My daughter is a week old today!!!!

Oh, blog world, I am so very sorry that I have let a whole week go by without announcing the birth of the love of my life!! For some reason, I was unable to get online at the hospital, even though they have wireless, and with other things going on, I just wasn't able to troubleshoot it.

Alana Anna Aaryn M(lastname) was born on Wednesday, 12/9, at 12:25 in the afternoon via c-section. There is no way I could adequately put into words what I felt at that moment, so, I won't even try, at least not today when I'm a ball of hormones. Let's just say that it's like nothing I ever knew possible!

We ended up spending an extra night in the hospital for two reasons. The blood pressure issues I had in the weeks leading up to delivery continued after and, in fact, got worse. I was constantly monitored for preeclampsia, but, in the words of the doctor, on paper, I was perfect. All of my results were, not just good, but perfect. I just have this moderately high pressure that they can't seem to get completely under control. I'm under the care of a hypertension doctor now and they have adjusted my medicine a couple of times and we're watching it very closely.

But, having the spend an extra night in the hospital was actually a blessing in disguise because, the night before we were supposed to leave, Alana developed a fever and was sent to the NICU. Imagine how scary it is when a doctor comes into your room at 3:00am and tells you that your perfectly healthy baby has a fever, is being taken to the NICU for testing, and may need a spinal tap! Thankfully, by the time they admitted her to the NICU, her fever had dropped and never went high again. All of her test results came back normal, no spinal tap was needed, and they think the high reading could have just been a fluke.

They told me she would have to stay for 48 hours after being admitted, which would have been Tuesday, while I was going to be released Monday. I know it would have only been one night, but, the thought of leaving without her was devastating. But, thanks to a wonderful NICU pediatrician who stayed on top of all of her negative test results, she was released with me and we came home Monday night!!!

Yesterday was a whirlwind, so, today is really the first day I've had time to get online and post. I hope you'll all forgive me and I promise to get a couple of pictures up very very soon!!! She is so incredibly gorgeous and I am more in love than I ever knew possible!

Every single time Glenn and I walked out of a hospital over the last four years, and sadly, there have been way too many times, I said to him "next time we walk out of a hospital, we should be bringing home our baby". It didn't happen for a very long time, but, Monday night, I finally walked out of a hospital with my baby....and, after seeing her for the first time, it was one of the most emotional moments of my life!!!