Makena Shalee Willis

It all started at 9:00 PM on Saturday, March 9, 2013. Tyler and I head off to the hospital with bags packed, mommy showered, and excitement in the air! We got to St. Marks hospital and were admitted into our room.

Side note: I was planned to be induced because of my Factor V blood disorder. They wanted to have a scheduled pregnancy to make sure all was well.

So we got to our room and waited, and waited, and waited. Apparently, four other babies decided they wanted to make their debute the same night/morning that we had planned. Well, it was about 11:00 that we started the induction. 

I began feeling cramps/contractions around 1:00 AM. They weren't too bad until about 2:30 when they were darn right awful! I looked at the monitor to see how bad they were but the chart showed hardly any movement. I got really nervous at this point that I was a big fat sissy! I thought, if these are this bad now, what will it be like when I have full on contractions. Well, I fought threw for another 3 1/2 hours before I had to call the nurse in. I told her it was so painful I didn't know if I could handle a whole lot more (this is where you hardcore natural birth mothers can feel all awesome) without some help from medication. Well, she told me that the monitor was off and wasn't showing how intense my contractions were. She said I was infact having full on contractions. This made me feel much better about myself. She adjusted the monitor and poof there were my giant contractions. I might as well get credit for them right?

They gave me some pain medication at about 7:00AM and then decided we better go for the epidural at 8:00AM. My doctor broke my water at about 9:00 and began pushing a little after 12:30. Makena Shalee Willis was born at 1:55PM on Sunday, March 10th. She was 5 lb. 6 oz., 18 inches long. They handed her to me and I instantly began to cry. Oh, I loved her so much already. They then took her to clean her off and do all their checks, but she had swallowed a bunch of amniotic fluid. They tried for an hour to get it all cleared out, then took her to the nursery for shots and oxygen. I was left in the delivery room feeling rather helpless. Then Tyler came back and told me she was probably going to go to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. He went back to her and my nurse got me all ready to move upstairs. I am dying at this point. I want to hold her, or at least go be with her and make sure she is okay. The nurse moved me to my room upstairs and I couldn't do anything but lay in bed and worry. I was supposed to get dinner delivered but they ended up being over an hour late. Ty came upstairs and told me she was in the NICU because she had fluid in her lungs and may have an infection. I lost it. I was so worried and hated that I was put away in some room. Even the meal people were ignoring me! Well, this was my low point. I felt really sorry for myself and worried sick for my sweet daughter. Ty stayed with her most of the time and then would come up to see me. 

By the time my food arrived I was given the O.K. to go down and see my baby. Ty put me in a wheelchair and took me down. Finally, I got to see my sweet Makena. She was covered in tubes, yet still looked so peaceful. They then gave her to me to hold. I didn't ever want to let go. We were told she would be in the NICU anywhere from 7-10 days as long as all went well. 

Makena instantly began making progress. She was transfered from the severe case room to the less severe room the next day. From there she continued to work on breathing on her own. She would get very anxious and cry whenever she was touched or unwrapped from her blanket. She just didn't feel well. She wasn't feeding very well either. Feeding has been a skill she has struggled with learning. She wants to feed like a baby bird. She opens up wide and waits for it to just fall into her mouth. Silly girl!

Well, the next day she moved into the recovery/preventative room. She was taken off the oxygen and had progressed enough in her eating that she didn't need an I.V. giving her food. She then showed signs of jaundice and had to be treated under the lights for that. But other than that she continued to progress. Now she barely cries and is turning out to be an excellent eater! She is so sweet and acts like a normal healthy baby. 

In fact, Makena's doctor just informed me that she is for sure going home tomorrow. They will give her the last dose of antibiotics tomorrow afternoon and then the blasted I.V. that is in her head will be gone forever! And she won't have to be pricked and poked anymore. Tyler and I have been staying in a boarding room here at the hospital so we are very excited to be going home as well. We just haven't wanted to go home without her. We are a family of three now and we want all of us to be there together before we go home. 

Well, we have been home for one week and life with our little princess is wonderful! Tiring, stressful, but wonderful!! She is so adorable. My favorite thing is watching Tyler fall in love more and more every day with this little girl. He is already such an incredible father. I love my little family!!!

I will post pictures when I find the adapter for the SD card. Silly mac doesn't have a spot for SD cards...  She is beautiful and if you haven't seen the pictures on Facebook, you should probably go check them out. :)

About her name:

Makena Beach is a beautiful beach in Maui, Hawaii. Tyler and I went there after our first anniversary and decided one day we would name our daughter after that beautiful beach!

Shalee (Shu-Lee) is a combination of both our mothers' names: Chantal and Julie. Obviously, we played around with the spelling and love that it is original and has meaning. And both grandmas are happy. :)