(This is a long post, but I am doing it more for my record.) Kara turns THREE tomorrow!! CRAZY!! I have been thinking back of the day she was born!!
FUN MEMORIES......
Kara was born on Sunday, January 29, 2006. My actual due date with her was March 16-she was 7 ½ weeks early!! She was ready and excited to get here and meet her two big brothers who were anxiously awaiting her arrival. Friday when I got up, I was not feeling well, and it was a different feeling than just feeling ‘yucky’ from being pregnant. I was beginning to have a few contractions here and there but I just had a constant pain in my stomach—I knew something was not right—I just had that ‘feeling.’ I called my doctor to see if I needed to go in and see him, he told me to just lie down and rest.
Mom came and picked up Tyler and Brandon and kept them for the day. I just rested on the couch while Troy was at work. The pain in my stomach really never went away, I was beginning to get a little nervous. I had Tyler 5 weeks early and Brandon 6 weeks early, so I was kind of expecting her anytime. Scott and Carol and Chris and Michelle Gurney stopped by our house that afternoon on their way up to McCall to the Winter Carnival. They wanted us to go with them, but I told them we better not. I told them I was fine—but I think they knew I didn’t feel well. As Carol and Michelle walked out the door, they told me to keep that baby in, they didn’t want to miss out on her birth. I told them I would try!!
Lynn and Debbie brought us dinner over that night—we didn’t tell them I wasn’t feeling well, they just wanted to come see us. I really do have the BEST in-laws. We at dinner & visited—we didn’t even go get the boys—they stayed at Mom’s. I didn’t eat much because I really did not feel good at all. We went and picked up the boys at Mom and Dad’s and came home and went to bed. I continuously had contractions all night and just didn’t feel right.
Saturday morning we woke up and decided to go to the hospital to see if I could take something that would stop my contractions. (We REALLY wanted to prevent having another early baby if we could.) We dropped the boys off at Mom’s and headed over to St. Lukes about 10:00. I was having contractions about 10 minutes apart—so I wanted to stop them before they kept coming quicker—because I knew I progressed fast. They hooked me up on the monitors and found NOTHING!! I was not impressed with the nurses at all. When she found out I had 7 ½ weeks to go, she just told me to go home—it was just ‘false labor.’ I was very frustrated because I knew differently—I knew she was coming and I wanted to see if we could stop her so she wouldn’t have to go to the NICU when she was born. I stayed hooked up on the monitor for an hour and I had several contractions, but according to the nurse—not strong enough to be concerned. I still voiced my concern and she did not listen. She then called the doctor—which was not mine since it was the weekend. He gave me a prescription to stop my contractions. We left the hospital and I just kept telling Troy how I did not feel good about leaving—but we did anyway-we had no choice.
We stopped at Walmart to get my prescription. I stayed in the car while Troy went in to get it – that should tell you right there that I did not feel good!! I am always up for a trip to Walmart!! My contractions continued even after taking the medicine---UGH!!! We went back to Emmett and went to Mom’s. She had dinner on for us, I did not eat—I really did not feel good at that point and my contractions were getting worse, but I just kept telling myself they would stop if I would just lie down. Mom must have known things weren’t just right because when I went to get the boys ready to go home for the night, she insisted that they stayed there with her. We headed home and went to bed. I just wanted to go to sleep—hoping my contractions would go away!!
We went to bed about 9:30—Troy’s head hit the pillow and he was sound asleep—we had had a LONG day. I tossed and turned, trying so hard to go to sleep and I COULDN’T. I even went out to the living room and tried the recliner—nothing worked and the contractions kept coming faster. I felt really bad because Troy was sound asleep—he had no idea I was still having contractions and that they were getting faster. Finally, at 11:00 I couldn’t stand it any longer. I woke Troy up and told him we better head over. We got our things together and headed over to Boise.
My contractions really started getting hard and fast on our way over--UGH!!! This is what I wanted to not have to go through—since I knew I was having a C-section—going through labor first is really NOT necessary—which is exactly why we had gone over earlier that morning trying to stop the contractions. Ya, I think this ‘false’ labor that the nurse sent me home with, wasn’t so ‘FALSE!’
We got to the hospital about midnight and they rushed me in to Labor and Delivery!! I was fully dilated to a TEN—oh LOVELY!! Being a weekend, my Doctor was not on call—to make it worse, he was in HAWAII!!! OH GREAT!!! I was full on in labor and the nurses were trying to check me and get me all prepped for a regular delivery. In the middle of having contractions-I tried to explain to them that I was having a C-section, but they would not listen to me—what do I know—I was just the one having the darn baby!! When the doctor walked in, I explained to him my Doctor and I had already decided that I was having a C-section-the baby was breech and could not be turned. He tried to tell me I was too far along and fully dilated. He then checked me and said he felt her head and that she must have turned. I still did not feel right about it, but before I said anymore, Troy stepped in and asked the Doctor to do a quick ultra sound to make sure it was her head and not bum—so he did and guess what—sure enough-it was her bum!! Yes, she was still BREECH!! In all this, I was still having contractions-with NO EPIDURAL or anything!! Then all of a sudden I was rushed off for an emergency C-section!! Imagine that!! They quickly got my spinal in and began the surgery. I was soooo thankful to see the anesthesiologist—he could get me out of my PAIN!!
Our first sweet baby girl joined the world at 1:06 a.m. Yes, we arrived at the hospital about midnight and our sweet bundle of joy joined us at 1:06 a.m.-she was in a hurry!! It was a LONG and painful hour –but totally worth it in the end!!
She was breathing fine and came out screaming. She was BEAUTIFUL!!! She weighed 4 lbs 6 oz, so of course she was off to the NICU—she had to be checked out. They finished me up and then I had to do the whole recovery room wait—it was NOT fun, not having your baby in there with you!! On my way to my room, we stopped by the NICU so I could actually hold and love on my baby I had just delivered!! She was doing great—breathing on her own and no problems other than needing to put on some weight. I stayed there for about an hour and then they need to do some tests on her and I was completely exhausted so I went up to my room!! It was hard to leave her, but I was comforted in knowing she was doing well and very healthy!! Kara Thompson---our first baby GIRL!!
Troy was supposed to speak in church that day, but luckily we had a legitimate excuse to get him out of it. At 4:30 a.m. we called Mom and told her we were at the hospital and not only that—OUR BABY GIRL had ARRIVED and she was doing great!! Mom was not surprised—I think after what went on all day Saturday, we all were expecting our bundle of joy to arrive soon!! I was exhausted---I fell asleep for a couple of hours. Then I headed back to the NICU to be with Kara!! It was hard to not have her in my room, but at least she was healthy—just needed to pack on the pounds!!
Kara had to have a tube put in her nose because she was burning too many calories while she was eating—which caused her weight to drop (she got down to 3 lbs 12 oz) and starting out at 4 lbs 6 oz, she really couldn’t afford to lose much. She had the tube in for about a week. Troy and I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House which is right across from the hospital. I was able to be with Kara each feeding and hold and snuggle her ALL I wanted!!! She was a little jaundice and stayed under the lights for a couple of days—but that was no big deal since she had to get strong enough to eat on her own anyway. Mom and Dad brought the kids over and they stayed with us over night—I really missed them so that was good to have them around!
We were in the NICU for 12 days—it seemed like forever. They took her tube out and she nursed good for two days and did not lose weight—so they released us—YIPPEEE!!! We came home February 13 and we were soooo EXCITED!! We were ready to be all together as a family and very happy to be bringing home a HAPPY and HEALTHY baby GIRL. Kara was still very small, but she grew fast. She was a very patient and good baby!! WE LOVE YOU Kara!!
Tyler did not have school (he has it Monday, Wednesday, every other Friday All Day Kindergarten) so the kids all just played and watched movies while I made Kara's cake and snuggled Brooke. She wants to be held since she has not felt good--I am suffering through that! :) (Ya right--I LOVE IT--but would rather her not be sick!)
She got a PINK piggy bank and she was sooo happy to put the money in it that Grandma & Grandpa gave her, then she also got a pair of boots, and three PINK shirts!! It was a very 'long' day until her 'birthday'--According to the kids, it was not her birthday until we have the cake and ice cream for some reason--Kids are FUNNY!! She of course put her boots on right away and put on her new shirt to have her cake and ice cream.
She was happy and impressed with it so that is all that matters! I decorated it while she took her nap. When she woke up, she walked into the kitchen and looked at it and said, "It's cute, why is the handle not PINK?" Kara LOVE LOVES LOVES PINK!! She is Quite Funny!! We sang to her and she blew out her candles--she loved it!! The kids were sooooo excited to eat the cake--they loved it!! As Tyler was eating it, he said, "Mom, you make yummy cakes!" How Sweet!!
