Welcome to the world, Haley!

Sorry I have been MIA for a while...we've had our hands pretty full trying to get ready for our new addition, which turned out to be a really good thing because she arrive 2 1/2 weeks earlier than we thought she would!

Here is Haley Mae's story...

About a month ago I talked to my doctor because I was concerned/worried/nervous I would have a BIG baby! I was measuring right on but two of my sisters had babies that were on the larger side for people of our stature (we are all around 5 feet tall) and one of them had a pretty hard time delivering so I just wanted to make sure the same thing wouldn't happen to me. So, we set up an ultrasound for week 37 just to get a good look. Also, my second oldest sister, Holly, and I were due a week apart and her little one was measuring to be not quite so little. :)

So, the morning of the 5th we went over to get the ultrasound and it revealed just the opposite of what we were thinking...our baby was small...very small, but looking healthy. AND...I had almost no amniotic fluid left. So, the ultrasound tech sent us home and said they would have the doctor give us a call and that they would probably want us to go in later in the day just to check things out.

Jesse dropped me off and home and headed up to work. He was almost there when I got off the phone with the nurse, who had told me the doctor wanted us to go the hospital (to triage) for some additional tests (non-stress and biophysical profile) and that we should bring our hospital bags "just in case there is a delivery today". Woah!

So, I called Jesse and he turned right back around. We finished packing up the last minute things in our bags. Took some time to snap ONE last picture of my pregger belly (just in case!) and headed up to the hospital.

We got up to the hospital 45 minutes later, got all checked into triage and immediately began the non-stress test. Haley passed with flying colors! Then they sent me off to another ultrasound to get a biophysical profile of the little squirt. Again, she passed with flying colors. My amniotic fluid, however, did not. I was at a dangerously low 2 cm...at this point in my pregnancy I should've had 10-11cm. (Just in case you were wondering there was NO indication of this at any of my previous check ups. I always measured right on with the exception of the Friday before when my fundal height measured 1 cm short.)

The doctor came in and explained that he had spoken with his neo-natal associates and they said that even if they kept me on the IV they had already started (again...just in case) for a few days there would still not be enough fluid and the chance of cord collapse and stillbirth was too great. Since little miss was doing so well, we decided she just needed to come out. I just praise God that He gave the doctors the knowledge to know how to take care of my little girl!

Oh, yeah...she was also breech and with almost no fluid, turning her was not even an option. So, we schedule a c-section for 5pm and I wasn't allowed to eat anything else for the day (good thing we stopped at Panera for bagels on the way home from the ultrasound!). 5 pm would've been fine...but then 6 rolled around...then 7...then we got word that someone else "needed" a c-section first. OK...I get that, but I was REALLY hungry...really.

Finally, just after 8 pm they brought be back to get prepped and had Jesse wait in the room and change into his scrubs. The next 30 minutes seem like such a blur. First the spinal, then Jesse came in, then suddenly the doctor was holding a crying, tiny baby in my face and it hardly registered that she was all mine.

Jesse went with the nurses to take pictures and soon brought her back to meet me. She was just perfect...small, but perfect...weighing in at 3 pounds, 8 ounces.

Hey! It is REALLY bright out here!

First family photo! She even smiled AND looked at the camera!

They stitched me up and brought me up to recovery where I spent the next several hours waiting to be able to feel my legs enough to get into a wheel chair and see my little girl. Jesse, being an awesome dad right from the start, went with Haley to the Special Care nursery, taking MANY pictures along the way and then kept coming back down the hallway to show me how great she was doing.

At 11 pm, I was finally able to wiggle my toes and got to go snuggle Haley. Amazing.

Haley was so small they were very concerned about her ability to eat, gain weight and hold her own temp. We were told she would be in Special Care (a level II nursery) for 2-3 weeks. She had to prove she could gain weight and get out of her isolette before she would be in the clear.

Since I had a c-section I was able to stay in the hospital for 4 days, so we spent each day welcoming visitors, heading down to Special Care every 3 hours to feed her and between just to snuggle. The first night going home without her was horrible, but when we walked in the door we found this:

Jesse's mom had cleaned our room and done laundry and Jesse's sister had made two delicious meals for us. And our neighbor had a "Welcome Home" cake, pink champagne, balloons and a whole bag of preemie outfits waiting for us in the kitchen. Talk about feeling loved and blessed!

See how small she is compared to Daddy?

After just 8 days of growing and lot snuggle, Haley blew all the doctors away and when she was 3 pounds 12 ounces they let us bring her home. It was the best day ever! Five days later at her first doctors appointment she is already 4 pounds 5 ounces!! Amazing! 

We are getting settled in at home and there will be MANY more stories to come. Stay tuned...