To our dear Anneli...

Baby girl, you're home!

You were born on Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 8:52 pm at INOVA Fairfax Hospital. You weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. You were delivered by Caesarean.

What an arduous and complicated day it was! My water broke at 8:00 am while I was at work. I got to the hospital around 9:00 am but was stuck in triage for several hours. I received an epidural which seemed to work for a while, but then it was obvious that the anesthesiologist had missed the target by a smidge. Another epidural and several more hours of painful contractions later, my OB strongly encouraged a Caesarean because I was exhausted and you had an elevated heartbeat.

In the OR, I received a spinal to numb my lower body, but again it didn't work. As they began cutting into me, I could feel everything and cried in pain. Eventually they knocked me out, and what happened afterwards is based on your daddy's account.

The narcotics they gave me was so strong, it crossed the placenta and made you groggy too, so when you were finally pulled out, you were "floppy" and unable to breathe. They put you on a ventilator and whisked you and daddy off to NICU. Meanwhile, I was sent to recover.

In NICU, you were connected to all kinds of machines to monitor your vitals. We visited you at almost every feeding so we could spend as much time with you as we could. Being a NICU baby, you weren't allowed to stay in my room. It was pretty disheartening to know you were just floors below me but could never be right next to my bed. But we loved seeing you, changing you, feeding you, and learning your idiosyncrasies.

We checked out on Saturday night, but we had to leave you overnight for continued observation. Fortunately, when we went to visit you on Sunday morning, the doctor said you could go home! It was an exciting process--getting you dressed, loading you in the car seat, receiving goodies. After a long day with your grandparents, uncle, and cousins, you finally got to sleep in your own crib.

Today was your first full day at home, and it was full of activity! We tried breastfeeding again (since we were unsuccessful last night), but you are a stubborn girl. It's not entirely your fault; the NICU should have called me down on the second day to have me try breastfeeding you, but we couldn't try until three days after you were born! No matter. If breastfeeding doesn't work for you (or me), then we will pump and bottle feed.

But you are just so beautiful. Big eyes (with folds!), perfect nose, beautiful full lips, soft black hair. You look just like your daddy, right down to his cleft chin. :)

I'll put a picture of you later, when I get them off the camera.

We love you, Anneli.