introducing...

Maisy Jane Milne
born June 15, 2011
7 lbs 13 ounces
20 inches

It's taken a long time for me to get around to writing this post... Getting used to life with this baby girl has been a fun/amazing/difficult challenge. It's hard for me to even get away from her to take a nap, let alone blog about her. She is just so amazing to me, I just want to look at her and hold her all day long. (sorry to those I haven't called/text back the last week, I promise I'm not ignoring you!) All I know is that Stu and I could not be happier, we just LOVE our little Maisy so much and can't seem to remember life without her.

So I started having contractions the morning of the 14th, not even an hour after I told Stu that "Today is the day! She's coming, I just know it!" Little did I know... I went to work like normal and after having 4 contractions during one treatment, I decided to start timing them. They were coming in at 15 minutes apart- no big deal right? After two hours they were about 12 minutes, then another two hours brought me to 10 minutes apart... We were only scheduled to work until noon that day, and by the time I left the contractions were about 7-8 minutes apart! I even went around and gave all the girls hugs in case I wasn't back the next day- I was so sure she was coming :) Haha. Stu decided to leave work to have lunch with me because we were thinking that we should probably have some time "just us" if she really was on her way! Well I got bummed because right after lunch, the contractions went back to 15 minutes apart! Dang it... That night I went and got a pedicure with two of my sisters and then went home after helping my little sister pack a little for college- noticing that my contractions were getting more uncomfortable as the day went on. About 9pm that night, they started getting downright painful, but still 7-8 minutes apart. (my Dr told me to come in once they were 5 mins apart) Finally about 12:45am I decided they were too uncomfortable and told Stu that we were going to the hospital and that I needed to shave my legs. (yes, I know.. I'm ridiculous) My contractions were only 6 mins apart, but while I was in the shower I had a few that were less than 3 mins apart! At this point, Stu started to freak out a bit and quickly got everything together. I had already put the emergency bag in the car that afternoon, so we were all set! We headed over the hospital and were checked in at 1:30am! We called my mom on the way who immediately left for the hospital to be with us. They checked me out and found out I was already at 6cm (I was at 3.5 cm at my last Drs appt). The nurse asked me if I was ready for my epidural in between contractions, and at first I wasn't so sure I needed it yet, but boy did that next contraction change my mind!

about 3am, after getting the IV and epidural... SO swollen and tired...

It took 4 tries by a nursing student before they got a successful IV... OUCH. But once that was in, they were able to get the epidural going! Once the epidural was in, we were all able to relax and Stu and my mom were able to get some rest because they told me it would be a few hours. It was so nice being able to look at the monitor and see the peaks indicating contractions and not feeling a thing :) I couldn't sleep a wink, I was so anxious! They kept checking me about every 2 hours and by 6am I was dilated to 8cm and Dr Huish came in to break my water. I was able to start pushing a little before 8am... This was probably the worst part (of the delivery) for me. I couldn't figure out HOW to push! I was numb from the belly button down for crying out loud... But I had good support in the room that kept me going :) I am so grateful for Stu and my mom, I really could not have done it without them! They were amazing. Finally, after the most tiring hour of my life, Maisy Jane Milne was born at 8:52am! Her lungs worked PERFECTLY- she had the cutest little cry right from the beginning. Stu was there to cut the umbilical cord and did a great job! (her belly button is sooo cute) As soon as I saw her, I feel like a gush of emotions just flooded from me... I just started bawling, which was kind of embarrassing, but I couldn't help it! I instantly felt an all-consuming love for my precious little girl. "Oh she is so beautiful," I kept saying over and over. Stu was right by my side the entire time and held both of us close, I know he was feeling the same way. We were already so in love with our little girl :)

The nurses then took Maisy (she technically wasn't named at this point) to wipe her down a bit and get her measurements. She was a perfect 20inches and weighed in at 7lbs 12.5oz. They gave her back to me to try and nurse her for the first time, and I just remember her feeling so small in my arms. She didn't really get to latch the first time because I started feeling some intense pains and the nurses took her away from me so they could see what was going on. They handed her off to Stu who kept watching me to make sure I was okay... Thankfully, Stu's mom and my sisters came in to see us about this time distracting him from what was going on with me. He proudly held her and showed her off to our families while the nurses took care of me.

The nurses knew soon after that something wasn't completely right and called my doctor back. Before I knew what was going on, I was getting rushed to the OR and was knocked out for a procedure because I started hemorrhaging. I remember looking around the room to make sure my two loves were taken care of. The next thing I remember is waking up in the ICU without my baby... It was terrible. Luckily, Stu was right there when I woke up. It took a while for me to understand what had happened, and even longer for me cope with the fact that I couldn't hold my little girl. Good news was that they were able to stop the bleeding to save me and my uterus for future Milne babies... The nurses reassured me over and over that our little one was perfectly healthy and that they were taking good care of her in the nursery. Stu spent most of his time with me, but he went down every so often to feed baby girl and spend some quality daddy-daughter time with her. They told me that she would need to stay in the nursery until I was well enough to go back down to the post-partum floor... I was devastated. She was able to visit me late that night though, and it was the greatest thing in the world to be able to hold her and see her sweet little face again.

I think I was a little bit determined to get better and back downstairs with her, so I did everything I could to heal fast! I ate every last bit of my meals, drank insane amounts of water, took all my meds and I even told the nurse to take my dang catheter out so I could show them that I could walk and use the bathroom by myself! Well, it worked :) I got to move down the next afternoon, and our family was complete again! So happy!!! Sidenote: I am so grateful for my husband, he is the most amazing man I know, and the most incredible daddy to our little girl. I've always called him my rock and my happy place because he keeps me grounded and can make me happy no matter what. He was so amazing during the whole thing---but he told me I'm NEVER allowed to scare him like that again... Oh I love him so much! And I know little Maisy ADORES him... She loves to stare at him and melts in his arms (kinda like her mommy). And we can't figure it out but she LOVES sucking on his, ONLY HIS, finger... so funny! We are so lucky to have this man in our lives :)

Anyway, we had to stay at the hospital a few more days so we were so grateful for the amazing support from our family and friends who did so much for us through prayers, service, and even just bringing us food or coming by to visit. We LOVE you!!! And seriously, our doctors and nurses (minus one...) were SO amazing! We could not have asked for better/kinder people to be working with us!

my mom, so happy to be a grandma

going home, finally!

We are so happy and have been so blessed since this sweet little girl joined our family.
She is incredible and we love her soo much!

pure sweetness