Our Sweet Bunny

Welcome, Madeline Marie Hargreaves!

Last week, we had a big surprise - Oliver's little sister said, "I can't wait any more, let the fun begin!!" We were, of course, largely unprepared, as Oliver had been 6 days late in arriving, so we assumed... silly us. She came 9 days early! I had some time in the hospital in the days that followed to write down our "story," so here it is.

On Wednesday night, Andy got home REALLY late from a dinner in CT with his colleagues (midnight!), so we chatted for a bit and then started to fall asleep… but at 12:45am, I was shocked awake by a really strong jolt in my lower abdomen. I thought girly-girl had maybe just kicked me really hard, but I’d never felt anything even close to this before, so I was a bit concerned it could be something MORE. Very soon, I realized I was having regular contractions… they seemed about 5 minutes apart, right away. I told Andy, and pretty soon went downstairs to call my doctor to see what she advised; she said to wait another hour or so and see if they went away… but over the next few hours, they just got stronger and a bit closer together. Since I had a c-section scheduled (in 5 days , they would move directly to that if I got to the hospital and was actually in labor…

So we finally decided that this was the real thing (!), and gathered all the things we needed, including poor sleepy little Oliver, and headed to Morristown Memorial Hospital around 4am. Oliver was such a good sport! He’d gotten about 7 hours of sleep at that point, which was at least 6.5 more than Andy and I had gotten! They figured out pretty quickly that I was in labor, and Andy and Oliver got to come in the room with me while they continued to monitor me and we filled out tons of forms and answered questions for their records. But pretty soon we realized that the time they wanted to perform the c-section (6am-ish) was fast approaching, and we didn’t have anyone set up to watch Oliver, so Andy could be with me. We called some friends, but it was nearly 5am, and we couldn’t reach anyone. So, Andy left with Oliver at 6:10am, headed for work, ready to come back as soon as anyone came in and could look after Oliver! That’s when I toddled to the surgery room, got a spinal thingy, and Madeline was born at 6:33!!! After a few minutes, they brought her over to me and I got my first lovely look – most surprising is her full head of dark, dark hair!! Complete opposite of Oliver, who has had light hair since it finally started appearing, months after he was born!

Pretty soon I was wheeled into recovery, and after about a half hour, Andy was back. We talked for a bit and then he went up to meet Madeline in the nursery, while I daydreamed and wondered how long it would be before I would regain any sensation in the lower half of my body – VERY strange feeling not being able to move your legs/toes, or even know what position they’re in, for that matter! Soon Andy was back, and we were both brought up to a temporary maternity room until a nice room in the newer section nearby opened up (a few hours later). Very busy with babies and moms, this place!

Maddie has taken to nursing really well, which certainly helps. The first few days of nursing are always so hard (and painful, really!), I understand why a lot of people don’t stick with it. But once those days are past, I like it a lot and I’m sure the kids do, too! So far, Maddie is a great sleeper and eater – can’t ask for more than that! Oh, some basics: she was 9 pounds, 12 ounces at birth, 21 1/4 “ long. Her dark hair is all spiky and cool, and softer than anything. I know she qualifies as a “big baby,” but she really, really seems tiny to me, and not just because I’m used to big Oliver… she just seems like a tiny, delicate baby, and it’s hard for me to imagine one much smaller.

Oliver has been so sweet with her – he’s very interested and he laughs when she makes her little squeaks and chirps, or sneezes. He watched her for ages yesterday when he visited, just entranced. I can already tell he’s going to be a great big brother. I’ve noticed something in myself that I hadn’t expected, either – you might think that having a new baby would take your attention away from your first, but the opposite seems to be true – it’s like my awareness of Oliver is heightened. I miss him, his sweet voice, soft hair, hand holding, expressive eyes. It makes me nearly cry, thinking about him and his new baby sister, and how lucky we are.

So, three days and three nights at the hospital, all a blur. Andy, Oliver, and mom visited on and off each day, and on Saturday afternoon, my good friend Beth came by – so nice to see her! Had a nice phone chat with Sharon, and Maddie and I also had lots of webcams with Chloe in England, as well as a nice long one with Andy’s parents. At first facebook wouldn’t open here at the hospital, but then for some reason it stopped being blocked, so that was good. After posting a quick announcement of Maddie’s arrival, it was fun to read all the good wishes come in from far and wide. You’d think I’d be sleeping so much I wouldn’t have time for all this, but hospital “life” isn’t so restful (see next paragraph!). So many doctors and nurses coming by all the time, Maddie nursing, meals delivered and picked up… it’s not a place for rest, sadly. On my first night here, after getting a half hour’s sleep the night before at home, I finally fell asleep around midnight, and a little after 1am, a loud beeping woke me up – my IV was empty and had set its alarm – so in trotted the nurse. I got about 2 ½ hours sleep that night. The next night I got over 5 hours, but the last night only about 2…

We had planned for me to stay at the hospital through part of the day on Sunday, but by 6:30am I realized with full clarity that I needed OUT. My room was located *directly* across from the main nurse’s station, or “grand central,” more specifically. Yes, there are 40 or so rooms here, and I just lucked out. Phone ringing all the time, usually from patients calling from rooms with requests, sometimes on very loud speaker phone (“I need more Percocet!” “Could someone bring my baby to the nursery?” “I need ice water, please.” “MORE PERCOCET!”), frigging sliding door right there, opening and closing a hundred times an hour, babies in their wheeled bassinets moving past the door, clicking of heels, bings and buzzers, chatter chatter chatter of so many people… I realized that I was beginning to suffer from unnecessary sleep deprivation, most of which was not caused by my lovely, hungry baby.

You know you’re in New Jersey when… your hospital has 40 plus maternity rooms, and they’re all full, and you hear a nurse say there are 13 women in labor… so overall, I can’t complain too much, because I know some of these women are stuck in the old, crappy rooms while I have one of the many new, fancy rooms, albeit in a crap location. The nurses and doctors have all been very nice and helpful, especially Maura, my favorite nurse. My c-section must have been very well done, as my recovery has been even a bit easier than the first time, and that was a very good recovery as well. So, high marks for Morristown Memorial Hospital… though the food was significantly better at Yale!! Bonus points for the complementary post-natal massage, ahhhh. Recommendations for moms, no matter what hospital you’re in: ear plugs, your boppy pillow, and Fiber One granola bars (so yummy, and you SO need the fiber right now).

I realize I’ve written more about my silly hospital stay than about beautiful Maddie, so you’ll have to tune in soon for updates on her and her big brother, and all of us getting settled in to life together with Daddy at home. Grandma Patty is here all week with us to help, thank goodness. I can’t believe we’re a family of four! And that I’m about to go home (yup, still writing this in the hospital, actually), rather than about to deliver! Thanks for coming early, Maddie, and welcome, welcome, welcome. I’m in love with you.