Remembering Last Year

A year ago today I was headed to my 39 week check-up. I assumed I had at least another week or two, considering both my girls were induced close to a week past my due date. I had plenty of work to finish up, and my mom was going to be arriving that weekend. The girls were going to be starting a new school that week. Everything was planned and under control.

39 weeks, heading to the hospital

I didn't have an ultrasound with either of my other girls at 39 weeks, but I did with Ruby. And thankfully so, because the doctor could see the cord wrapped around her neck, and recommended a c-section within 24 hours. I'm so thankful that we were here in Guatemala, with this doctor, who saw this.

So, plans changed, I panicked a bit, mostly thinking about the girls and what to do with them. (We were so thankful to live next door to wonderful neighbors whom we trusted to take care of our girls).

I remember stopping by the school the next day, a couple hours before we headed to the hospital, to take care of a few last minute details before school started. I was so sad I'd be missing the girls' first day of school. It felt surreal to be running errands, knowing with a scheduled c-section that day we were hours away from holding our little Ruby Mayana.

I remember laying on the cold, sterile bed in the operating room. A swirl of Spanish around me, trying to focus on the words. I felt surprisingly alone. Tears kept trickling down my face. I was scared for Ruby, thankful at the same time, knowing this was for the best. (As you can see in the picture, the anesthesiologist was my buddy, kept me calm, and loved using his English with me).

One of my favorite memories was caught on video: right after Ruby was born, she was crying and Michael held her by my face, and I started talking to her...and she stopped crying when she heard my voice.

And I can't help but post a few favorite pictures from those first moments in the hospital with all three of my girls, even though most of them I posted last year.




Happy Last Day of Being 11 Months, Ruby Mayana!