I'll back up. It all started Friday night, we got home from school and were just getting ready to go out for some Mexican food. Mom was craving it that whole week so we decided to go out one more time for it. She was standing in the kitchen and said something about hearing a pop and water breaking. All I know is she took off running to the bathroom. I will spare you all the gory details but we will just say there was no water but a lot of blood. So daddy called 911. We were his helpers running back and forth making sure mommy was Ok and unlocking the door and giving dad updates on if we heard ambulance coming. There was an ambulance and a fire truck! And then Brett...yep, he came to pick us up so we could have a slumber party with Evan and Zach. We had a lot of fun with them while apparently mom and dad spent time in the hospital.
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| sorry, some of these pics may be gory - but they are cool |
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| THAT is how you hold a baby? |
They didn't tell us how it all worked, but I know that mom had a surgery that made her hurt pretty bad and gave her lots of bruises (something about 13 sticks in order to get an IV) and soon after our new little sister Lena Grace came a couple hours later Friday night. Her stats: Born at 8:34 pm, 6lbs 14 oz, 19.5 inches long. Dad and mom got to hold her right away for a couple of hours and even sent us a picture so we could see her, they said that because she came out in surgery she had a perfect head. The doctors and nurses couldn't stop saying how beautiful she was. But then I guess the nurses said she wasn't breathing right. Dad said they thought that she was just trying to inmate Heidi's grunts she always made, but it was a little more serious than that. The next time we saw her she had this mask over head and IV's sticking in her hand. Yeah, first we saw mom in hospital bed and she didn't feel good and then baby Lena (who was just 'baby' at the time) had all these tubes and things...I didn't really like it so much. I did like going to the hospital to see them...well, and color. And wear my new "big sister" bracelet they gave me. 
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| My first selfie with daddy |
It's a bit hectic these days, so we haven't gone to see her much (and now Heidi has a cold...so she is banned), but mom and dad spend a lot of time at the hospital. All day while we are at school they get to see her. Sounds like we got the bum end, but we have got lots of time either playing people. First Grandma Elmo as she was here for 6 days helping us out. Then after she left, dad let us play with our neighbor Abby a couple of nights - which we always like. And now the Steffen family has come to play with us - and see Lena of course. A quick step back on the name. We kept asking what it was going to be and they waited till day 4 to come up with it. Apparently, dad created a final 4 coin flip to decide on both first and middle names. He was a little bummed that Royal didn't win out (which he said it is worth noting that they are undefeated since Lena was born).
Anyway, we got to go see her again, finally. She is getting so much better and is still SO cute. I love petting her head. Now she is in a smaller bed thing so I can see her better. She also has made each day she has been there. It is now day 8. Things that have changed:
- her lungs kept getting stronger where they slowly lowered oxygen they gave her and now she doesn't have the big c-pap machine OR the nose things.- She had IV's in her hand and then her scalp, but those are gone.
- She had jaundice. I guess that required her sleeping under these UV lights for a night, but she rocked that one too....for now.
- Her only tube left is the one that goes down her nose to her stomach. I guess she is still learning and practicing how to eat by herself...until that time she has to stay in the hospital. I keep asking how long that will be, but I guess it will still be a while.
Thanks big sis. Well while I like all my nurses, I am ready to come spend more time with my family. I LOVE staring at my biggest sister Amelia and can't wait to really talk to Heidi. I do NOT like this feeding tube, so I do all in my power to get it out whenever I can. I don't really enjoy the feeling when it comes out or they ultimately put back in, but I feel it is a little win each time I can accomplish my goal. My new goal is to eat good so that it can be out once and for all. But I can't....keep....my....eyes....open.....
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| a look of her room from mom's perspective |
The next time I write I will back up and tell you all about me being in KINDERGARTEN and the tooth fairy coming! But thought I would give Lena the spotlight for this go around. Don't say I'm not a sharer! Amelia OUT!
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| Lena's Godmother Siera |
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| Big Sister selfie while we wait to get in |
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| I picked these out for mommy (with Elmo's help)... one rose for each of her girls! |
