Arriving July 2008

It's about time, huh? We are finally settling in to life with a newborn and almost 4 year old. You wouldn't believe all you forget about newborns in almost 4 years! :o) Enough of this junk, away we go...

If I had to rate Delnor on a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the best, I would give them a 57! The care that we all received (including Scott, Tanner and visitors) was beyond my wildest expectations. The medical staff was amazing and our room (and bathroom that I made EVERYONE go see) were just as gorgeous, if not more, than on the tour.

We had to arrive at a bright and early 5:30 a.m. on Monday, July 21, 2008. Due to our hour drive to the hospital we had to be up at 4:00 a.m. and out the door by 4:30 a.m. I didn't think either of us would sleep a wink the night before but we surprisingly both slept blissfully.

I don't remember what we talked about during our drive that morning, and honstely I don't even remember most of our drive. I do remember Mike & Mike being on satellite radio and that I was tired but excited.

We arrived at Delnor and were greeted with big smiles and a "WELCOME!" as we were led into a room that would begin as my "prep" room and end as my "recovery" room. Thankfully this time it only took 3 sticks to get my IV in and the little over 2 hour wait (We had to wait for another bag of saline the pharmacy was late delivering.) went by in a flash. Before I knew it the nurse was telling Scott he needed to change into his scrubs (Poo-poo to the paper gown St. Alexius provided when Tanner was born!) and Dr. Newman and the anesthesiologist were in talking with us. (I didn't have the same anesthesiologist that I met with earlier but this one was as equally lovely!)

The panic then set in over the spinal I was about to receive and I started bawling. Scott asked what was wrong and I told him that I was naive when Tanner was born but I knew what to expect this time and I was scared. After much reassurance from Scott and a nurse telling me it was time to go I snapped out of it.

In many episodes of "A Baby Story" you see a dramatic long walk down a sterile hallway to the Operating Room. The mom-to-be looks back and gives a small wave to her hubby before going in. That didn't happen. My trip to the O.R. was about 3 steps as it was the room next door! SNORT!

The room was freezing and I commented on the lack of music. Disco music was playing when Tanner was born. I was introduced to everyone in the room and my best friend immediately became the nurse anesthetist. She was 67, had no interest in retiring, and was the most amazing person! She walked me through my spinal that I was so deathly afraid of and made sure to concentrate only on me as if I was the most important person on the planet. My spinal, by the way, was OUTSTANDING! I didn't feel a thing while they were administering it.

Unfortunately nausea from the spinal kicked in but fortunately the anesthesiologist was well prepared and all over it. I guess the lack of color in my face and gallons of sweat I was producing gave me away. So much for the makeup I put on that morning! My nurse anesthetist spent a good 15 minutes having to de-fog my glasses over and over. The cold of the O.R. and my nauseated sweating weren't a good combo for my specs. :o)

After it was established that I was all numbed up, Dr. Newman and Dr. Postlewaite (LOVE THEM!) came in and I mentioned that I felt "very exposed." They laughed and confirmed that indeed I was, "very exposed." They asked for someone to get Scott and we were on our way!

Again, the nurse anesthetist talked us through the entire c-section and one of my favorite moments was my doctors announcing that Josephine had tons of hair to which I responded, "She better! My heartburn has been HELL!" The next thing I knew she was out, crying and everyone was saying how big and perfect she was. I immediately asked if she really was a girl which made everyone laugh again. I got a quick glance of her perfection and a small kiss before they took her off to be weighed, cleaned and all the other good stuff they do. I couldn't believe that once again, we were blessed with another gorgeous little one!

Scott went off to be with Josie while I was being put back together. When he came back and announced that she was 9 pounds 2 ounces I was flabbergasted! Scott and I had bet earlier on her weight. I guessed 8½ pounds and he guessed over 9. He obviously won.

As sad as I was to see Cathy, the nurse anesthetist leave me, my recovery nurse was just as lovely and the sponge bath and toothbrushing were much welcomed after sweating what felt like buckets.

I was then transferred to my room (I don't remember this or a conversation that I supposedly had with Scott about buying someone a present. HA!) that would be my home away from home until we were discharged on Thursday. As much as I missed all of the attention and fabulous amenities, it was nice for us girls to go home with the boys.

We cannot thank everyone who visited, sent flowers, gifts and food enough! My intention was to take a picture with each visitor holding Josie, yeah...that obviously didn't happen! We had non-stop guests and enjoyed every second! We especially enjoyed the cookie bouquet and chocolate covered strawberries from Edible Arrangements! Oh, and how could I forget the cupcakes and Cold Stone ice cream?!?! It is a miracle that I lost any weight! It had to have been all of the outstanding hospital ice that flushed all of the calories I consumed right out of me. I still crave that dang ice! It was made to perfection!

We have all had to adjust but Josie has been outstanding! She goes to bed at 9:00 p.m., wakes at 2:30 a.m. and sleeps until 7:30 a.m. Yes, you read that correctly, she wakes only ONCE! (Knocking on wood so I don't jinx us by putting that bit of info in writing.) She only cries when she needs her diaper changed or to be fed and she has zero interest in a binky. In short, she is completely opposite of Tanner when he was her age. :o) I joke and say that God is showing me mercy with this one because of Tanner's colic. :o)

While there are not nearly enough hours in the day or hands on my body now that Scott has gone back to work, the past 3 weeks have flown by! Josie had her 1 week appointment where she weighed in at a whopping 9 pounds 8 ounces (When we left the hospital she was 8 pounds 13 ounces.) and was showing fantastic head control and strength. We also swear she has been smiling since Day 1. Yes, she is already on her way to Harvard! :o)

Tanner is adjusting much better than I anticipated. He has his "I love her!" days and his "Take her back to Delnor!" days. Thankfully he likes her on more days than not and is a good helper. If all continues to go this well, Scott will actually get the 3rd child he so desperately wants in 2010. But don't tell him that!

I can't believe this part of our "Journey to Josephine" is over. It feels like it took so long to get here and it was over in the blink of an eye.