Before surgery

I was in the hospital recovering from my c-section, so I didn't see her much until I was released.  It was extremely difficult to be away from her.  At Mercy, they put me on a different floor from the nursery so at least I didn't have to hear crying babies.  That would have been pure torture for me.  I already missed her so much and just wanted to hold her and someone to tell me that they made a mistake and she didn't have this terrible heart defect.  Unfortunately no one ever told me that.

Kate spent 6 days in the NICU awaiting her Norwood heart surgery. She was stable, but they decided to intubate her while doing her heart cath.  Kate ended up with a meconium plug, which caused her belly to become very distended and blue.  They did an upper GI on her and eventually the plug cleared.  This issue meant that we couldn't hold Kate.  Very difficult, but we knew it was best for her.  They did all of these tests on her for various conditions that are associated with meconium plugs.  We were already stressed for her looming surgery and then they were throwing around scary thoughts like CF.  But she tested negative for everything. 

Kate had visits from Grandma and Grandpa Price, Aunt Stacy and our good friend Erin while in NICU.  Erin even helped us out with a little photo opp with Kate!  They finally let us hold her after 5 long days!

Hair!



Mommy snuggle time

Toes

Chest with no scar



Daddy snuggle time

Kate's Arrival

 Kate Elizabeth
 Born on 6/26/2012 at 7:56am via c-section
 6 lb 8 oz and 19.25 in long

After arriving at Cardinal Glennon at 5am, getting prepped for surgery, and receiving the sweetest spinal ever, we were ready to meet our baby girl.  Being awake this time was so much better!  They kept telling me that I would feel tugging, pressure and pulling, but I felt none of these.  I didn't even know she was out until they told me!  She came out screaming (sassy from the very beginning) and smaller than I imagined she'd be. 

For a moment, I forgot all about her heart condition.  Just a moment though.  Until they swiftly took her off to evaluate her heart.  Her atrial septum was intact, but she was getting blood from the left to the right side of her heart via her coronary sinus.  Very good news for her - no immediate work was needed.  The doctors did decide to do a heart catheterization on her though to get a clear picture of what her heart was doing.  Afterwards she was taken to NICU to await surgery on Monday.

Baby Kate...1 week and counting

In just one short week, Kate will be born!  It has been a long and emotional 9 months and we are ready to start this journey of our lives.  Kate has been looking great at her doctor appointments and they even say I look great, even though I don't feel it most days.  The heat has been terrible and I have to applaud women who have August and September babies!  We will be spending the week finishing up our freezer meal cooking, cleaning the house, and spending some quality time as a family of 3 (as long as it is indoors or in a giant sprinkler). 

The only information we know for sure, as far as next Tuesday's schedule, is that we have to arrive at Cardinal Glennon at 5am and the c-setion is scheduled for 7:30am.  I will be transferred to St. John's around midday, after knowing what is happening with Kate and hopefully seeing her. 

We finally finished Kate's bedroom last week and can't wait for her to be able to enjoy it!  Jacob's already been trying to enjoy it, but we told him that he only gets one room!

Kate's Baby Shower

Last Saturday, my friends and mom had a baby shower for me and Kate at McGurks in O'Fallon.  It was a fabulous lunch with a cute and yummy cake and lots of presents!  Kate received many awesome gifts to wear, read and keep with her forever.  I also received a gift card for a massage and Craig and I got a care basket with great snacks, disposable camera, lotion/hand sanitizer, crosswords, tissues, and a book to read to Kate for our extended hospital time.  The gifts were so wonderful and we greatly appreciate all of them!  Thank you to Erin and Jamie for planning the shower and everyone for celebrating Kate:)

4 more weeks of being pregnant....EVER!

4 weeks from today, Kate will be here!!  I am so excited to not be pregnant anymore (especially with this heat) and even more excited to meet our baby girl!  I feel HUGE and I'm ready to move on to the next journey in our lives..2 kiddos:)  Today, Kate, Jacob and I ventured to the zoo with some friends and my first pregnancy pic was taken (yes at 35 weeks, I'm a slacker).  By looking at this pic, I have a feeling Kate will be tipping the scales at more than 8lbs like her big brother!

Ahhh that feels good:)

5 weeks to go...

Well we are getting close to Kate's arrival...We still don't have a definite date, but it looks like 6/26 or 6/27.  Things are still being coordinated with the surgeons, delivery doctor, heart cath lab and Cardinal Glennon.  We had our "big" meeting with them last Thursday, it was a very emotional day.  Talking to her surgeon, delivery doctor and sitting through more ultrasounds was the easy part...actually seeing the NICU and the hospital where Kate will spend the first few weeks (or longer) of her life was really difficult.  Her surgeon has lots of experience and seemed very confident, but we have no idea what to really expect.  Her heart ultrasound showed no change, meaning that her atrial septum is intact and will need to be opened immediately upon birth to have proper blood flow from her lungs to her heart.  She will be delivered at Cardinal Glennon so she can immediate attention and I will be transferred back to Mercy (St. Johns) a few hours after my c-section.  They can't care for me at Cardinal Glennon, so I will have to leave my baby for a few days to recover.  I know I will probably cry most of the time I'm away from her, but Craig will be with her. 

We did get some 3D pics of her and she is in the 57th percentile for growth.  At 33.5 weeks she was measuring 4lb 13oz.  She is so much more active than Jacob ever was, so hopefully she is as feisty when she arrives!

She looks just like Jacob!!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a nice, relaxing day for this mommy.  I had high hopes of visiting the Botanical Gardens, but my body and mind were exhausted after a busy week.  Craig got the 3 pink walls of Kate's room painted so now we just need the gray wall completed.  My boys took me out to dinner and got me red roses and the heart necklace I wanted so badly.  It is so beautiful, pink and precious!!  Kate will love it someday! 

It is so hard to believe that in 6 short weeks I will be packing my bag and preparing for Kate's arrival!  The anxious feelings have definitely set in, but I'm also excited to not be pregnant anymore (my back will be so happy).  I am still having weekly appointments to monitor Kate and so far she is doing great.  Craig and I will be going to Cardinal Glennon this Thursday to meet with Kate's surgeons, delivery doctor and nurses.  The plan is for me to deliver at Cardinal Glennon, so Kate will be ready for intervention, if needed.  They don't normally deliver babies there, but I guess we are special;)  I won't get to stay with her though for my recovery from the c-section...they are sending me back to Mercy since they can properly take care of me.  That will be so difficult, but I know I need those first few days to recover, so I can be super strong for Kate. I will update once we know more of the details.  And Kate is having a growth ultrasound this week...I'm so curious to see how big she is getting b/c my belly is getting big!