We met Stephanie at the hospital. We were going to meet our daughter! Everything was so surreal!
We went up to E's room and waited outside while Stephanie went in to see how she was doing and if she was up to see us. She was and we went in to see E, her mother and S. And of course, to meet our daughter. We thought that E. looked amazing! She certainly didn't look like she just gave birth the night before!
Then we got a look at our daughter. She's perfect. Of course all parents say that but she really is! We sat holding our daughter and chatting with E, S and E's mom for two hours. Then it was time to go. Stephanie said that everyone was being discharged the next day so we'd have to obviously come back the next day to bring our daughter home.
That night, the two of us went out to dinner. Both to celebrate but also to commemorate our last night as a family of two.
I barely slept that night. I knew it was my last chance to get some REAL sleep but I just couldn't. I was too nervous.
The next day we met with Stephanie at the hospital. They had a little class that we had to go through that just showed you some feeding/bathing movies and some info on how to properly put a baby in a car seat. Pretty much everything we knew but you had to take the class before being discharged. After the class we sat down and signed MORE paperwork. Then we went to see E. and her mom. We chatted for a bit and got to change our daughter's diaper and feed her. Then it was time for E. to be discharged. She chose to be discharged before the baby was. So we stayed in the room while Stephanie and E left. Once Stephanie got back, she said that E said to her "She's home now" (meaning the baby is home with us). It really makes me tear up every time I think about it. She's such a strong woman!
Now, it was time to discharge us. And 4 hours later we left. Thankfully Stephanie warned us that the discharge rate at this particular hospital is one of the worst in the area, I was still not prepared for this. All in all, we finally got to leave and I have to say that the drive home was one of the most frightening of my life! It was so new to have a baby in the car! I was so scared for that first night and just what to do with a newborn!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Birth day!
So, the due date came and went. Our 6 year anniversary came and went. I thought, wouldn't it be odd if she had the baby on Wednesday. We were matched on Wednesday, met with Stephanie to get the info on the next Wednesday, met the birth parents on the Wednesday after that. So it wouldn't it be cool if she had her on Wednesday?
A good friend of our family texted me this morning and said that her daughter was going to have her baby that day and she hoped that we would have one too!
Well, I'm sitting at work trying to get through the day (on Wednesday) and I get a phone call at 12:30 from Stephanie. I go out into the hall and answer the phone. She said that E (the birth mom) was at the hospital and 8 centimeters dilated. HOLY CRAP! She also said that she'll give us any info as she gets it and that E would like it if we don't come that night but come the next day. Of course we're ok with that! So I hang up and go find Matt to tell him. We decide to leave work immediately. There were some things that we had to take care of before bringing the baby home. So, we said good bye to our bosses knowing that I wouldn't be back for two months and Matt wouldn't be back for one.
As soon as we got out to the car, I called my mom to let her know and Matt called his parents. They are all beyond excited and can't wait to hear more!
So, we went home and waited for the phone to ring (after we finished our errands). I kept texting our family friend about the progress of her daughter's delivery and the birth of her granddaughter. She kept asking if we knew anything and we didn't. The only thing we heard was around 8:00 Stephanie emailed us and told us that S. emailed her saying E. was still in labor but all was well.
We didn't hear anything until the next day. At 6am Stephanie called us with information. E. gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl at 7:39 the previous evening. Both birth mom and baby were doing well. She didn't have any other info at that time (weight/length etc.) but we were meeting her at the hospital at 1:00 that day so we'd get the info sometime.
The crazy thing was that our friend's daughter gave birth to her daughter exactly 40 minutes after our daughter was born!
A good friend of our family texted me this morning and said that her daughter was going to have her baby that day and she hoped that we would have one too!
Well, I'm sitting at work trying to get through the day (on Wednesday) and I get a phone call at 12:30 from Stephanie. I go out into the hall and answer the phone. She said that E (the birth mom) was at the hospital and 8 centimeters dilated. HOLY CRAP! She also said that she'll give us any info as she gets it and that E would like it if we don't come that night but come the next day. Of course we're ok with that! So I hang up and go find Matt to tell him. We decide to leave work immediately. There were some things that we had to take care of before bringing the baby home. So, we said good bye to our bosses knowing that I wouldn't be back for two months and Matt wouldn't be back for one.
As soon as we got out to the car, I called my mom to let her know and Matt called his parents. They are all beyond excited and can't wait to hear more!
So, we went home and waited for the phone to ring (after we finished our errands). I kept texting our family friend about the progress of her daughter's delivery and the birth of her granddaughter. She kept asking if we knew anything and we didn't. The only thing we heard was around 8:00 Stephanie emailed us and told us that S. emailed her saying E. was still in labor but all was well.
We didn't hear anything until the next day. At 6am Stephanie called us with information. E. gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl at 7:39 the previous evening. Both birth mom and baby were doing well. She didn't have any other info at that time (weight/length etc.) but we were meeting her at the hospital at 1:00 that day so we'd get the info sometime.
The crazy thing was that our friend's daughter gave birth to her daughter exactly 40 minutes after our daughter was born!
Due date
Well, today is the due date. And there is no word. I don't want to go to work this week. I know I'm not going to be able to concentrate!
Meeting the birth parents
Well... today was the day. We met with the birth parents. They are a couple who is still together but I'm not going to divulge much more info than that. E (birth mom) and S (birth dad) were amazing. They are fun, sweet, caring and wonderful people. We clicked right away after meeting them and we had a great meal talking about video games, movies, books and everything else. It was easy going and just so great to get to know them better. Our social worker was there and she helped us cover some of the slightly tougher topics like naming of the baby, what the birth mom wants as far as us at the hospital and some other harder things. But all in all it was great!
At the end of the meal, as we walked out with Stephanie, we asked her "how did we do?" She said "I barely had to talk, that means it went VERY well". EEEK!
Now, we wait.
Due date is only 4 days away. We don't know much about the birth mom's situation (if she's dilated, having contractions etc.) so we just have to sit and wait. This is going to be hard!
At the end of the meal, as we walked out with Stephanie, we asked her "how did we do?" She said "I barely had to talk, that means it went VERY well". EEEK!
Now, we wait.
Due date is only 4 days away. We don't know much about the birth mom's situation (if she's dilated, having contractions etc.) so we just have to sit and wait. This is going to be hard!
Meeting with our Social Worker
Well, it's been one week since we've found out we've been matched. I've barely slept. Its crazy, this is the TIME to sleep, before the baby comes but I just can't seem to. I'm too excited and nervous.
Today we met with Stephanie. We signed a LOT of paperwork and got some more information about the birth parents and the situation. The funniest thing is that we were going over some of the paperwork and Stephanie says to us "I told you it's a baby girl right?". Matt and I just looked at each other. I said loudly "NO!!! You didn't!" (don't worry, Stephanie is cool and she knew I wasn't YELLING at her). Matt and I kissed and got completely excited. We both wanted to be parents no matter what but deep down in our hearts, we really both wanted a girl. We would have been THRILLED with a boy as well but we desperately wanted a girl. A few seconds after she told us it was a girl, she continued on with paperwork. I then had to stop her and said "we need to stop, I can't hear a thing you're saying." I was still so amazed it was a girl!!
We set up a meeting to meet the birth parents next week. I'm so nervous!!!! What if they don't like us? I know THEY chose US but still, what if we say something wrong and they change their minds about us. What if we're nothing like what they though we'd be like? (which would be very odd because our profile is SO US!). What do they look like? What do they sound like? What are their hobbies? I'm so excited to meet them!
Today we met with Stephanie. We signed a LOT of paperwork and got some more information about the birth parents and the situation. The funniest thing is that we were going over some of the paperwork and Stephanie says to us "I told you it's a baby girl right?". Matt and I just looked at each other. I said loudly "NO!!! You didn't!" (don't worry, Stephanie is cool and she knew I wasn't YELLING at her). Matt and I kissed and got completely excited. We both wanted to be parents no matter what but deep down in our hearts, we really both wanted a girl. We would have been THRILLED with a boy as well but we desperately wanted a girl. A few seconds after she told us it was a girl, she continued on with paperwork. I then had to stop her and said "we need to stop, I can't hear a thing you're saying." I was still so amazed it was a girl!!
We set up a meeting to meet the birth parents next week. I'm so nervous!!!! What if they don't like us? I know THEY chose US but still, what if we say something wrong and they change their minds about us. What if we're nothing like what they though we'd be like? (which would be very odd because our profile is SO US!). What do they look like? What do they sound like? What are their hobbies? I'm so excited to meet them!
We're matched!
I can't believe it! We're matched! We're actually matched! Here's the story:
On May 8th (a Wednesday) around 4:00 I got a call on my cell phone while at work. I don't answer calls I don't know so I let it go to voice mail. Then a few seconds later Matt comes over and says "go answer the phone". I thought it was odd that he knew I got a call on my cell phone so I asked how he knew that. He said that they paged me that I had a call on hold. I never heard it! I immediately got suspicious. I took a few seconds (much to Matt's dismay) to listen to my voice mail on my cell phone. It was Stephanie, our social worker asking me to call her right away. I got very excited and started walking toward the work phones out in the hallway. I looked back and saw Matt just standing at my desk and I motioned for him to come with me (being that I was pretty sure I knew what the call was).
Once I picked up the line, it was Stephanie. She asked me if I was sitting down and I said no and she then proceeded to tell me that we were matched! I asked if she could repeat it and I held the phone so that both Matt and I could hear and she said yet again "You're matched!". I about fainted! We told Stephanie we'd call her back in a few minutes once Matt and I got to a meeting room so that we could have some privacy.
We went into a meeting room and called her back. She then told us all about the situation. About a month before, we were asked if we wanted to be shown to this specific couple. They matched all of our criteria that we wanted except for one small detail. So we had to decide if we were ok with this change to be shown to them. We were ok with it and we were obviously shown. They took one month to choose and they chose us!
We can't believe that we're matched. It's completely surreal and amazing. I knew this day would come but no matter what, it still doesn't prepare you for the excitement, fear, anxiety and every other emotion you may have.
Oh, and the craziest part... the birth mother is due in only a week and a half! The due date is two days before our 6 year wedding anniversary!
On May 8th (a Wednesday) around 4:00 I got a call on my cell phone while at work. I don't answer calls I don't know so I let it go to voice mail. Then a few seconds later Matt comes over and says "go answer the phone". I thought it was odd that he knew I got a call on my cell phone so I asked how he knew that. He said that they paged me that I had a call on hold. I never heard it! I immediately got suspicious. I took a few seconds (much to Matt's dismay) to listen to my voice mail on my cell phone. It was Stephanie, our social worker asking me to call her right away. I got very excited and started walking toward the work phones out in the hallway. I looked back and saw Matt just standing at my desk and I motioned for him to come with me (being that I was pretty sure I knew what the call was).
Once I picked up the line, it was Stephanie. She asked me if I was sitting down and I said no and she then proceeded to tell me that we were matched! I asked if she could repeat it and I held the phone so that both Matt and I could hear and she said yet again "You're matched!". I about fainted! We told Stephanie we'd call her back in a few minutes once Matt and I got to a meeting room so that we could have some privacy.
We went into a meeting room and called her back. She then told us all about the situation. About a month before, we were asked if we wanted to be shown to this specific couple. They matched all of our criteria that we wanted except for one small detail. So we had to decide if we were ok with this change to be shown to them. We were ok with it and we were obviously shown. They took one month to choose and they chose us!
We can't believe that we're matched. It's completely surreal and amazing. I knew this day would come but no matter what, it still doesn't prepare you for the excitement, fear, anxiety and every other emotion you may have.
Oh, and the craziest part... the birth mother is due in only a week and a half! The due date is two days before our 6 year wedding anniversary!
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