Placeholder Happy Birthday, Grace!!! – A Wee Bit More

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Happy Birthday, Grace!!!

Grace

Happy Birthday, Grace!!!

Today is Grace's birthday, my third daughter and a special lady indeed. Her first few days were rough, and I didn't get to see her until, I believe, Day 3, as she was immediately whisked off to NICU, the Neonatal Intensive Care unit.
 
Oddly enough, my children's pediatrician had decided to take on a different role in medicine, NICU, and she's the person who brought me a photo of Grace, as I was unable to get out of bed for a while and I felt forgotten, sad and confused because no one would tell what was happening. She brought me my first picture of my brand new baby girl:
 
Grace Day 1


Why try again for a natural birth?

I had successfully had a natural birth with my third child, Alex, after 2 cesarean births with my first 2 children, due to complications.
 
Since I was successful with a midwife during that natural birth, we decided to try again and doctors always advocate doing it naturally, if you can. I can't recall how we came to have another midwife, but that's what we did for my fourth pregnancy, and all should have been right, yes? Not quite.
 
What happened during my labor was a shame, instead of bursting my water, the midwife burst the placenta, leaving my baby without oxygen. As happened with 3 other pregnancies, I was whisked away for emergency surgery.
 
This is what normally happens:

During pregnancy, many women have questions about their water breaking. This event signals that the baby will be born soon. The term “water breaking” refers to the breaking of the amniotic sac, which surrounds the fetus and contains amniotic fluid. When this sac breaks, the amniotic fluid is released.

and then there's placental rupturing, which is what happened to me, accidentally:

Placental abruption. The placenta is an organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy. Placental abruption occurs when the placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus before birth. Placental abruption can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients and cause heavy bleeding in the mother.

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After leaving the hospital, we had to hook her up to an apnea monitor for about three months, but then she turned a corner, and our world was right side up again.

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So, after having such a rough start in life, help me celebrate the strength of that little baby, fighting to be here, and coming through with a will that's mightier than I've ever seen. 

Grace and David

 Grace with her brother David,
they could be twins!!!

Grace and Alex

 Grace with her sister, Alex,
they could be twins, too!!!

Except one's taller than the other :)

Grace with Alex at Weekes Park

This is Grace with Alex at Weekes Park

Grace told me last night that she thinks she looks like she's saying:
"Is that the taco truck?"

and here's one of my favorites, that some say she looks mad, but I don't see it:

Grace in head start

Grace at Headstart

Grace and Tavia

Big Sis Tavia and Grace

The braces did her good, right?

And last, but never least, one of my favorites:

Grace the Model

I love you, baby gurl!!!

As is my way, I'm posting this birthday wish on the date of her birth, on 03/29 at 3:29, and, in honor of this beautiful lady, I wrote this haiku poem, just for her:

You Are So Special
God's Grace Is Everlasting
Know That You Are Wise

Love Always,

Your Momma

AWBM Blog Post #037 | 29 March 2020

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