Moo Moo Is 7!

Last Friday, my sweet Moo Moo turned 7 years old. I look at her and I just cannot believe that she isn’t that teeny baby anymore.

I don’t know if I’ve ever documented my birth story with her. Aren’t you so lucky, dear reader?

Trouble from the start – I was sick the entire 8 months I was pregnant with her. I could barely eat, I was throwing up all of the time. I could barely leave my house. I spent A LOT of time in my bed because I couldn’t stand the smell of any other room in my house. My front door would stay open until I went to bed and I would sit as close to it as I could. I tried everything to curb the nausea.

Around 32 weeks, I woke up and found out I was bleeding. We immediately rushed to the ER, which luckily is only about 5 minutes away. They admitted me to the maternity ward and put me on the monitors and did an ultrasound. Not counting the oh so lovely nurse who told me she couldn’t find the heartbeat (SERIOUSLY?!?! Yes – that is exactly what you want to tell a pregnant lady who still has 2 months to go and who is bleeding), everything else looked just fine. Moo was a busy bee though and wouldn’t stay put so eventually, they just took the heart monitor off. After being admitted for the weekend, I was released and put on partial bedrest. I went back into the hospital one more time for bleeding until November 1, 2006.

Halloween night 2006 was like any other night. Usually, we trick or treat and then stop by my Mom’s and Dad’s houses. When we got to my Mom’s, I actually felt good. Dereck took Booby around her neighborhood while I sat inside talking. We got home and got in bed. Around 2am, I woke up to go to the bathroom. After a few seconds, I felt a gush. Not like my water breaking but……I don’t even know. I looked to see what the heck was going on and not only was I bleeding but, and this is major TMI…I passed a clot or something. It was like a huge sheet and I was so scared at this point. Again, we rushed to the hospital. I was really bleeding and the doctor on duty checked me out and told me that I would have to have a c-section that day. The doctor did eventually tell me that I had placental abruption and that it was a “mess in there”. Thanks Doc!

The funny thing is…..November 1st was the ONE day I didn’t want to have this baby. That was my birthday and my Dad kept saying that I was going to have her on the 1st. I wanted to 1.) keep my birthday and 2.) prove him wrong since I wasn’t due until the 26th. Anyway – the doctor on duty told me that my doctor was going to be in at 7am and said I could wait until then. Phone calls were made. My Dad came up and got Booby. My Mom and Shelloy showed up in time to see me rolled into the delivery room.

Now, I had a c-section with Booby but I had to be put out since my epidural had worn off. So being awake for the surgery was exciting….and scary. Dereck was with me and I got to hear Moo’s first beautiful little cry. Since she was early, she was having some trouble breathing and was taken to the Special Nursery (no NICU at this hospital). I went back to my cleared our room and rested while Dereck got to show off my baby girl. When I was told I could, I was rolled down to see her. From the very first second, I was in love. My sweet baby girl had a head full of hair. She had a gorgeous skin tone. She was truly beautiful. Unfortunately, she wasn’t allowed to stay in my room.

On the second day, I was told that Moo had a heart murmur and she would have to be transferred to the Children’s Hospital downtown and stay in the NICU to have a test done to see just what was going on. I was ok until the guys came in to take her away. I freaked out – badly. I was making a HUGE scene. My OB was in the room, trying to calm me down. Wasn’t happening. So what did he do? He agreed to release me. Uh – yeah! The day after a major surgery, I was checking out. I had to promise to stay in a wheelchair at all times. I was not allowed to walk, at all. So my BFF got off work and I went down to see my baby girl. I got to feed her and hold her and talk with her. I had a hard time leaving but I was so worn out.

The next morning, I begged Dereck to wake up early so we could go down and see her. We found out that she had the test and the murmur was nothing to worry about and that she would be released as soon as the doctor signed the papers. This was in the morning. So we thought we’d be out of there by noon or close to it. We didn’t actually leave the hospital until like 8pm. I was pissed! I still hold a grudge against the NICU doctor.

Coming home was amazing! I was still on a restriction but I was home and it didn’t matter anymore. Besides, I was so swollen from my surgery that it hurt to be on my feet anyway. We went to my Dad’s first for a small homecoming. It was amazing to finally show her off to everyone and not have her behind glass.

Then the next day, everyone else came by our house to meet the new addition.

From that first day home, we were all in complete love with Moo Moo. Booby adored her. He always wanted to touch her, kiss her, hold her. I tried to involve him in everything so he wouldn’t feel left out. Today they are still best friends.

From day 1, I knew Moo Moo was special. What I didn’t realize was how much I could love her. Every Mother feels like their heart can’t expand anymore past their first baby so it is really surprising when you feel so much love.

Moo has become my partner in crime, my shopping buddy, my cuddle monster. She makes me laugh with her silly jokes or the way she sings to every song on the radio, even if she has never heard it before. I love that she wants to be everything she loves – a soccer player, a ballet dancer, an artist, a doctor. She amazes me with her memory and her ability to make friends with everyone. She is a girly girl and a tomboy, all in one. She adores her brother, wants to be with her Daddy as much as she can and loves to hold my hand.