Happy Should-Have-Been-Your Birthday, Meredith!

April 26 - Today is the day that Meredith was supposed to be born! This is the day we were supposed to meet her for the first time. Instead, she is 6 weeks old. As much as we would have loved to have avoided NICU and the stress and fear that comes with it - we wouldn't change a thing! I told Brandon that today is her "supposed to be birthday" and he said, "I'm so glad we're not at the hospital today." You do what you have to do, when you have to do it - obviously. It was emotional, it was frightening, it was aggravating, it was physically draining...but it was for Meredi - and we'd do it all again for her without batting an eye.

So here are some of the pictures from her birth that I didn't share when she was born. I think I edited the gory surgery ones out for those who have a weak constitution.

This would have been our entry today - if we hadn't already shared the joy and excitement of her arrival six weeks ago!


This is Lois - she is one of our "old favorites" NICU nurse. She worked nights and I was always so relieved when I'd find out she had our preemie...when we wheeled in to the OR for Meredi's delivery, this masked nurse came in and I said, "Hey, are you Lois?" A familiar face was so comforting - but it was the middle of the day, and by chance, she had come in to cover for someone otherwise she wouldn't have been there.



This is my doctor on the right - the resident on the left. Lois at the left of my feet and Kellie my L&D nurse on the right. Kellie is the one who made the call to rush to the OR - what she feared wasn't really what was happening, thankfully - but it was b/c of it all that my doctor did an ultra sound and said the uterine lining was simply too thin to continue laboring, even with medication...and we prepped to meet Meredith.



And here she is - we have 2 or 3 c/section delivery pictures like this - I don't know why my doctor insists on leaning backward out of the shot!



Love at first site - Meredith has been such a peaceful baby, since the moment she was born. She'll either add a new ingredient to our family - or she'll surprise us all when she breaks out of her shell with pipes and an attitude!!



Daddy gets to hold his 5th darling daughter -



Then mommy finally got her hands on her baby girlie hours later in NICU.



Feels like this all happened so very long ago. Meredith is just part of the family - like she's always been here. What a blessing this sweet angel girl is!