Here's the story:
I woke up around 4:00 and couldn't get myself to go back to sleep for the half hour more sleep, I was planning on getting. I showered, got all my stuff ready to go, laid out the gifts from the baby to her siblings and the cards from me to them. I opted out of blow drying my hair because I was too tired and didn't want to be sweating too. Heidi and John showed up and John helped Nate give me my blessing. This is a crucial element to the whole picture. This time especially, it was a huge reinforcement for good. I felt so much comfort in that blessing.
the giant blob I call myself. It's amazing how huge I get. Nate should know better than to take pictures like this.
We got to the hospital just in time. They took me right down to my prep room. Without even asking for my ID or insurance card (just for the record). I detest the prepping, but this time it wasn't too bad. I liked being able to listen to her heartbeat the whole time and knowing that she was okay through it all. It was interesting to hear her heartbeat speed up with each contraction. Made me feel bad she'd been on the same roller coaster I'd been on for the past 24 hours.
They wanted all of our names to put on the white board and when they started writing "Mollie" Nate started to doubt the spelling we (I swear he and I had talked about this and settled on it, but like he said, it may have been while he was trying to sleep at night... who knows). He spent most of the day reviewing all the spellings we could use. When it came down to it, "Molly" seemed more convenient for her. She won't have to spell it every time someone asks for her name. I like the Y. Nate was satisfied too, so that's all that mattered :).
Everyone at the hospital already knew it was my 8th baby/c-section so they all treated me like I knew what I was doing and made me feel like I'd finally gained some ground in the area. That was different. We had a visit from the anesthesiologist, Dr. Peterson, and then Dr. Thackeray came and reviewed everything that was going to happen and chatted for a bit with us. He also gave us the cute little bib that he gives out now. We only have two of them, but they're super cute. I thought I got a picture of it, but I guess not. Then we sat there for a while. Nate and I enjoy the time together, alone, but it always feels like forever once they're done with the IV and such. Which, by the way, she did a horrible job on my IV. No real signs of infiltration, but my arm was hard as a rock when they finally took it out.
I took this of Nate right before my spinal block. Things are usually so much more tense right then, but for some reason I felt calm. It was the peace that I'd been enveloped in for the past day or so. Heavenly Father loves me so much. I'm so grateful that he had mercy and took away some of the scariness of this event.
Getting numb. And bugged at Nate for taking a picture of this :).
Time to walk down to the OR. This is when I start to shake like a crazy person, but for some reason, I was not shaking this time. (are you sensing how different this time was from all the rest?! It really was!) I laid down on my left side, quickly got the Spinal Block in, and then they rolled me over and got started. Things felt very different. The spinal took right away, which rarely happens. And it was virtually painless. I say virtually because there was some pain, but it was almost like there wasn't :). Another difference was my head felt like it was going to explode for some reason. Still not sure what caused that, but I'm glad it wasn't anything that had lasting effects. The head thing was a little distracting, but otherwise, I just laid there and listened to them all work. I was so anxious to hear her!
Nate took lots of pictures for me. Of me. You name it :). I love having lots of pictures. Dr. Thackeray kept announcing each layer as they cut through. That was cool. It was cool that it didn't take as much work to get her out either. I think this all confirms how far out I was carrying her. She was not up in my rib cage like the rest of them.
You can see how the cord is wrapped around her neck!! Good thing we have c-sections!
This is when Dr. Thackeray showed her to me! She was so purple and covered in the white stuff, but with that scream, there was no doubt in my mind she was okay. I was so relieved!
They hardly tugged at all and then I heard everyone oooohing and aaaaaahing, and THEN I heard the scream of death :). HAHA. She has THE LOUDEST cry of any baby I've delivered :). It was hilarious because nobody could talk over her. Everyone was making jokes about how she would be able to hold her own, with seven older siblings, she needed a loud cry... all that good stuff. Kinda funny. I was happy that someone felt the need to say, "She's definitely a girl!" I had wondered near the end there, how that would feel to find out she's a boy instead! Erika too. I was relieved for both of us :).
They took her to weigh her and wipe her down a little and then came right back over to me with her and stuck her cute little body right in the tube top with me! For some skin on skin contact!! What a cool experience that was!!! Funny, because I thought the tube top was for some added privacy, but then when they lifted it open for all the world to see, I realized it had nothing to do with privacy! On the contrary :). But I really wouldn't trade that experience for anything!! I wish I'd been able to do that with my other kids. So they let her lay there, on my chest, for the rest of the surgery- all the while they sewed me up, I got to sit and look at her. She screamed every once in a while and I touched her face, and she would calm down. It was so sweet!! I loved it!! It was totally priceless.
Normally I wouldn't post this kind of picture of myself, but since there's only a few of you that even look at this blog anymore, I'm okay. You guys already know I'm chubby. I just had to document this moment. It was SO SPECIAL!! I loved it!
It was nice to hear the doctors talk about how good my uterus looks and how I could have "eight more kids in there" but it was slightly bitter sweet considering, I think we are done. Seems a pity to not use it if it's in such good condition :). It seemed to take longer to sew me all up this time. They also cut off my gigantic mole that's been growing out of control for the past 13 years. Hopefully there wasn't anything horribly wrong with that thing. It was interesting to listen to it all. It was okay that it took so long because I was holding my new baby instead of listening to the nurses bathe her or something. Then they left her there on me while they plopped me onto the recovery bed, and then as they pushed me down the hallway, and too my recovery room. I was able to nurse her first thing. That was priceless as well! She was a pro from the first minute she latched on! I was so relieved! Apparently there were a lot of extra little worries that were dispelled as we took each new step. She was perfect!! Everything seemed to go perfectly! It was really awesome. I don't think we could have asked for a better delivery and baby.
I let go of her long enough to snap a picture of her and Nate :). Cute little moments.
We took advantage of the nice quiet time in the recovery room to have Nate give her her blessing. Something we've just always done. Kind of special. She nursed some more- which became the theme of the hospital stay. She did not spend a lot of time doing things other than eating, sleeping, and pooping and mostly eating! She is a pro at nursing! It was spectacular!
I've been wanting to document how much this ring has meant to me during this pregnancy for a while now, but never got around to it. I put that ring on during the first trimester, the first time I had a little scare with my thoughts. Worrying about whether she would make it or not- crazy that I was having them that early on. This ring has two little hands about the size of a 10 week old fetus' hands would be. It was simply to remind me of her and every time I looked at it, I would say a little prayer of hope for her. It was a good way to keep myself focused on her and who she was and not on what I wanted her to be. It kind of jump-started my hope every time I looked at it.
Here she is!!
Molly Hope Maynes
born at 7:50am, September 1st, 2015
7 lbs 10 oz 22 in long
We got up to our room and the visitors came rolling in. That's always fun. I like to show off the new baby while I'm feeling good. That day we had Jared, Dan, my mom, my dad, Steve, Heather Scott, Jen and the kids. I found out that the meds they put in the spinal last 24 hours so that explains why I always feel pretty good that first day. They brought me a lunch tray just a few short hours after the c-section which was also a weird thing, and I thought maybe it was an accident. But they were letting me use my best judgement as far as what I was going to eat and what I felt up to eating. Different from the clear liquid diet they keep me on for the first day usually. I was a little nervous to eat, since the nurse had shared her horror stories about eating too soon, but I did eat a little of the food. It felt so good to eat! I had been hungry at midnight, only 2 hours after the fasting started! So I was ready to eat. And I only got slightly nauseated the whole day!! This was fairly new too! No vomiting. That was a relief.
That first day was really great. I really couldn't have asked for better. Molly was a super good nurser, I felt fine, the food was edible, and we had plenty of company to keep us entertained. I really loved it. They took my catheter out pretty early on in the evening, which I don't recall ever happening! WAHOO!! And then said that once I was able to use the bathroom on my own, I could get the IV out as well! Hallelujiah!! That couldn't have come at a better time, the IV was just starting to burn. The needle was right next to a valve and with all the moving around I have to do with a new baby and all- it just didn't stand a chance. Even with all the tape they had used to try to keep it in place. Which, by the way, I think I may have developed a slight allergy to the adhesive in the medical tape. That and my skin is too dry so it always sticks too long. Leaves weird dirty tape marks all over me. If I thought there was a good substitute for the tape, I'd just tell them I'm allergic, but I hate to think what the alternative would be like. Seems messy. But overall, with all the new things, and with how well the usual things went, I kept feeling like this was a good note to end on- as far as having babies goes.
We had a blast when Heidi and John brought the kids by! That was a highlight of the day for sure. Sweet little Molly just let them pass her around and take turns holding her the whole time they were there. Didn't hardly make a peep! It was amazing! And the kids did great! I remember days when the older sibs would come to visit and it was just complete chaos! And that's when there were fewer of them! They've really come a long way too. I loved having their company. I only wish we'd been able to talk Jack into holding her, but there's still time :)
I'm glad I got this picture of Jack looking at her at least. He was very happy to see her, he just didn't want to hold her.
Charity was one of the most vocal about how excited she was to see Molly. And the anticipation of knowing her name had worn off by this point since I wrote it in the kids' notes the night before, but she was definitely very relieved to be holding her little sister finally.
Kelly doesn't say as much, but the fact that she brought her a little teddy bear from her own stash made it obvious. She had a cute little twinkle in her eye when we told her that everyone had said, "she looks like Kelly!" when they saw her that day. Pretty cool to have a little look alike :)
Now this kid is one who's not as easy to read on some things. new babies are not one of those things. He LOVES our new babies. And now he's really good at caring for them too. He's always one of the first to try changing the diaper and look how good he is at holding her. You can tell that babies feel safe in his arms. Pretty cool.
So, while the kids were there, the nurse came down to give Molly her bath! And SURPRISE! they do it right there in the room! I do not remember this with Jack Jack, but they insisted that they've been doing it longer than that. I'm going to have to look back on my blog or journal or something- I think I would have remembered that! But the cool thing was- the kids all got to watch!!
Check out those nails, no wonder she came out of it with battle wounds!!
The look of a new baby who just had her first bath! awwwww. She looks all refreshed :).
I'm not sure if Erika actually got to hold her out of order, or what, but look how satisfied this little girl is!! She couldn't be happier!!
Oh, Luke is another one of my favorites (oh, who am I kidding, I love watching all of them meeting their new sib... it's part of my addiction, I'm aware, but it's just so sweet!! The Spirit in that room was just overflowing!) Look how happy he is! Luke has a special relationship with his younger siblings and I really think it starts here. He just can't keep from giggling at every new sound and movement made by a little baby. It's so fun to watch him. And he talks about all of it afterwards too. It's so cute! For how busy this kid is mentally, it's amazing he has room to appreciate these little ones. But he loves his new little sister so much!! I'm so glad!
This little guy was adorable that day!! Two things he said need to be recorded! The first: while the kids were taking turns he said, "She reminds me of Copper on Fox and the Hound because her eyebrows hang over her eyes." :) How cute is that! She looks like a little puppy in Noah's eyes :). Then as he was leaving with Nate, walking down the hallway, he told Nate, "I almost felt like I was going to cry when I was holding her!" How sweet is that! That he is that in tune to the feel of a newborn. It's just too special! I love this stuff.
I really don't know what to say about Heidi, except that she totally saved the day, being willing to watch the kids for two days! That was huge for me! Having Nate there that first night has always been a big deal to me. It's always been hard to do it on my own the times that I did. So this was priceless. I owe her big time!
And John too... I know they would rather use their days off for more relaxing things... but they are awesome. I'm so glad my kids have Aunt Heidi and Uncle John in their lives. I can't imagine life without them.
Jen had texted earlier in the evening to say she was coming and then when she hadn't shown up by 9:00 I figured maybe she'd gotten too busy, but luckily, she had just had to stay late at work! She still came! It was a lot of fun to have Jen all to ourselves for a little while. She was pretty funny that night too, must have been a long day :). She's always so supportive of us and our kids' lives. It's so nice to feel that kind of love. She's a good Aunt. And she was totally on board with my need to have this baby in September- I think her good September vibes helped :).
That first night was interesting. I don't think I really slept at all. Between their every two hour checks, Molly's every hour feeding, and the vitals checks for both of us every four and six hours, there really wasn't a chance to sleep! Felt like as soon as I got her to sleep, they would come in to check her vitals, then I would have to start over. Then as soon as I got her to sleep and was laying down to go to sleep myself, they would come in to check my vitals. And then she would usually wake up and need to be fed before attempting to get back to sleep. I finally did the unthinkable and held her in my arm while I laid there in bed. Even just pushing the button to lay my bed down just triggers something in babies- it's inevitable. So anyway. Not a good night! But how could I complain when I got to spend it with my little cutie! She really is such a sweet little girl. I love feeling her Spirit and feeling the love that Heavenly Father has for her. It really makes the sleepless nights bearable.
