Friday 21 September 2012

The Day of Stella's Birth



Stella, 11 Days Old
Photo By: Photography By Eiko

September 24th, 2010, 9:09pm. One of the most memorable, wonderful days of our families life.  Our family was officially complete.

I must say though, I was NOT expecting to go into labour at 36 weeks that's for sure!

Labour sucked, but I guess that's why it's called "labour".

At 9:09 pm Stella made her appearance into this world.


Perfection
Photo By: Photography By Eiko





I looked down, and reached my arms out for her as they placed her warm, gooey body on my belly.  I looked at her face and saw her almond shaped eyes and her little button nose, her slightly turned down lips. I looked over at my hubby, our eyes locked, words were not needed as we both knew.


She was perfection, just like her two big sister's before her.  She was ours.

The nurses took her over to the warming lamp to suction her lil mouth and check her over.  I watched as, wiping tears from his eyes, Mickey smiled at our new baby caressed her little forehead and talked to her. 

The doctor attempted to ask us some family history questions.  "Sooooooo, any history of family health problemssss...." clearly she was uncomfortable and trying to figure out a way to tell us what we already knew.

"We know she has Down Syndrome". My hubby and I both stated this in a very calm, no big deal, manner. 
"Oh" is what I remember her saying.  I don't remember what else she said but I do remember her being quite surprised with how calm and happy we were.  I guess she was expecting us to be crying and sad and devastated.  I must say it felt really good to show everyone in the room that night just how happy we were.  At that moment in time all I felt was absolute love and happiness.

If I am going to be 100% honest it was a bittersweet moment.  Our journey as a family had changed, in more ways then one.  We not only had a third child, but we now had a child who was not exactly the child we had originally envisioned.  Yet at that moment in time nothing felt different   I was on the "I just had a baby, I love EVERYONE"-high, just like with my two babies before.  Stella was attached to my boob just like my two babies before.  I was telling all the nurses how awesome they were and "thank you sooo much, your were sooo helpful", just like my two babies before.  I was just oozing with happiness.
Yet in the back of my mind, there was a big unknown.  Something I never felt before.  We were officially in uncharted waters.

I was VERY selective in what pictures of her I showed to the world (of facebook).  As happy as I was that she was here, I didn't want to post any pictures that, in my mind, may make people wonder.  I was not fully ready to share that Stella had Down Syndrome.  I just wanted them to fall in love with her first... then throw the Down Syndrome diagnosis in there as side note.


Love
Photo By: Photography By Eiko

Big sisters with Stella



Stella's birthday is coming up soon! I still find it hard to believe that she will be turning 2!


 

Stella, 11 months, August 2011

Stella, 23 months, and big sister Sophie, August 2012

What an adventure this has been so far!!  So normal, so typical, yet in some ways so different.  A good different.  I have truly loved every minute of Stella being little and what a pleasure it has been to have her in that "baby"stage for just a little bit longer.  Every milestone (especially the little ones) has been cause for celebration.  She is on the verge of walking, and with that comes....toddler hood!  A "hood" I am all so very familiar with and am looking forward to with a mix of emotions.  I feel sad because the last of my babies will no longer be a baby.  But yet happy to see her reach another milestone she has worked so hard to achieve.

So I end this post with a "shout out" to Stella.  Happy Birthday my blue eyed, fair skinned little girl! We love you to the moon and back! 

1 comment:

  1. Big love to you and your family...And lots of big birthday squishes to Stella! I still remember crying in my kitchen, overwhelmed with the news when you told me.. I was sad that your motherhood journey was going to be a little rougher, and yet so happy that Stella had made her way into the loving arms of the perfect family for her. XO

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