Wehadababyitsagirl

So, um, remember the previous post. The lump in throat one.

Well I just swallowed a $*!@$ boulder.

Later that day everything was looking great, Jillian’s stats were awesome, but then we went for the ultrasound. The amount of fluid in the amniotic sac was very low and the baby’s movements were limited. The heartbeat was fine, so I wasn’t worried. Until … the ultrasound technician when asked what happens next said, “Umm, well, I have to mention this to the perinatal supervisor, and she’ll talk with your doctor. Then they’ll let you know how best to proceed.” When the staff gives you the run around that means they want someone else giving you the news.

In this case it turned out that our baby girl was ready to come out. The doctors thought it was better for mom and daughter alike if she came out early. And by early, I mean RIGHTNOW.

This poses a problem because our baby shower, the one where we get cool stuff to nourish, protect, and care for our baby is next Sunday. Umm … yeah. So that car seat thing. The one you NEED before they let you leave the hospital? Don’t got one. Nada. Zip. Sheets on the baby’s mattress at home? Nyet. Diapers? Nope. Diaper genie? Nein. Swaddling blankets, booties, changing pad cover, and every other thing you need to be a good parent? Nil.

Gulp.

But here’s what I do have. Love.

In one of those confounding instances where what our parents tell us is always right, I could not fathom the love I feel for this baby and my wife. Jillian has been an absolute blessing through all of the needle pricks, the IV drips, the cuts, the proddings, everything. I know she was scared, nervous, anxious, and at certain points the strength in her eyes told me she needed me at those watershed moments, but for everything else they did, her resolve was unflappable. If our little girl has the strength of her mother, that would be a blessing.

*****

Fast forward a few hours … we have now welcomed Megan Elizabeth into our family. She is four pounds, two ounces of beautiful. I literally propped my head on the incubator with her, held her hand, and just talked for an hour with her. I know she couldn’t hear me, I know she only probably vaguely knows my voice at this point but the me of yesterday would never have imagined being able to spend an entire hour just staring at a baby. Because she was born early, the sad news is she will probably be held at the hospital for the first few weeks, which will be really tough when we have to go home.

So until she can truly come home, please pray for her growth. We are proud to welcome her into our extended ‘family’ of all of you. I am sure we will be coming to you asking for help on this website, so please use the comments section to give us tips and suggestions as we look for them.

Thanks for all your blessings,
Brian, Jillian, and Megan Parsons