Finley is Five years old today!

My baby girl was born five years ago today at 5:19 am. It was a scary scenario. I actually drove myself to the hospital, thinking it was another false alarm. She wasn't due for almost 4 weeks, and I had a c-section already scheduled for the end of the month! I had been having contractions all evening, but I ignored them. So upon arriving at the hospital, I was set on the idea that they would send me home after a few hours of monitoring. They told me I had to be given a drug to stop the contractions, since the due date was so far off. It didn't work. My water broke. I was calling my husband frantically and he was trying to figure out how to be with me since he had our two other daughters with him. I called my mother, but no answer... So, the nurses came in and said that since my contactions were getting stronger and closer together, that the doctor was rushing in to perform an emergency c-section. (it may be too much information, but for those of you who are wondering, I can't give birth naturally.) I called my husband and said he had to come right away. I was in the operating room before I knew it. While getting the spinal block, I felt a really painful contraction, and the nurse told me to lie down - I was scared- I could tell something was wrong. I wished my husband was with me, but he was in the waiting room with our girls. Everything started happening so fast- much faster than my last c-section, which was completely uneventful. I asked the anesthesiologist what was wrong- and I told him I could feel some pain. He quickly gave me something that rendered me almost incoherent. I hear the doctor say "Here she is!" and I couldn't really open my eyes- but I could hear her. The nurse told me she was fine. I was in and out at that point- not really knowing what was happening.
While in recovery I was told that at the time of the spinal block, there had been a placental abruption, and I started to bleed out. My doctor came in and said that she didn't know what made me drive in to the hospital that night, but that it saved my life. I needed to have a blood transfusion the next day because of the blood loss. I am thankful every day for my life and the life of my lovely little girl.

Time flies...

That is my oldest daughter. She will be 11 next month. I can't believe how fast it all goes by. I hope someday she will thank me for all the times I made her sit still while I photographed her.

{photo by me}

A beautiful Video.

I came across this video quite by accident and quite randomly. I think it is beautiful, and I got a bit choked up when I watched it. It made me remember all the things I forget each day. As a mother, it's easy to let little things go unnoticed, and it's easy to forget yourself. I remember now. Thanks to Katherine Center for sharing this with all of us.