Wow! haha I said I'd take the roller coaster and boy did I get exactly what I asked for for a few weeks! 3 days and 3 nights of monitors, labor pains, drugs and disappointment and a baby that came all at once in a matter of less than an hour and delivered herself. One look at her and I was head over heels in love. More than I already was, which was already a lot. All the worrying and waiting and wondering, all the prayers for her safe delivery come to fruition beyond what we could even have dared to hope. She was taken to Riley hospital for a check up, pink and big and beautiful, amid the laughter and giddiness of the normally somber NICU nursing staff. We were told that she would be in Riley for 1-2 weeks, and yet, they returned her to us at IU a little less than 24 hours later! The nurses in the Special Care nursery instantly fell in love with our girl too! I was discharged on Sunday, and Liddy proved she didn't need the hospital's oxygen. "No thanks! I'm perfectly capable of breathing on my own!" By the time that we made the gut wrenching decision to go home on Friday, after bunking where ever we could for almost a week, she had lost an IV too, and was bottle feeding like she had done it all of her life. Hallelujah! Coming home without her broke my heart daily, but every day (except two) I got up and made my way to her side. I looked forward to that moment when I leaned over her crib and whispered "There's my sugarplum". Her little face would light up and when I picked her up she snuggled right in. All the hours I spent in that recliner, soaking up her snuggles, and memorizing her face. I truly forgot what it felt like to hold your brand new baby!
There isn't any way to describe how constantly awe inspiring it is to look at this tiny being and realize that you had a small part in her creation. Each of my babies has been absolutely beautiful but this one, while in many ways the same as the others, needs me so much more than they ever did. She is absolutely perfect in every way in my eyes, and she already inspires me with her strength and determination. Almost three weeks in the hospital, three weeks at home now. She's fattening up, and is almost constantly in motion. She gazes in amazement at everything around her and smiles like the very sunshine! I wanted a break from the roller coaster for a little while but thanks to the opportunity to get to know this precious angel, I am able to see that the view from the top of that first tall hill is absolutely breathtaking if I simply open my eyes and drink it in. :)
