McKinley Jane: One Month Old

Getting out around the neighborhood in our new double stroller. Kinley loves to take it all in. It is pretty fun to watch her face as she sees birds, trees, and clouds for the first time.

McKinley's Newborn Photos

Last week we headed to JC Penny to get some newborn pictures taken during the "sleepy baby" stage.  Here are some of my favorites:

Wearing a headband made by our friend Lisa Jean.

Kinley loves keeping her hands near her face.

Wearing a headband made by our friend Emily

I love that tongue!

McKinley is laying on a blanket that Great Grandma Orr started knitting and Auntie Lorraine finished.

This is the necklace that I wore to all of my embryo transfers in honor of my sweet Snowflake Babies.

One of my favorite newborn outfits is this jean jumper with cherries - cute full body shot but Kinley isn't happy about the flash!

McKinley's First Visitors

We have been so blessed to have so many visitors over the last few weeks.  It has been fun to introduce McKinley to her family, neighbors, and friends.  Many of them so generously brought food over to us and special gifts of love.  We are so thankful for the thoughtfulness of our friends and family.  We didn't get pictures of everyone but here are a few of McKinley's first visitors!

One of my students and his mom

Auntie Kathryn

Another student and her mom

Cousin Jack

Auntie Lindsay

Grandma

Emily

Grandpa

Ginny

McKinley Jane: Three Weeks Old

We love our McMunchkin!!!

McKinley Jane: Two Weeks Old

Two weeks already!

 Last Friday McKinley Jane already turned two weeks old!  While we are all very tired McKinley is starting to feel more and more like a permanent part of our life and our daily routine.  She is a good sleeper and only cries when she is hungry.  She has still been slow to gain her birth weight back so both the pediatrician and the lactation consultant have been having us supplement her diet with newborn formula.  The good news is my milk supply does seem to be keeping up for the most part and once McKinley is able to eat more efficiently we will be able to drop the formula.  As of Friday she weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces so she is only three ounces away from reaching her birth weight. 

Look at those baby blues!

Kinley loves to suck her fingers.

The Ugly Side of Week Two:
I had a little setback this week when I had a pretty bad allergic reaction to fenugreek (which I took to increase my milk supply).  I broke out in hives, began to itch like crazy, and my eyes began to swell and turn puffy red.  In addition to being tired and recovering for surgery this was NOT fun!  I am trying to get used to not having a perfectly clean and organized home environment.  There are often piles of laundry to be washed or folded, dirty dishes in the sink, and unmade beds.  It is hard for me to relax when things are left undone around the house but on days when I am exhausted I have to just let it go.  On days when I have help I am able to get some chores done and it feels good!

How we spend lots of our time...in bed getting small tasks done between feedings while Lena is very closely watching.

Lots of laundry to do...

Hives

Swollen eyes

The Fun Side of Week Two:
We were able to get McKinley's newborn photos taken at our local JC Penny.  I just wanted to get it done quickly for a reasonable price.  While the photos weren't perfect I loved how most of them turned out and they served the purpose of capturing this special time at the beginning of Kinley's life.  We also had lots of visitors during week two!  Kinley was able to meet lots of her friends, cousins, aunties and uncles for the first time.  It was fun to introduce her to everyone.  We also were able to go out for my belated birthday lunch as a family of four for the first time.  McKinley slept through the whole meal so it was fairly peaceful.  Lastly my Mom came out to help for a few days while Dan went back to work.  It was so wonderful to have company, have someone to visit with Lena, and also someone to help with the daily chores. 

My Mom took this picture when she came to help.  I am happy but tired.

Lena has been adjusting okay to being a big sister.  She still loves to smother her baby sister with touches and kisses and the first thing she asks about when she wakes up in the morning is baby sister.  Since Kinley sleeps much of the day Lena gets especially excited when she is awake and declares, "Eyes open!  Baby's eyes open!!!".  It has been hard for me to divide my attention unevenly these past few weeks.  I don't like having to put Lena's needs second to Kinley's and I am so thankful for the days when Dan is home and can spend some extra special time with Lena.  I love my special girls!

McKinley's Birth Story

Roses from Dan for my birthday.  We took them to the hospital the next day so we could enjoy them during our stay.

Last at home belly picture at 40 weeks 4 days

On Friday, August 15th at 10am I was scheduled for an ultrasound to monitor Shack Baby #2.  At 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant I was showing very little signs of labor and Baby Shack appeared to be doing very well.  During the ultrasound everything looked good: the baby was still in a good head down position, she was measuring around 6 lbs 12 oz (about a pound bigger than four weeks ago), and had a nice strong heart rate around 140bpm.  The only thing that didn't look so great was the amniotic fluid level. My level had been on the low side of normal at my 36 week ultrasound and it had dropped into the below normal range for this appointment.  They sent my ultrasound results over to the doctor on call and he instructed me to head over to labor and delivery.  In the back of my mind I knew this was a possibility and was okay with it especially considering that I was 5 days past my due date.  I made a few phone calls to my parents (who already had Lena for the day) and Dan who was working at the rental house in Long Beach to tell them I was being admitted.  Given that I had few signs of labor I knew that a c section was likely in my near future.

In front of St Jude Medical Center before I check myself into labor and delivery

In my labor room...excited to meet our little girl!

On the belly monitors waiting for word from the doctor.

I drove across the street to the hospital and checked into labor and delivery.  It turns out that they were having a VERY busy day but they found a bed for me and I relaxed on the bed while they hooked up the belly monitors.  The doctor poked his head in briefly to tell me they first wanted to check to see how urgent my amniotic fluid situation was before deciding anything since they already had four other c-sections scheduled that day plus an above average number of vaginal births.  It wasn't too much longer before Dr. B (my doctor from Lena's pregnancy- how ironic) came in to explain that my fluid levels were very low and that I would be scheduled that same day to deliver.  He explained that placentas have a lifespan and mine was dying a little ahead of schedule.  Baby Shack was already showing signs of stress by producing little urine (amniotic fluid) as she diverted any nutrients to vital organs while others like the kidneys were beginning to shut down.

Getting ready for my c-section

One last belly shot - 40 weeks and 5 days

Ready to go!  So excited!

I texted Dan the news and told him to first head home to shower, change, and bring our hospital bags and do a few last minute things.  I thought my surgery would be scheduled for that evening but things began to move very quickly.  I was soon in my gown, my IV was inserted, I signed all the paperwork, and was given various medications, and my blood was drawn.  They told me my c-section was moved to 3:30pm.  I quickly called Dan and told him to speed things up as it was already just past 2pm.  He finally arrived around 2:45pm and we snapped a few last belly pictures before heading into surgery. 

Dan is all dressed for the c-section

Here we go! - I'm a little nervous and really glad Dan is there.

Around 3:15 we walked over to the operating room and I gave Dan one last kiss before climbing onto the operating table.  In my last c-section with Lena I was so drugged up that I don't remember much.  This time I was totally coherent and it actually made the experience a little more nerve wrecking.  The anesthesiologist was a neat guy who put on the U2 Pandora radio station and it helped to calm my nerves a bit.  He did my spinal (it hurt a little but not too bad) and then it slowly felt like my whole body was turning to stone.  They put my catheter in and prepped my body for surgery.  I began to get incredibly nauseous and the anesthesiologist gave me a shot of something to make me feel better, and more relaxed.  Dan came in and held my hand and then Dr. B came in and began the surgery.  He narrated a bit too much for my taste telling me when he started cutting and when he could see my uterus and when he was pulling Baby Shack out.  He commented that my last c-section scar looked great and I laughed as I reminded him that he had done my last c-section when I had Lena.  Dr. B mentioned that my amniotic fluid was really low and it was good that they had done my c-section so quickly.

There she is!

Getting cleaned up and evaluated.

Miss Kinley's first official posed photo!

Then all of a sudden after a little tugging I heard her cry.  It was the best sound!  Dan left my side to go snap a few first pictures.  He came back to tell me that she looked so much like Lena.  I could hear Baby Girl crying here and there while the nurses and doctor counted off instruments to check to make sure they didn't leave anything inside me.  They stapled me up and soon Dan came over so that I could meet Miss McKinley Jane face to face for the first time.  I gave her a sweet kiss - she looked so chubby to me!  We were surprised that she was so big!  7 pounds and 5 ounces!!!  She look healthy too with an apgar score of 8.9.   

Love at first sight (even though we both have our eyes closed...)  One of my most favorite moments.

In the recovery room

The first time I got to hold McKinley.

Mom and daughter

Miss Kinley admiring her proud Papa

Up in the Mother Baby Unit with our new little girl.

The room whiteboard in the Mother Baby Unit

Then Dan and McKinley left to go to recovery while the doctor finished stitching me up.  I soon joined them and got to hold McKinley for the first time and fed her.  She proved to be a great eater right away.  She was so cute.  Dan texted the news to everyone and soon got his chance to hold McKinley.  After I recovered they wheeled me to the Mother Baby Unit where we would stay for the next four nights.  It was neat having McKinley right there in the room with us rather than having to go visit her in the NICU like when we had Lena.  I feel like I was able to bond with her much more quickly.

Lena (with Grandma and Grandpa) meets McKinley for the first time.

Getting to know little sister-  Lena is obsessed with loving on little Kinley.

Giving Kinley her birthday present - Sunshine Bear.

Lena opening her Big Sister present from Kinley.

Daddy and his girls reading Lena's new book.

Grandma and McKinley - grandchild #12

Grandpa and McKinley - 9 grandsons and 3 grand daughters

Grandma and Grandpa with McKinley - Lena got to stay with them for four nights while we were in the hospital.

My parents brought Lena over around 7pm that night and she got to meet her sister for the very first time.  It was a sweet moment.  They exchanged gifts and my parents got to hold McKinley too. 

My view from my hospital bed.  I never get tired of looking at that sweet face.

Two pink carnations from Dan for our two sweet girls, roses for my birthday, white flowers from my Mom for Miss McKinley

Daddy and Kinley snoozing

Daddy snuggles

Dan helping out by giving Kinley her breast milk and formula supplement

Snuggles with Mom - I love these moments!

Play time with my miracle girls

A family of four - at last!

My recovery was fairly quick!  I was able to keep down fluids well and was able to eat breakfast the next morning without any problems.  I spent my birthday in the hospital on Saturday and received a few fun visitors.  After the first two nights I was completely unhooked from my IV, catheter, and was up and moving around very well.  Lena was missing us quite a bit so Dan slept the last two nights at my parent's house with her while I recovered with McKinley in the hospital.  It was a challenge to care for her on my own and I experienced the most exhaustion I have ever had during those two nights.  Since McKinley was loosing too much weight they put us on a strict feeding plan that involved supplementing with formula and pumped breast milk.  They also authorized us to spend an extra night in the hospital.

All dressed and ready to go home!

Getting ready for McKinley's first car ride - going to pick up Big Sister

Daddy getting Kinley snug in her car seat

Excited to take her home.

Ready to go!

Off we go!

Lena is excited that "Baby came out" and "was born" and is going home with us.

Finally, on Tuesday morning Dan came to get us and we checked out of the hospital.  I felt like a celebrity as they wheeled me through the lobby to our mini van.  People congratulated me, clapped and stopped to admire Miss McKinley.  At last we headed to my parent's house to pick up Lena and take our special miracle girls home for the first time together.  We are so incredibly blessed.

We're home!