two hours before it. We'll be at Abbott again. Last night I missed a call from a private number and when I listened to the voicemail, it was my doctor. He was calling to check in and see how I was doing, if I had any questions...seriously, on Easter Sunday no less, who does that? How awesome! I was sad to have missed it.

Jeff and I are taking Mirabella to daycare on the way this morning; our parents are splitting the time taking care of her while Jeff stays with me at the hospital which is so nice. My parents will be staying at our house to be with her at night and to take her to daycare in the morning and Jeff's parents will be picking her up from daycare each day. She'll get to meet her new sibling for the first time on Tuesday!

Both of our families will be at the hospital with us today and thanks to you all who we know will be with us in spirit.

We're heading out the door...stay tuned!?

Photos: 39 weeks

I just had my last hot fudge sundae and some water before I have to give everything up until after surgery. I'm having a baby tomorrow! Wow! I don't know how we are supposed to be expected to sleep tonight knowing what lies ahead in just about 12 hours from now, but whatever the amount, it'll be more sleep than either of us had the last time. We had a wonderful Easter celebration with both sides of our familes today and then Jeff and I were able to spend the rest of the day and night alone with Mirabella. We read her big sister book to her before bed and then we put her down together for the last time as an only child. I didn't know it was possible, but I know I held her just a little tighter today.

Thanks for all of the unbelievably kind well wishes and prayers we received today and previously. Your thoughts mean a lot to us and we're excited to share the news with everyone tomorrow!