As I sit here thinking about Makadie's birth story, I still find it hard to believe that she is actually here, even after 3 months.
Her story really begins in September 2009, when Covey and I were sitting in Sunday School. The teacher read a quote from President Kimball: “I have told tens of thousands of young folks that when they marry they
should not wait for children until they have finished their schooling
and financial desires. … They should live together normally and let the
children come. …" The part that stood out to me was "they should not wait for children until they have finished their schooling".
I didn't really hear much of the rest of the lesson and when we got out of Sunday School, Covey and I looked at each other and we were like, did you hear that? (referring to the quote). We had been talking recently about when to start trying to have kids and had agreed that it would be best to wait for another 6 months or so until we were closer to graduating. Apparently, the Lord had other plans for us and we each realized that we were receiving a prompting from the Spirit in terms of when to start our family. The next day we went and talked to Aflac about getting supplemental insurance, which many of our friends had suggested we do when we decided we wanted to try to have a baby. So we got signed up and felt like we were on the right track.
The funny thing about being on the right track is that it doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to reach your destination when you think you will. I think that sometimes we feel like just because we have been prompted to do something that it will be easy or it will come quickly. We found that this was not going to be the case in our situation. To summarize, Covey and I learned a lot about our relationship with each other and the Lord during the time we were trying to start our family. It was probably one of the hardest stretches of time emotionally I have ever experienced, but the lessons learned have been invaluable to Covey and I in our marriage.
In December 2010, Covey and I were doing sealings at the temple and something the sealer said reminded me of something in my patriarchal blessing. Without question, I knew that I needed to volunteer as a temple worker. I told Covey about the feeling and told him I was going to talk to the bishop that Sunday. I talked to the bishop and he recommended my name to the Stake. I received a call from the stake executive secretary a couple of weeks later and went in for an appointment. They submitted my name to the temple and a couple of weeks later I got a letter in the mail from the temple asking me to make an appointment with a member of the temple presidency. I did and went in for the appointment a week or so later.
I met with a sweet old man in the presidency for a short interview. During the course of the interview, he asked me if we had any children. I immediately teared up and said, "No, but we'd like to." He smiled a knowing smile and concluded the interview by saying that he wanted to set me apart as a temple worker right then. He gave me a beautiful blessing, but the part I remember most was that he said that "through your temple service, you and your husband would be blessed with a child". I just started to cry. He finished the blessing and then brought his wife in to meet me and take me on a tour of the temple. Before I left with her, he said to his wife, "I promised her that she would have a baby by working here. She doesn't believe me yet, but she will." And again, smiled that sweet, knowing smile.
I started working at the temple the first Wednesday in March 2011. Covey and I found out I was pregnant the third week in May. I continued to work at the temple each Wednesday through the end of the year, at which point I was getting too big and too uncomfortable to stay on my feet for long or sit for long. It really was such a wonderful blessing to work there and I'm so grateful I was able to hear the Spirit's prompting to work there.
Fast forward to January 13, 2012: I was at my 38 week appointment. The week before, the doctor had wanted me to get an ultrasound to check the position of the baby because he thought she was breach but wanted to be sure. The ultrasound had confirmed it and he wanted to talk to me about my options: 1) wait and see if she flipped around and go into labor naturally, or 2) schedule a c-section. He told me that it was highly unlikely this late in the game that she was going to flip and if I did go into labor when she was still breach that it would result in an emergency c-section. When I asked him what my options were for a scheduled c-section, he gave me a couple of dates--the soonest being Wednesday the 18th. Holy crap, that was only 5 days away! I told him I was going to have to check with Covey because I knew that he had a work presentation the following week that couldn't be rescheduled.
I called Covey and told him that the doctor had suggested I schedule a c-section for the following Wednesday and he was really surprised that it was so soon, but said that day would be fine, he'd just have to go into work for a half day the following Friday for his presentation. I got to work about this time and went in to talk to my boss. She was amazing and completely understanding, which I was so grateful for! I called the doctor's office and asked them to schedule the c-section.
Whew! I couldn't believe it! It was a really crazy feeling knowing that unless I went into labor in the next 5 days (highly unlikely because I wasn't even dilated or effaced), we were going to meet our baby girl on January 18th! The next few days were crazy and they all kind of ran together. Saturday was spent getting the house cleaned and ready. Sunday I got called as the Young Women's 1st counselor. Monday was spent at work and getting more things ready. Tuesday I finished things up at work and Covey and I went on one more date before we were officially no longer a family of two. That night, we loaded our bags into the car, put the car seat in and went to bed early.
We had to be at the hospital at 7am to get one more ultrasound done before they prepped me for surgery. (They wanted to make sure that the baby hadn't flipped around again.)
When we got to the hospital, there was a little bit of confusion about why I was there and where I was supposed to go, but once we got that figured out, there was no turning back. They did the ultrasound (still breach), ran through some paperwork (boring) and did a spinal tap (ouch) to get me all numbed up. The doctor stopped in about 30 minutes before they were going to take me into surgery to say hi then went to finish prepping. (I was actually the third scheduled c-section he had that morning.)
At about 9:45 or so, they wheeled me into the operating room. Holy crap, the room was COLD! Granted, I could only feel the cold from the chest up since the rest of me was numb, but it was definitely cooler than I would have preferred. (They have to have it cold in there since the doctors are all suited up under a lot of layers and it would be a problem if they got too hot in the middle of surgery and passed out...) They transferred me to the operating table and set up a curtain so I couldn't see what was going on. I didn't really want to see myself get cut open so I was okay with that. They also covered my arms and chest with this vest that had pockets in it to blow warm air into so that I wasn't cold. Lastly, they secured my arms to the table, which I learned is standard procedure when you are having a c-section because they don't want your arms free in case some part of you isn't numb that should be. Covey was right there with me the entire time. I kept telling him that everything felt so weird and surreal and he agreed. He asked me if I was nervous and I said I wasn't--just excited to meet our baby girl.
Finally, a few minutes after 10am, they started. Covey peeked over the top of the curtain a couple of times when they were making the initial incision in my abdomen and reported that it was weird looking (thanks honey). Then he said they were making the second incision in my uterus and (this is kind of graphic) that blood kept squirting out because of the pressure. They got a little suction thing that sucked out the amniotic fluid and blood and then, they pulled out a leg! Covey was looking over the curtain at that point and the doctor looked over at him and pointed to the leg and Covey said to me, "They have one of her legs out!" Then, "They have her other leg out!" And finally, "They have her! She's out! She's here!" And that's when I heard her cry for the first time.
The doctor said to me, "Shani, she's beautiful and she has tons of hair!" They cut the umbilical cord and lifted her up over the top of the curtain so I could see her. I said, "Hi, Makadie." I remember thinking, "That's my baby. That's my little girl. She's here. I can't believe it!" I can't even describe the flood of emotions that ran through me right then. All I know is that it was one of the most amazing moments of my life. :)
I told Covey to go with her as they cleaned her up and weighed her since I obviously couldn't and that I'd be there when they got back (ha ha). Before they left the room, the doctors were already working on stitching me up, which took a lot more time than cutting me open. I could hear her crying outside as they cleaned her up and I said, "That's my baby!"
Covey came back in about 10 minutes later holding Makadie, all bundled up and clean. Since my arms were still tied down, he held her up to me so I could kiss her little cheek. Covey told me she had measured 19 inches and 7 lb 4 1/2 oz (which they rounded up to 7 lb 5 oz). The anesthesiologist took a couple of pictures of us and Covey stayed for a few more minutes and then said they had to take Makadie to the nursery. I told him to go with her and that I'd see him soon.
They finished sewing me up and then moved me to a temporary recovery room, which they said I had to stay in for an hour so they could monitor me to make sure that I didn't go into shock or anything. I was in there for about 15 minutes by myself when Covey came in to see me. He had left Makadie in the nursery until I was moved to my permanent recovery room. My mom, who had been waiting out in the waiting room since early that morning, also came in to see how I was doing.
Finally, they said I was good to be moved to my recovery room. The nurses couldn't wheel me there fast enough! I swear everything was running in slow motion! After I was put into my room, they made sure I was all hooked up to my IVs and then said they would bring Makadie in for me. Again, a flood of emotions went through me as I waited what seemed like forever until I heard the door open and I saw her little bassinet come around the curtain. Covey went and got her for me and I finally got to hold my baby girl for the first time. She was absolutely beautiful! I couldn't take my eyes off of her! I just looked at her in wonder, unable to believe that Covey and I had actually brought this little being to earth to be part of our family. What a blessing to be an eternal family! :)
The rest of the day was a blur. Covey's parents, my parents, Covey's siblings and their kids. My siblings. They all came to see the newest addition and to oohh and awww over her. I was tired out of my mind but so happy too! Afterwards, when everyone was gone, Covey and I were by ourselves again and left to spend time with our little baby girl.
Over the next couple of days, we had more visitors. On Saturday morning, we were given the okay to go home. We were kind of nervous but excited to take Makadie home and begin our new lives together as a family.
I am so grateful for my sweet little girl and my wonderful husband. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who trusts Covey and I enough to take care of one of his choice daughters. And lastly, I am grateful for the Plan of Happiness, which allows all of us to be an eternal family.
