So I've decided that after almost 2 years of starting a blog and never actually doing it, that now is a perfect time to start it up! This will probably be a lengthy post because I want to update and share on the newest addition to our family, Finleigh Kate. Most everyone knows, but on September 28th at 11:38 pm to be exact, my water broke at 33.2 weeks. I have to say that I was absolutely terrified because I knew that this was early and that my doctor was in Oklahoma City! (When we had Hadleigh in OKC, I told Heath that if we had more kids I wanted to keep my Doctor because I loved her that much, so I did. She had already scheduled my c-section with Finleigh for November 4th at 38.5 weeks.) We decided that we shouldn't take a chance on making the 2.5 hour drive to the city, so we drove to Wichita Falls. I cried my eyes out the entire way because 1. We had left Hadleigh in the middle of the night and I didn't get to tell her bye, and 2. because I DID NOT want to have my baby in Wichita Falls. I wanted my Doctor to deliver Finleigh and the thought of her not being there was so scary to me. We arrived in WF and got checked in. I was hooked up to all the monitors tracking all my contractions (I didn't feel them at all) and was given meds to stop the contractions. We spent the night in the hospital with me still thinking that this is where I was going to have my baby. The next morning the doctor came in and asked if I wanted to be air flighted to OKC so that I could be with my doctor. She thought it would be best and of course I had no objections! A couple of hours later the flight paramedics arrived and we were ready to go. Heath had to drive our car, so his plan was to meet us in OKC. I was a little scared of being without him, but Mercy Hospital from OKC had sent an OB nurse, and she made me feel so comfortable with everything. The ambulance took us to the airport to get on a small jet and within 45 minutes we were in OKC. Hey, I can now say I have been in an ambulance and on a small jet- you have to find light in crazy situations right? :) Once I arrived at Mercy and got settled in, my doctor came in and told me that our goal was for me to make it to 34 weeks and on Sunday we would have the c-section. I had already been given steroids to help develop Finleigh's lungs and I had to stay on bed rest for a few days. I felt great the next few days and was able to keep Finleigh in until Sunday! She was born at 8:49 am Sunday, October 3rd. She weighed 4 lbs 3 oz. and was 16 3/4 inches. It was about 5 hours before I was able to see her in the NICU, but when I finally saw her I fell in love! The next few days were up and down for Finleigh and at times scary for all of us. She was able to breath on her own with the help of oxygen, but doctors found a small hole in her heart which caused her breathing to be scarce. Apparently from what we have been told it is common for premature babies to have holes in their hearts. Within 36 hours the hole had closed, which was an answered prayer for us! She was also put on something called caffeine; a medicine that helps with your heart rate and breathing. She was under the blue lights for jaundice but only had to be under it for a few days. This brings me to how she is doing right now- She has been in the NICU for 2 weeks. She is off her oxygen, IV fluids and caffeine. She has been moved to an open crib and is working on taking a bottle. In order for us to go home, she has to eat all of her feedings from the bottle for a full 24 hours. I have been praying that we will go home when the time is right, but I want the time to be right now! I know we have to be patient with her timing. Heath went home yesterday for the first time in almost 3 weeks and I am here in OKC with Finleigh. He started back to work today and is going to be Mr. Mom for the week. :) Hadleigh has been with our parents throughout this and needs to start the transition of being in our home. I miss them both so much and can't wait for the four of us to be together. I am blessed to have my sisters here in OKC which has made everything seem a little easier. I know that God is with Finleigh and our family right now. Something that I have been thinking about is how our timing is not always God's timing and how it doesn't always go as we have it planned out. We ask for continued prayers for Heath, Hadleigh, Finleigh and myself as we are "not in routine" and presently all apart from one another.
