Gracie Pfunder

Guess what we've been up to?  I'll keep you posted while Juli is away from a computer.  Yeah, we've been taking care of Julianne and a little peanut.  It's been a crazy road these past 3 weeks or so.  Juli was admitted to the hospital twice with "stroke level" blood pressure.  We did an amniocentesis on June 24 to check baby's lung development to see if we could get her delivered.  She had to do the amnio twice because the baby didn't like having her space invaded. She actually rolled into the needle, blocking the suction with her bum....twice, until the nurse faked her out by poking on the other side of Juli's belly.  

The amnio came back good, and baby was okay'd to come out.  She of course was breech, so Juli set off to her first Cesarean birth on June 25.  I got in some scrubs and walked to the operating room with the doctor, waiting for the spinal block.  And then waited for the spinal block.  And still waited for the spinal block.  It took maybe 5 attempts and 2 doctors to finally get the spinal to work.  I was worried, and heard Julianne scream a couple times as they tried to get the needle in the right place.  You can ask her all about it if you have the stomach for it.  Pain is something I have a hard time with if it's someone I know and love.  

So finally, I'm given admittance, and I go see my Juli and watch.  After seeing the true knot that baby made in the umbilical cord, and unwrapping it from around her neck, baby is ready to come out.

8:09pm, June 25, 2008, Grace Pfunder is born.  5 lbs. 1 oz.  18".  She's our little peanut.

She's a tiny little thing, we're used to the 3 7lbs babies we've had.  She was early though, and we are so blessed to have her now.  We are also blessed that Juli is much better off as her blood pressure has dropped to normal.  The doctor made a comment after surgery that "sometimes you think you make the right decision, but in this case, we definitely made the right decision".
Julianne was discharged on Sunday evening, but unfortunately, Grace was sent to the NICU. She was doing so great from Wednesday to Saturday, but her little body had a hard time keeping up.  She dropped her temperature on Sunday, and couldn't keep it maintained.  Her bilirubin went up as well.   Better safe than sorry, so she's in an isolette in the NICU, keeping her nice and toasty.  She puts on the mask and they shine the bilirubin lights on her.  The doctors let her come out to nurse every three hours, so Juli is close by.  We have a boarding room at the hospital, where Juli is now.  We go save her, and let the kids see baby sister Gracie between feedings.

The kids love her to death and are anxious to have mom and Gracie home soon (as am I). Special thanks to our dear family and friends who have seen us through these past 3 weeks of bed rest, hospitalized bed rest, bed rest, more hospitalized bed rest, birth, recovery, and now waiting for Gracie.  Juli's parents have been the champs....watching kids and Cathy commanding me to get her our laundry.  

More pictures to come.  I'm sure you don't want to see me in my scrubs.