First Things First!

Eva Dixie Jameson

Born January 27, 2009
5 lbs. 1 oz., 18 inches

Getting this sweet baby girl here was definitely eventful, but totally worth it. Since our ectopic pregnancy ordeal last year, Scott and I (mostly I) decided that the next time we got pregnant, we'd be waiting a while before spreading the news. So when the test said positive last May, we agreed to keep it our little secret. After 12 long weeks of nausea, cravings, and exhaustion, we couldn't keep it under wraps any longer!

Fast forward to about 20 weeks along, at which point we're soo excited/anxious to find out whether this alien would be a boy or girl. After being rescheduled twice (psh), we finally get our ultrasound and are told with a surety that this baby is a GIRL! I was elated. I don't think Scott had a preference, but I SO wanted it to be a girl. I spent the week dreaming about ridiculously cute and very PINK baby clothes, etc. until my next doctor's appointment where the first thing they say to me is "So you're having a boy?!" I was like "HUH?" Apparently the ultrasound tech told us it was a girl, but the radiologist who reviewed the ultrasound pics wrote boy on his report, which is what was sent to my doctor. So I bust out the ultrasound pics for my OB/GYN to see for himself, and he tells me it looks like a boy to him. Oy! I'm sure it was mostly hormones (though I hate admitting it) but I was completely heartbroken. I was so set on a girl and I just felt deceived and devoid of the excitement I had before. I just couldn't believe it, I mean it's not like there were tons of choices, and let me tell ya, they got a very clear shot of the baby's "area". Anyway, we decided that we couldn't trust anybody's opinion and would just have to wait for another ultrasound. Little did I know that my next ultrasound would be in the hospital where I'd been admitted!

Fast forward again to 32 weeks, right during the holidays. First Grandpa Bird went into the hospital just before New Year's. While he was there, our BIL, Klint was admitted to the hospital. A few days later, my MIL went into the hospital. Basically we thought we'd endured quite enough hospital time by proxy. Later that week, I went in for my regular appointment very swollen, but thinking everything was fine and dandy until my doctor sent me straight to the hospital because of high blood pressure (an early sign of preeclampsia). Of course I had high blood pressure, our whole family was doing hospital time! Needless to say, on January 9th, I was admitted. My only consolation was that I had an ultrasound that day and was assured that I was indeed going to have a baby girl!!

From Jan. 9th up until the 27th when miss Eva was born, I was in and out of the hospital on pretty strict bed rest. I missed Grandpa Bird's funeral, my cousin Mallory's wedding, (less importantly) the Suns game we had tickets to, etc. On the bright side though, I had visitors, well wishes, and prayers to boot! Finally I was admitted to the hospital for the THIRD time (the nurses and I got to know each other well) on Jan. 26th with my highest blood pressures yet. On the 27th (at 35 1/2 weeks along) my doctor decided it was high time we get this baby here.

I was totally excited, finally I'd get to experience contractions, labor, etc. It might sound crazy, but I really wanted to know what all that stuff is like. Of course, that never happened! (As if anything could go my way in this pregnancy!) My doctor went to check the baby's head and found that it was no longer down, which meant c-section for me :( I was terrified through it all, but glad that it was quick. We found out at about 6:00 pm that we'd be having our baby soon, and by 8:30, she was here!

Thank goodness being a whole month early, our little one was and is just as healthy as can be. She spent a few hours in the NICU that first night, but that's it. She's been such a trooper with, no signs of jaundice and no trouble eating or keeping a normal temperature. Good thing too, because we've definitely had enough of the hospital to last a LONG time. So there you have it, in a very large nutshell, little Eva's exciting journey here! Welcome to the world sweet baby girl!