Sarah's Garden

Dear Sarah,

We hoped and tried and waiting for you to join our family. We are so grateful that you are a part of our family. Your daddy and I took a long time to decide on your name, but we finally figured it out. While you are not named for a particular family member, but your name reminds us of love, family, gifts of God and joy. Your truly are a daughter of God and we adore you.

The last few weeks of my pregancy were a roller coaster of emotions. Dr. Watabe was concerned for my blood pressure and it seemed as if you and I were destined to meet early. I wanted to keep teaching for as long as possible but did not want either of us to be hurt or in ill health. It seemed like each week was a waiting game to see how my blood pressure would be. Your father and GmaBarlow waited each appt to hear if it was now or later. He scheduled me for induction about a week early, the Tuesday after labor day. I was hoping and praying that it would not be a repeat of James's where I had to wait all day to be called. Your father and I were praying that we would be able to get both of your siblings off to school. And we did. The hospital called about 9 am and and told us to be there at 10.

We got to the hospital, they started me on pitocin and antibiotics and away we went. It was quite an interesting time for your Dad and I. It took 4 times to get an IV in. On one of the middle ones, I must have forgot to breathe because I broke out into a cold sweat and felt like fainting. The 1st epidural did not go as well as it should. When he put in a test dose of medicine, my heart rate shot up, which told Phil (guy doing the epidural) that he had nicked a vein/artery. So, he pulled it out, did another one, and it was just perfect. And then, I crashed. My blood pressure went down to about 60/30. I hope I never feel like that again. So nauseated. So woozy. So awful. With urgency but not total panic, I heard the nurse call back Phil to administer...something...epinephrine, I think.

Dr. Watabe came in to break my water and...oh my goodness. Flood! A couple of gallons of amniotic fluid that just kept coming and coming. Your dad said there was a lake of water under the bed. The poor nurse had to call someone in for help to clean it up. I would think it would be all and then more would come. It is the oddest sensation to just have masses of fluid come out with no control. I don't remember feeling anything like it with your older siblings.

That poor nurse. I think I caused more trouble with those issues than she would have liked. She was gracious and professional, but I felt like the problem child. In fact, another nurse came in and said "oh, this is the fluid girl."

From then on, it all went smoothly. They had me with the IV by 10:30. I was starting to feel the contractions by 2. By 2:30, she checked me and I was almost completely dilated. By 2:50, I was complete...and by the time they got the bed fixed, I pushed a few times, you arrived at 3 on the dot. You were covered with vernex but so beautiful. We snuggled for about an hour before they took you to be weighed. We were both healthy and fine. Your head was perfect - no cone head for you!

Your father and I were filled with such love that I cannot seem to find the words. We are so happy to have you, Sarah Grace, in our family.

We stayed one night at the hospital. Thankfully, we both passed all the tests and steps we needed to go home early. Despite a last minute small error with someone else's records mixed in with yours, we were ready to go. James, Lilly & Grandma came to visit us twice while we were in the hospital - the only visitors we had. We gratefully took you home.

Such a mellow baby. Swaddled. Unswaddled. Held. On your own. You just took it in stride. You seemed like you were ready to go.