2/25/03
It's a Girl! Maria Grace Stoltzfus - came into our lives today. Its a beautiful day.
Maria Grace Stoltzfus
Born 2/25/03, 1:37 PM at Reading Hospital
7lbs 13ozs - 19 inches - 10 fingers, 10 toes
We left the house this morning with some bit of nervousness, but mostly excitement.
We got to the hospital, and Candace went through the check in, prep work, lots of questions... An ultrasound to verify the baby was still upside down, (frank breach) and hooked up to the iv.
Then they took her in the room, hooked her up with a spinal, and then let me come in. The surgical room was quite impressive... Many machines, and they did have a machine that went "ping." I told the one doctor that I am used to rooms with lots of buttons and knobs, and it was difficult to be in the room, and not be able to play with the equipment. Lots of doctors were taking good care of Candi, and soon they had her sliced opened, and were shoving things around inside of her... Like big metal tools. Anyway, in like 5 minutes, they broke her water, and seconds after that the one doctor grabbed a gray hunk of something and started tugging on it... That's when I took the first picture.
no thats not her butt... its her arm - the head is still inside.
It was amazing, they plopped her out, started suction, cut the cord, and that quick our beautiful little girl was born. Candi did so well despite the fact that these strangers were grabbing internal organs, and laying them out on her stomach, sucking out blood and it was something else to watch... I was fascinated, and not freaked out at all. It was sort of cool, and I kept going from spending time comforting Candi (behind the little curtain) and watching the surgery, and then going across the room and staring with wonder at our little girl. Everything went as expected, and as planned, and just happened perfect. I held Maria up so that her mom could see her, and then they cleaned her up more. We were able to spend some good bonding time together for the next hour or so while Candace recovered.
mom, dad and baby in the surgery room
Grandma Stoltzfus, and the Esh grandparents both came by soon, and we moved to our permanent room. The Hamers, and Wolfe and Arlene stopped in later.
One cool amazing thing... I went to Wendy's to eat dinner with my mom, and noticed the most incredible huge and beautiful PINK sunset - the whole sky was pink... God announcing our new arrival... A beautiful girl
Now we are in the room (122) and spending more time together. Candi can't quite get around yet, but seems to be doing very well. All the normal baby things Maria does quite well... Poop, slobber, nap, and an occasional scream. I told her that she needs to practice, and get her lungs nice and strong... She has 3 very loud aunts and several noisy cousins and a quite loud group of youth to beat. She needs to work on the whole eating thing... Pray for patience for mom, and baby.
Its cool to be a dad... So far - its pretty unbelievable. My mom joked about a boyfriend in the nursery who weighed 9.5 lbs, but I said she's not gonna date till she's 30, and especially not such a large burly guy like that.
Seriously its amazing to consider and think about the future, but right now it is just beautiful to hold her in my arms, and she just looks around, like she's trying to figure it all out. Candace is doing such a great job of mothering so far, and it is cool as I type this (on the laptop) I can look over and see them working the whole feeding thing out. .
Candi mentioned that "When they were wiping me off from the surgery, I could feel that I was on my side, but I couldn't feel the table, so it felt like I was floating on air.
She also says, "Amazing, unbelievable, wow..I have a baby, and here it is in my arms.
She really is the most beautiful baby Ive ever seen."
We also think that Maria is exceptionally smart... So far, we think she crys when she is uncomfortable, or needs something, and then she quickly becomes content again. Candi says that's because she is smarter than your average baby.
I'm quite impressed with our most outspoken friends that just knew it was gonna be a girl, and despite what the other 80% of people who thought it was a boy. Way to go Janelle, and Verdelise. We are very happy with a girl, and I guess I will just have to wait another couple of years to get that Xbox video game system. I guess Jamie will be buying Janelle dinner, (its not a date) and there will be plenty of gloating on their behalf I'm sure
Well its 1am when I am writing this... The room is finally dark, and time for sleeping... I will post this when I get Internet access in the morning. We have a huge and rich support system, with so many friends and family, and God just blessing us over and over again. I really appreciate all the prayers and kind words spoken. Truly amazing... What a day!
--------------------------------------------
2/26/03
We didn't sleep much, (nothing like your real bed) but Maria slept great. Of course we didn't try to sleep till 1, and we were up a couple of times, and the nurse came to draw blood at 5:30 so I don't think Candi slept at all - or maybe a wink or two. I slept in and out, but am still a bit tired. I'm sure it will get worse before it gets better.
Everyone seems to be healthy so far, Praise God for his amazing gift.
I'm not sure how much I will update this - and it could be that everything will be a day or so late - till I get to publish it all, but I like the idea that I will be able to read this - years down the road, so I think I will continue to journal.
My sister Julie came in to let me go home and shower and eat something. So that's where I am finishing this blog entry.
I changed my first diaper this morning - without any help, instructions, or encouragement. I had seen it done before, but its different when you are doing it yourself. Its no big deal yet. Maria screamed her head off, but that's to be expected. In fact I was pretty proud of a job well done. I'm sort of glad though that no one was watching over my shoulder - Its sort of like having a back seat driver - just let me work it out on my own.
I can't say that I'm not a bit nervous about fatherhood. I think of all the things that can go wrong, and even if I raise this beautiful girl up perfectly, she still will come to the place someday when she will make all of her own decisions, and can accept, or reject what she has been taught. Last night, when I put her in her bassinet, I went and got ready to sleep myself, and I laid down, and I just kept thinking... What if I put her in wrong? Or what if something would happen? What if she just stops breathing? I had to get up, and just go over and double check. When I went back, I realized, that I just need to trust God to take care of all of that - sure, do my best, but then TRUST - One verse I found today gives quite a bit of comfort.
PR 14:26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.
Isn't that cool - God is protecting Maria - and protecting us because He loves us so much.
It's a Girl! Maria Grace Stoltzfus - came into our lives today. Its a beautiful day.
Maria Grace Stoltzfus
Born 2/25/03, 1:37 PM at Reading Hospital
7lbs 13ozs - 19 inches - 10 fingers, 10 toes
We left the house this morning with some bit of nervousness, but mostly excitement.
We got to the hospital, and Candace went through the check in, prep work, lots of questions... An ultrasound to verify the baby was still upside down, (frank breach) and hooked up to the iv.
Then they took her in the room, hooked her up with a spinal, and then let me come in. The surgical room was quite impressive... Many machines, and they did have a machine that went "ping." I told the one doctor that I am used to rooms with lots of buttons and knobs, and it was difficult to be in the room, and not be able to play with the equipment. Lots of doctors were taking good care of Candi, and soon they had her sliced opened, and were shoving things around inside of her... Like big metal tools. Anyway, in like 5 minutes, they broke her water, and seconds after that the one doctor grabbed a gray hunk of something and started tugging on it... That's when I took the first picture.
no thats not her butt... its her arm - the head is still inside.
It was amazing, they plopped her out, started suction, cut the cord, and that quick our beautiful little girl was born. Candi did so well despite the fact that these strangers were grabbing internal organs, and laying them out on her stomach, sucking out blood and it was something else to watch... I was fascinated, and not freaked out at all. It was sort of cool, and I kept going from spending time comforting Candi (behind the little curtain) and watching the surgery, and then going across the room and staring with wonder at our little girl. Everything went as expected, and as planned, and just happened perfect. I held Maria up so that her mom could see her, and then they cleaned her up more. We were able to spend some good bonding time together for the next hour or so while Candace recovered.
mom, dad and baby in the surgery room
Grandma Stoltzfus, and the Esh grandparents both came by soon, and we moved to our permanent room. The Hamers, and Wolfe and Arlene stopped in later.
One cool amazing thing... I went to Wendy's to eat dinner with my mom, and noticed the most incredible huge and beautiful PINK sunset - the whole sky was pink... God announcing our new arrival... A beautiful girl
Now we are in the room (122) and spending more time together. Candi can't quite get around yet, but seems to be doing very well. All the normal baby things Maria does quite well... Poop, slobber, nap, and an occasional scream. I told her that she needs to practice, and get her lungs nice and strong... She has 3 very loud aunts and several noisy cousins and a quite loud group of youth to beat. She needs to work on the whole eating thing... Pray for patience for mom, and baby.
Its cool to be a dad... So far - its pretty unbelievable. My mom joked about a boyfriend in the nursery who weighed 9.5 lbs, but I said she's not gonna date till she's 30, and especially not such a large burly guy like that.
Seriously its amazing to consider and think about the future, but right now it is just beautiful to hold her in my arms, and she just looks around, like she's trying to figure it all out. Candace is doing such a great job of mothering so far, and it is cool as I type this (on the laptop) I can look over and see them working the whole feeding thing out. .
Candi mentioned that "When they were wiping me off from the surgery, I could feel that I was on my side, but I couldn't feel the table, so it felt like I was floating on air.
She also says, "Amazing, unbelievable, wow..I have a baby, and here it is in my arms.
She really is the most beautiful baby Ive ever seen."
We also think that Maria is exceptionally smart... So far, we think she crys when she is uncomfortable, or needs something, and then she quickly becomes content again. Candi says that's because she is smarter than your average baby.
I'm quite impressed with our most outspoken friends that just knew it was gonna be a girl, and despite what the other 80% of people who thought it was a boy. Way to go Janelle, and Verdelise. We are very happy with a girl, and I guess I will just have to wait another couple of years to get that Xbox video game system. I guess Jamie will be buying Janelle dinner, (its not a date) and there will be plenty of gloating on their behalf I'm sure
Well its 1am when I am writing this... The room is finally dark, and time for sleeping... I will post this when I get Internet access in the morning. We have a huge and rich support system, with so many friends and family, and God just blessing us over and over again. I really appreciate all the prayers and kind words spoken. Truly amazing... What a day!
--------------------------------------------
2/26/03
We didn't sleep much, (nothing like your real bed) but Maria slept great. Of course we didn't try to sleep till 1, and we were up a couple of times, and the nurse came to draw blood at 5:30 so I don't think Candi slept at all - or maybe a wink or two. I slept in and out, but am still a bit tired. I'm sure it will get worse before it gets better.
Everyone seems to be healthy so far, Praise God for his amazing gift.
I'm not sure how much I will update this - and it could be that everything will be a day or so late - till I get to publish it all, but I like the idea that I will be able to read this - years down the road, so I think I will continue to journal.
My sister Julie came in to let me go home and shower and eat something. So that's where I am finishing this blog entry.
I changed my first diaper this morning - without any help, instructions, or encouragement. I had seen it done before, but its different when you are doing it yourself. Its no big deal yet. Maria screamed her head off, but that's to be expected. In fact I was pretty proud of a job well done. I'm sort of glad though that no one was watching over my shoulder - Its sort of like having a back seat driver - just let me work it out on my own.
I can't say that I'm not a bit nervous about fatherhood. I think of all the things that can go wrong, and even if I raise this beautiful girl up perfectly, she still will come to the place someday when she will make all of her own decisions, and can accept, or reject what she has been taught. Last night, when I put her in her bassinet, I went and got ready to sleep myself, and I laid down, and I just kept thinking... What if I put her in wrong? Or what if something would happen? What if she just stops breathing? I had to get up, and just go over and double check. When I went back, I realized, that I just need to trust God to take care of all of that - sure, do my best, but then TRUST - One verse I found today gives quite a bit of comfort.
PR 14:26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.
Isn't that cool - God is protecting Maria - and protecting us because He loves us so much.
posted by jeff @ 12:28 PM
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