The Best Catch-Up Post You'll Ever Read

So. It's been a while. 

A lot has happened since... Wait, when was my last post? Don't answer that. Between then and now, magic happened: 

It's a baby!

Say hello to Kairi Ashe Brower, est. June 19, 2014.

Miss Kairi (pronounced Ky-Ree; I found that sometimes there is confusion) here is evidently a little impatient, seeing as she wasn't due until mid-July. She started giving us the hint that she wanted out in April, when I went into the OB office to talk to my wonderful doctor about some persistent Braxton-Hicks contractions that I'd had throughout the day. Turns out that said contractions had caused my cervix to dilate 1 1/2 cm, which might not seem like much, but it's too much for two whole months before the due date. I was told to Take these meds, Put your feet up and Come back tomorrow for another shot o' steroids. I waddled out of the office sporting a very sore left buttock (apparently that's where steroid-laden needles go) and a nervous twitch. 

Well, almost two months later, I get real-life contractions and head to the hospital. There we find out that although my contractions were quite strong and frequent, I hadn't dilated AT ALL from the 4 cm I had been at my last doctor visit two days previous. Learning that hours of back labor had done essentially nothing towards bringing our baby girl to us was disheartening. We also noticed that little Kairi's heart was beating very irregularly, and after about 11 hours of laboring in the hospital with only 1/2 cm of further dilation, the doctor on-call decided that a C-section was best for us. 

NOOOO! I had been practicing Hypnobirthing and relaxation techniques for months and was so looking forward to a quiet, natural, relaxed birth. I admit I teared up a bit; it felt like such a loss. Before I knew it I was in the operating room and drugged out of my mind.

What seemed like seconds later, she was born! 10:02 am, and my 6 lb - 18 inch princess was finally here. I didn't get to see her as several nurses stood around evaluating her. I didn't know it at the time (nobody tells me anything around here!) but Nate said that it was scary for her at first. She was put on oxygen and whisked away to the NICU. I told Nate to stay with her, but he said that as far as the nurses or Kairi was concerned, it was if he wasn't even there. The staff was 100% focused on Kairi and making sure she was okay. Props to the nursing staff! By the time I was all sewn back together she was stabilized in the Special Care Nursery. It wasn't til around 2 pm that I was coherent enough to be transferred to the maternity ward. I requested that I be taken to see my baby, but as soon as I was put into the wheelchair I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold her. I was a mess! I still insisted on going up a floor to see her. Morphine won in the end - the second I was in her room I started retching. I had to get the heck outta there so I wouldn't throw up near my newborn. I only caught a glimpse of her before I was back downstairs and crying like a baby in my stupid hospital bed. It wasn't til 5 pm that I got the all-clear to go and see little Kai.

The wait was long, but she was so beautiful.

The IV only stayed in for about a day

So pink and squinty and newborn-y!

She was able to breathe well enough on her own by the time that I got to see her that she no longer needed oxygen. She had to stay in the hospital for 3 whole weeks before we got to take her home with us.

A couple of days before discharge - I look like I'm still drugged, yay.

Now we're all home and adjusted! Vincent loves his baby sister more than anything. If anyone he thinks is too sketchy tries to get close to her, he throws a giant fit. He's the most protective, sweet big brother Kairi could ever ask for.

So anyway, there was the biggest catch-up piece ever. I promise I'll be more punctual from now on. For now, welcome to the Brower clan, Kairi!

Grandpa Brower & Kairi

-Your favorite Slytherin