I am positioned on the table. I wait as my belly, hips, thighs, knees, and feet go numb. Someone put oxygen in my nose, a blue paper hat on my head, sterile drapes are everywhere. Finally, the door swings open and I hear a great sound, Phillip's voice. "7:21-Open," I hear. I feel pulling and tugging. Phillip and I talk and joke with the doctor. I hear "You are doing so well." Honestly, considering the goings-on, I feel really good. "7:42" There is my baby girl. They hold her in front of me for a brief moment. My Norah Grace is here, she is on the outside. I can't wait to get my hands on her. Phillip gets called over to the isolette to take pictures and to cut the cord. I can't take my eyes off the two of them. My family.
Phillip and Norah leave the OR while I get closed up. I meet up with them again in recovery around 8:25. I ask how much she weighs to which the nurse answers "guess." I guess somewhere around 7 and a half. They laugh and say that I've missed. "More?" I ask. Nope, 6 pounds 14 ounces.
They settle me in and it's finally time to hold her. I can't take my eyes off of her. For months I've wondered what she would look like. My eyes are on her and my heart says "Of course, that's what you look like. I would have known you anywhere." She is perfect. She's beautiful. She's mine.
While in recovery a nurse comes by and says that there is a couple waiting in the room for us and had no idea what was going on. My parents. Phillip had gotten only one mass text sent before we went into the OR. It said something like "Alli has to go in for an urgent C-section, we appreciate your prayers." Since most hospitals are giant concrete blocks there was no telling if any of them had sent or who had received the message. Phillip rushes off to see my parents and show them the pictures he has taken.
I prove to the staff that I am alright and ready to be moved to a post-partum room. Norah goes to the nursery for some of her tests. When I roll in the room is full. My parents, Phillip's mom and grandma, and one of my best friend's and her husband are waiting for me. Soon Norah joins us and tears and pictures abound. Her temperature is a little low and she hangs out in my hospital gown for a while.
The day goes by quickly and is full of family and friends. Around 4pm I finally can feel my butt again, this is an exciting thing! Though the pain is there, it's bearable with my trusty pain button.
The day goes by quickly and is full of family and friends. My pain button goes away around 10pm and is replaced by Toradol and Percocet. The first night was so long. Every time Phillip and I doze off a staff member comes in or Norah starts coughing up some of the fluid in her lungs. The pain gets much worse but between the Toradol and breastfeeding I am so sleepy I feel that I will sleep through Norah's crying. Finally the morning comes.
The rest of the stay is a blur. We see so many close friends and family. Everyone dotes on Norah and us and tells us how pretty she is. The staff is great for the most part. Wednesday arrives and we get to take home our baby girl. I cannot believe they are just going to let me walk out with a child. Granted, she's mine, but still I felt that I should watch a movie or have to pass a test. Our nurse the morning we leave is our favorite. So personable and supportive. Before lunch time we are on our way to our house with our girl. Little did we know how much that 2.5 days would change our lives for the good.
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