My daughter’s birthday falls right in the middle of the Christmas season. Who thought it would be a good idea to have a baby at the end of December? Certainly not me.
Still, it is what it is, and having my daughter arrive around the holidays has made that time of year even more meaningful to me.
She was actually due at the end of January, so even if she came early I assumed she wouldn’t be born so close to Christmas. I was wrong.
The first warning sign came during Thanksgiving week, when I was put on strict bed rest because of high blood pressure.
I made my doctor promise he wouldn’t let me deliver during the week of Christmas. He didn’t offer a pinky swear, though.
Promises only go so far.
By the week of Christmas my blood pressure was still high and I began experiencing chest pains. Not good signs.
At 35 weeks pregnant I was admitted to the hospital and prepared for induction. An induction when your body isn’t ready is a rough experience: eighteen hours of pitocin-induced contractions, two epidurals that didn’t last, and growing exhaustion. I remember thinking a C-section would be a relief.
There may have been an urgent plea for, “Cut her out of me!” and a frantic call for the anesthesiologist. When the spinal finally took, the relief was immediate. Minutes later I saw my daughter for the very first time.
THE. BEST. MOMENT. OF. MY. LIFE.
All the high blood pressure, bed rest, discomfort, and surgery melted away the moment she was placed before me.
She didn’t cry right away because there was fluid on her lungs; she was weighed quickly and taken to the NICU. Before they wheeled her away, the nurse pressed her little, slippery face up to mine and encouraged me to kiss her. I loved her instantly, though I admit the first kiss with a not-yet-clean newborn felt a bit strange.
After surgery I was taken to recovery, where I had one of the oddest experiences: I had to lie on the bed staring at the ceiling while my husband, Coach, took our family members back to meet her, one at a time. It felt strange to have given birth and then miss those first introductions.
The next few days were a blur of learning how to care for our daughter and visiting her in the NICU. She spent Christmas in the hospital and a heavy snowstorm hit that same week. We were fortunate to live close enough and have a four-wheel-drive vehicle so we could keep visiting despite the storm.
I’ll never forget the NICU nurses who stayed on duty for days because they couldn’t get home in the storm and relief staff couldn’t reach the hospital. They missed Christmas with their families to care for my baby. It’s their job, of course, but thinking about their dedication still gives me goosebumps. They were angels.
She was in the hospital for about a week. When we brought her home she weighed under five pounds—so tiny and so precious.
Parenthood since then has been a whirlwind. I can’t imagine loving anyone more. Being a parent is both the most demanding and the most rewarding role I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
These days she is learning and communicating at lightning speed. I may be biased, but I think she’s exceptionally bright. The things she says are hilarious and often surprising—how does she pick up expressions so fast? For example, she mimicked a colorful exclamation I used when I slammed on the brakes at a red light. Kids absorb so much from their surroundings.
Her favorite toys are Doc McStuffins figures, and her bed is piled high with stuffed animals. She prefers toys to blankets and they seem to keep her cozy at night.
Mealtimes can be a challenge—she’s picky unless it’s steak or Chick-fil-A—but she snacks constantly throughout the day, so she rarely goes hungry.
She’s warming up to preschool and even named her baby dolls after her teachers over the Christmas break—surely a sign she likes them. Lately she’s been asking to go back to “school,” which tells me she misses her friends.
Miss A has a sweet temperament but also knows what she wants; she’s had her share of tantrums, like most toddlers. Overall she’s an easygoing child, though I know we’ll face challenging moments as she grows.
I’m so thankful for the gift she is in our lives. To celebrate her first year, I chose a sprinkle-themed birthday party—simple, colorful, and sweet. I’ll share the party details tomorrow.
Thanks for indulging me on this walk down memory lane. Happy Monday!