The Play-by-Play - if you are interested!

The last couple weeks have been blurred by so many things.

On Tuesday, October 28th, I went in for my regular appointment, thinking I had lost some water on the way there. Dr. Fountain gave me an "aggressive" exam and an ultrasound, and found that I hadn't lost anything and that I actually had an excess from the norm (yet another fantastic discovery about my abnormal pregnancies!). So, he sent me home with the understanding that if there was anymore water than to come back. I left in tears and sobs because this was the last day of my 36th week. And, although way early for some, this was when I usually delivered with my kids. I was disappointed and fatigued with emotion. Not knowing how I was going to cope with the next two weeks.

By the time I got home it was 1:00 and I began to feel little burst of water and decided I wouldn't jump to any conclusions to quickly. I waited until 2:00 when I had a rather large burst and it went down my leg (sorry for my graphics!). I called the doctor, he said to go to the hospital and then I called Joseph and told him to meet me there and called my mother-in-law and she came to pick me up. (Kids were all being cared for...thanks again Brittney and Carolyn! You're both so awesome!) When we got to the hospital it was about 2:45 and I ended up waiting forever to get into triage.

By 3:30 I was in there and when they checked me, I was a 7 (that morning, I was still a 4 - which I had been for almost 3 weeks now) so they quickly moved me to a room and began the saline for the epidural and we thought things would roll pretty quickly. Only problem was that I was having no contractions. They started the epidural and come to find out, per my doctor, that I was only a 4...no change. So we waited...and waited and by 9:30 there was no change. They started pitocin and within minutes, I was out of epidural. They called in for more and the drug guy said it would take 10-15 minutes to start. I was already at an 8 by then and was feeling everything. Ouch!

By the time I was ready to push, the epidural kicked in and she was out in 2 pushes and a pop! I couldn't even tell I was pushing the epidural was working so well! :-) So, at 10:28 on 10/28, my little Kaleyna was born. She weighed 7 lbs, 14 oz. and was 22 inches long (my biggest baby by far!) she had a little trouble with breathing at the beginning. She had swallowed something and was having retraction. She went to the NICU for about 2 hours and then came back in all her adorable glory with nothing wrong. She had a full head of hair and good lungs. But, she never cries and makes cute little girlie noises.

I had to have a blood transfusion for the loss of blood during delivery, but seemed to be totally fine after it was administered...minus the tired of course! And only 2 or 3 stitches this time...really, it's been one of my easiest recoveries after delivery.

Since we came home, she has had a small problem with jaundice - never reaching above 17.5, but still enough to keep her on lights until yesterday. She has been wonderful. Hardly noticeable to this wild brood. Her brothers have instantly fallen in love with her and she is by far the most laid back! (so far!) Brogan is so amazed by her that he constantly makes his noises and talks to her and pets her head and nuzzles her. I'm sure that will change, but for now, it's precious to watch!

Thank you for enduring this long...and if you didn't I completely understand. This is mostly for posterity sake anyway, but fun, nonetheless. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL WELL WISHES AND CONGRATS! A special thank you to myMother-in-Law, Valerie, for taking time out of her too busy schedule to come and help out. We have the best family and the most wonderful friends around. We have been overly blessed and we couldn't be more grateful for all of the blessings we've received...especially our latest edition...Miss Kaleyna Belle Garfield...what a sweetheart!