Welcome to the world Hailey!

I’m not even sure where to start!  Thursday night Justin, Addison, Brinkley & I went to my parents’ house to have dinner with everyone.  Justin’s parents, Amanda & Emy were all expected in that evening and the anticipation was killing me!  I was starting to get really nervous about leaving Addison for the night.  It was literally the last night Addison would be an only child and this made me emotional.  We had a great dinner with the family then decided to head on home to pack up and get ready for the big day.  We kissed Addison, Brinkley and the rest of the family goodbye and said we’d see them soon.  That night we got a video message from Addison saying she loved us and of course it made me cry!  We went to bed by 10pm because we had to be at Rex Hospital at 6am the next morning.

We woke up early and we were both ready to roll! We left the house when it was still dark out and headed towards the hospital.  Once we got to the hospital, they called up to the maternity floor and they said they were ready for us.  We headed up and were greeted as we got off the elevator.  The set us up in triage to get all my vitals and hook me up to a fetal monitor.  I was feeling good, but I knew that it was almost time to get my IV placed.  The nurse looked over both arms for a bit then decided on the left hand.  It seems to always happen and today was no different!  I got all woozy, hot and nauseous.  They had to quickly unplug me from the fetal monitor so I could make my way to the bathroom.  Once I got everything out of my system I felt much better!  From then on out it seemed like smooth sailing.  We didn’t wait too long in the triage area before they were wheeling me back to the OR.  Right before we got to the OR, they dropped Justin off to get changed into scrubs.  They told him it’d be about 20 minutes and someone would be back to grab him.  Once I was inside the OR, they started prepping me further.  They asked a bunch of questions and it seemed like a ton of people were in & out.  The anesthesiologist was next up and it went surprisingly well.  There was a woman who stood in front of me and just whispered in my ear and walked me through the whole thing.  She was really amazing and it was done in no time.  Next they laid me down and started to clean off my belly and put a catheter in.  I think at this point they may have started to cut into me, but I can’t be sure…Justin was then by my side and I could start to feel some tugging.  I was nervous about the spinal because I had had a bad time with it when I had Addison, but this time I felt pretty good.  At one point, I thought I heard a baby crying but they said it was a door squeaking! 

On Friday morning, January 27^th @ 8:36 am, Hailey Rose Crooks was born!!  Dr. Clark held her over the blanket that was up to show us a peak of her and once her umbilical cord was off, they laid her on my chest for us to meet her.  She was just this little itty bitty thing after all the talk about her possibly being too big!  We snuggled with her shortly until they decided to take her to get cleaned off a little and get her stats.  She weighed in at 7lbs 1oz and was 20 inches long.  She was a peanut!  Justin was with her the whole time and once I was stitched up I was wheeled to where they were.  We spent the next hour or so in the recovery room, I was anxious to get to our actual room because I wanted Addison to meet Hailey so badly!  Finally we made our way to our room and got settled.  Justin went downstairs to get Addison and boy was she happy to see him!  He brought her up where the 4 of us were together for the first time.  Addison was happy to meet her new sister, but was a little apprehensive to be around me.  I was still hooked up to an IV bag and in a hospital bed and probably looked pretty rough.  She gave me a kiss, but steered kind of clear of me…it broke my heart!  She had to wear plastic gloves to touch Hailey because they now wait to give the first bath until several hours after birth.  The mom and dad don’t have to wear gloves, but any other visitors had to.  She held Hailey for the first time, but we think because her gloves were so huge she got nervous and passed her off quickly.  Next up were all the grandparents and my sisters.  A little bit later Gannon stopped in before he had to head to work.  From this point on, things get blurry as there was a lot of commotion and I was exhausted!  I do remember being blissfully happy that Hailey was finally here.

We had a good night with her and went to bed pretty early.  Justin slept on a pullout sofa bed, which he didn’t think would go well, but he was so tired he had no problems.  On Saturday it was more of the same.  Addison came and visited in the morning and then came back that night.  She finally decided she missed her mommy and was able to sit with me.  She snuggled right up with me and we were very cozy.  She got upset when it was time to leave and I tear up just thinking about it!! I wanted to go home so badly and be with her, but that obviously wasn’t an option.  My mom said she was fine once she got home but the damage was done!  

Sunday was more of the same, but I was ready to go home.  We could have stayed an additional night but I was eager to get home and settle into new life.  Hailey had a doctor come in and check her out and then I waited to have a doctor come check me out.  We were both good to go!  My mom then brought Addison over so the 4 of us could drive home together.  We packed everything up and made our way downstairs.  It was so weird that we were leaving the hospital as a family of 4.  Justin pulled the car up and we piled in.  Addy sat in the back and gave us updates on her sleeping sister…such a good helper!  We arrived home shortly after and started the next chapter of life!

39 Weeks, Baby #2

This week my little one is considered full term. My placenta is also still hard at work providing critical antibodies to help protect the baby from infections in the outside world. She’s probably about 20 inches long and around 7.5 lbs. 

I just had my Rex Hospital Pre Admissions Testing appointment this morning and everything is set for Friday the 27^th!  Justin & I need to arrive at the hospital at 6am, with the C-section scheduled for 8am.  They said family members can probably join us around 10 am.  I am truly terrified, excited, nervous, anxious all wrapped into one.  So many emotions running through me!  Justin’s parents as well as Amanda and Emy will arrive on Thursday night.  My mom has dinner planned for all so we can see everyone before the big day.  

Last pregnant picture!

38 Weeks, Baby #2

We are exactly 9 days away from our C-section and a week away from being considered full term with nearly fully functioning organs.  Her brain and nervous system will continue to develop well into childhood and into her teen years.  She is about 19.75 inches and around 6.8 lbs.  Before my pregnancy my uterus weighed only 2 ounces, but by now it has stretched large enough to hold a baby and weighs around 2 ½ lbs!  I am certainly feeling the weight.  It takes a lot out of me just walking to and from places…I lose my breathe easily!  At night, this little one seems to be most active.  Anywhere from 9 pm to 11 pm, she is all over the place.  It’s really hard to go to sleep while she’s doing that, even when I am exhausted.

This past weekend we had our Big Sister/Big Brother tour at Rex Hospital.  Addison did great with everything.  We watched a movie about becoming a big sibling, took a tour of the maternity wing, went to the nursery and held a baby doll gently.  After the tour, Justin & I showed her the cafeteria and the gift shop because she was interested in that as well!  It was a little overwhelming for her I think because she was all over the board once we got home, but she really did well.  She asked if she could buy her baby sister something, so that night we took her to Target and she picked out a little monkey baby toy.  We wrapped it up and she is so proud of herself.  She is going to be a great big sister and she’s counting down the days like the rest of us!

37 Weeks, Baby #2

This week the baby is just two weeks away from being full term. That means all of her organs are nearly fully developed and prepared for the outside world.  She is probably about 19.25 inches and about 6.3 lbs, which we know is probably low for her!  I am super tired all the time and am definitely anxious for delivery.  I am already dreading saying goodbye to Addison for the night and heading to the hospital that next morning.  I know she’ll be fine, I’m just emotional!  She’ll stay with my parents for the few days we are at the hospital, but I am sure she’ll come visit often.  Counting down the days!

36 Weeks, Baby #2

The baby is still gaining weight and becoming rounder in appearance. By the end of this week, the baby will be just three weeks away from full term!  The baby’s current size is 18.75 inches and weighs about 5.75 lbs (which we know from my last appointment to be on the lower side of what she actually is weighing in at).  I am starting to feel more anxious than usual.  I’m starting to worry more about the C-section and complications.  My mind just unfortunately goes there!  I’m thinking a lot about having 2 kids in the house and how Addison will adjust to the new baby.  She is super excited right now, but she has no idea what life will be like with an infant.  Addy is very eager to be helpful, but I can see it now, she’ll get all bent out of shape not getting enough attention.  It’ll be a big change for all of us, it’s been just the 3 of us for 5+ years, so I get it!  My mind races as I try to go to sleep at night, which makes for restless nights.  Hoping this feeling will go away once she is born!

Here is an updated pic, taken by Addison yet again!  She told me just this morning that I am looking REALLY BIG….thanks darling!