Wednesday, May 11, 2011

She's Here!

We did have another visit with our birthmother the month after we originally met her. I wanted to know as much about her as possible before our baby came. I didn't want to make things awkward. Unfortunately she went on bed rest the month before the baby was due so we didn't get to visit at all in the month of May.


Our beautiful Katelynn was due June 6th, 2010 -- just in time for me to finish off the school year. Our birthmother's mother called us on the evening of June 6th to tell us that they were going to the hospital to induce labor. YAY! I flew around the house and grabbed everything I thought I might need for the next 10-14 days. (I had to stay in Minnesota until the birthmother signed off her rights and all the paperwork was processed.) Of course, I am a planner and my bag had been packed for a week and a half. My husband suggested we spend the night at home and leave first thing in the morning, but I wasn't about to miss the birth of our daughter!


My enthusiasm waned at hour 2 of driving. Luckily, we were by my dad's house so we spent the night there and woke up at 6 am to do the rest of the drive. In short we had about 4 hours of interrupted sleep. This was the beginning of my sleepless nights!


As we arrived in Minnesota, Katelynn was still not ready to be born. We spent the day pacing at my aunt and uncle's house dodging phone calls from anxious family members and pouncing on phone calls that would give us updates. At 11 pm we received a phone call to tell us that they scheduled a c-section for midnight and they wanted us to be waiting at the hospital! Again, I launched out of bed, grabbed our bags, and headed for the car with my husband and step-dad.


We were able to stay at the hospital in a room for the duration of the time that the baby would be there. We checked in like it was a hotel. They brought us to a room and we waited. Suddenly the intercom clicked on and the nurse said, "Are you ready to meet your baby?"


We hurried down the hall to the operating room. A few minutes later the doors opened and my life changed forever! Our beautiful baby girl was placed in my arms. My step-dad captured a classic photograph of this moment. It shows our fear, excitement, and exhausted feelings all at the same time.


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