Update from MUSC…

i know that it probably seems crazy that I am able to update this blog from my hospital bed just after delivering my baby, but it really is a source of comfort and just something to fill the space that I’m not with Mary Clare. We are allowed to see her most of the day, but I guess I’m just in “new mom” mode and I still wake every couple of hours as if she were in my room. I visited her this morning, just before morning shift change (one of the few times we are not allowed in the PCICU) She looks adorable! She had her first bath last nihgt and she has a tiny pink bow in her hair! The PCICU weighed her last night and we all discovered that she weighs 7 lbs, 2 oz, not 5 lbs 14 oz as we were originally told! (Not sure how that happened) I thought those cheeks were way too big for a 5 lb baby!!

Last night I had a terrifying moment with Mary Clare. I was visiting her, and she stopped breathing on her own. The simple fact that she was breathing on her own was a great feat for her in and of itself, they told us, but they knew that it wouldn’t last, or it usually doesn’t last too long with these babies. The same drug that they are giving her to keep her valves open, also slow everything else down.

She now has a breathing tube, which will remain until after her surgery. It was very scary, especially since I was right there with her when she turned blue, but today she looks comfortable, very pink, and the swelling from birth has gone down. (The chubby cheeks are still definitely there!)

She has a tiny friend in the PCICU near her. He is also a HLHS baby and is 8 months old, and in for his second surgery. Apparently he has his days and nights confused and was watching Barney from his huge flat screen tv rolled up beside his station. (This was 5 AM this morning!)

Not sure if I’ll get a chance to update much. I’m waiting on shift change right now, but I’m trying to spend as much time with Mary Clare as possible. Feel free to call us, we love to chat and brag about her! She is simply precious and I could just eat her up!!

We’ll find out about the “plan of action” today hopefully, but it still looks like surgery is still a few days away. Please continue to keep her in your prayers! She is a spunky little fighter already, and we know that she is so loved by many people!

Happy Birthday Mary Clare Blaylock Pennington!

She is Here!!

Okay, now that I am able to sit up a bit…with extreme caution, just wanted to let the world know that Mary Clare is here and is completely stable right now! Looks llike her first surgery will be early next week, but right now she is beautiful and doing well!

We had her at 10:39 AM today. She looks nothing like McCanless, has chubby cheeks, light brown hair, weighs 5 lbs, 14 oz and 19 inches long! She is adorable!! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to hold her, but I was able to see her just before they took her to PCICU (Pediatric Cardiology ICU) It sounds like she is definitely going to be a fighter. One of the ped cardioloy nurses told us that she pitched a fit when they were trying to put a diaper on her. She has a tiny IV in her little hand and a few tubes running through her umbilical cord. Other than that, for now she looks like any other newly hatched baby burrito! We are already so lin love with her! She is simply perfect!

Labor was very quick (she was here after pushing through 3 contractions) and we all did well! (Including Mel) We were able to take a few pictures and will post them as soon as we get a chance!

MUSC update 2…

Did I mention that I love epidurals? Once the petocin drip was begun, the labor and delivery nurse asked me if I wanted to go ahead and have my epidural. I came into the hospital at 4cm, so there was no reason not to go ahead and get one!! Although, I have been having contractions for several months now, I have yet to feel any of them, and I’ll never have to!!

We have met so many wonderful people down here, and once again feel so confident in their abilities. Everyone is so kind and so compassionate! We are definitely blessed to have MUSC right here!

They say that Mary Clare is doing beautifully so far. She has been moving all night and her heart rate is perfect. Mel just woke up and has already managed to get to know most of the very large labor and delivery staff. My first L&D nurse, which happens to be a very beautiful, very young (most of the staff is, by the way), and talented nurse, even gave Mel scrubs. He has “wooed” everyone already …as usual.

Update from MUSC…7:30AM

Hard to believe that I’m able to update our blog from our hospital bed and even harder to believe that Mary Clare will be here in a few hours.

The doctors had a well thought out, well orchestrated plan, but it seems that Mary Clare is going to be like her sister and do things her way.

We arrived at the hospital at 6pm, checked in, and after a few hours of monitoring, a petocin drip was begun, which is a drug to help progression.

The plan was to begin the petocin, break my water at 6am and hopefully have her by lunchtime. After petocin was begun, my water broke, on its own at 2am, and I had quickly begun to progress, much to everyone’s surprise. The nurses stopped the petocin, and Mel and I got a few hours sleep. It is now 7:30am and they have begun the petocin once more…we’ll see how quickly she wants to arrive!

The Big Sister!!

Although, I’m sure Mary Clare will have plenty of hand-me-downs, I wanted her to have a few of her own things! I ordered new bedding for her crib and the cradle, which happens to be Mel’s great grandfather’s. I’ve had time today and yesterday, because McCanless is with Mimi, so I’ve been wandering around the house trying to figure out what to do. Thought I’d take a few pictures of the girls’ room. (I don’t know what we did before we had children!!)

Yes, the girls will share a room! I couldn’t give up the play room just yet.

This is the dressing table/dresser that Mel built for McCanless.

The cradle is in our room. I’m determined to have McCanless sleep in her room and when Mary Clare is older and sleeping through the night, they both will be in their room. (We’ll see how it goes. Mel swears that we all four will be in our bedroom before it is all over.)

Something McCanless didn’t have…a Moses basket!

Passing through the playroom…yikes, too much “stuff”!

Mel also built the window seat and bookshelves on either side. (He can be quite a handyman, sometimes…when he wants to be!)

Cruising on the kayak with BB and Papa!

BB, Papa and McCanless went out in BB’s new kayak this weekend!

That is BB, Papa and McCanless way out there. McCanless is in front of BB.

Sometime along the trip, McCanless moved to Papa’s kayak. She is behind him. You can see her arm reaching out for a lily pad!

McCanless LOVED it!

My little photographer…

Lately, McCanless has been fascinated with taking photos of everything. I’ve been trying to teach her how to use my camera. (I’ve GOT to get her a cheaper, child-friendly version soon!) Some of her photos, specifically ones of me getting out of the shower and others of me dressing, had to be deleted quickly, but these are some of her work so far…

This is Papa’s hat as he was coming in on his kayak Saturday morning.

This is Daddy telling her to move her fingers from in front of the camera.

Mommy’s big belly…if you can’t tell. She was trying to get my face!

Not a great angle for me!

Swimming with Daddy…

McCanless, Daddy and I love to ride the golf cart down to Prestwood in the afternoons to swim a bit.