McKinley Kate arrived Monday, December 27, 2010 at 7:52 a.m. She weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long.
McKinley, you were a scheduled c-section because your brother arrived that way. With 3 weeks to go, while the doctor was checking your heartbeat he noticed it was irregular. It would beat fine and then miss a beat. I had to get hooked up to a heart monitor and he did an ultrasound. The heart monitor didn't show anything to get too worked up about and the ultrasound showed you were breech (good thing I was okay with a c-section!). Because the doctor wanted to be extra cautious I went in twice a week to be checked on the monitor. You were always doing okay, even though every once in awhile a beat would drop.
We made it to the scheduled day, 2 days after Christmas. With Lincoln I was induced and labored before having him the next day. With you, your Dad and I got to the hospital at 6 a.m. and got checked in and headed upstairs. The nurse had me change and started hooking me up to machines and prepping me for your delivery. It was all very smooth and quite fast. When I had my IV and had talked to the anesthesiologist I was ready to be wheeled into surgery. They took me into the room and I got my spinal tap. The doctors came in and then they brought in Dad. A few minutes later, just before 8 a.m. you were born! The doctor said, "You have a little princess!" and (even though I knew) I was so excited.
They took you to the nursery to get cleaned and tested. Dad went with you. I had to be sewn back up and taken back to the recovery room. The drugs worked really well on my left side. I could feel things on my right. So the anesthesiologist kept moving me and trying to get the drugs where they needed to go. Finally they were done and I was ready to go back to the room.
We all met up a little while later in my room and got to spend some time together, just the three of us. We took some pictures...
Around 10 or 11 a.m. they were ready to move us into my "permanent" room for the next 4 days. You stayed with me during the day and only went back to the nursery to be checked and so I could sleep at night - although sometimes they couldn't get you until midnight or they would bring you in early to feed and I just kept you instead of sending you back. You were a great eater and sleeper. The nurses knew you were breech because you loved your legs sticking straight out :)
We had a few visitors, but not a lot which was great for my recovery. Dad and Lincoln came every day to hang out with us. Lincoln watched movies and didn't really get that you were his sister until we told him you were his baby. He loved you from that moment! He calls you McKinley-baby and loves to give you kisses and toys.
We went home on Thursday, December 30.
