Cammie was having unusual pain in her belly and other indications that she might have an infection. She went to the doctor this morning so Nathan & I were in charge of Baby Maggie. (Jacqueline spent the night at Katie's house.) It was the longest Cammie had left her since giving birth.
Maggie woke with a bang, or maybe explosion would be more accurate. She had spent the early morning hours in the bed with her mama and when I picked her up I saw a large round yellow circle on the sheets, a herald of more mess yet to discover. I felt a dampness on the back of her clothes saw that from her neck to her bum, her outfit was soaked from the inside with soupy yellow poo. I rushed to the bathroom and filled the sink with warm water. I removed the sopping diaper, then reached for the toilet paper, but the roll was empty, so I turned her over and ran water over her back side. "Nathan! get some toilet paper! No! Get me a clean baby wash cloth. I can't wash her head with this poopy cloth. I need to run some clean water! Nathan! Hand me that towel to put under her!" By this time all the stinky clothes were off and she had goose bumps and was crying. Hurry! Hurry! Get her washed and get the clothes back on. Don't get the dried up umbilical cord wet. Get all the soap off! Wrap her up.
I carried her to the changing table and Nathan found a clean out fit. I was drying her off and getting ready to diaper her when she squirted out some more of that yellow stuff. Wipe again! Quick! Get a diaper on her! Pull on the clean outfit. Cuddle up! Quiet the baby. Quiet Granny-Nanny. Let's sit down, Nathan. No, can't sit down yet, we need to warm a bottle. I'm sure she's hungry!
Everything after that was easy! Cammie was gone most of the day getting antibiotics intravenously at the doctor's office because she did indeed have an infection. She came home with aching boobs and a serious need to pump! Sweet Maggie Iris was ready for a cuddle with her Mama.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
At home
Cammie & Chris brought Maggie home yesterday. It was late, about seven o'clock. She had to wait to see the pediatrician and that guy came late in the day. Jacqueline had been staying with Faith & Phil Cagle; their daughter, Sophia and Jacqueline are best-friends-forever. Nathan stayed over night with Parker at their farm where they grow flowers for market. He was the dirtiest I've ever seen him. It took two or three scrubbings to get the dirt off.
How did they respond to the new Baby Sister? Jacqueline is not so sure she likes her position of Baby Sister usurped by another little girl. Nathan, in typical little boy fashion complains that she does not do anything. Jacqueline has the nurturing gene and I think she will do fine as the Big Sister, the Helper.
I made us a big pot of vegetable soup, and to celebrate the Homecoming I made an apple pie with granny smith apples, tart/sweet, delicious. The McWilliams came by to deliver a book/Christmas gift Cammie ordered. We had tea & apple pie & a nice chat. It was a nice evening.
Yesterday morning David came over so we could shop for Christmas and just as we were getting ready to leave, a huge tractor trailer circled the cul-de-sac and stopped in front of my house. But I had not ordered anything that big! Well, indirectly, yes. It was the cabinets for the Gathering Room. They look really good, but I'm not sure I like the look of the space now. The cabinets do not go all the way against the opposing wall and there is an empty square of space in the corner between the window seat and the end of the cabinets. It looks like a mistake. It is a mistake. The window seat is longer than I expected and the beautiful framing of the windows takes up lots of space. Maybe the cabinets would not have fit anyway because they are deeper than I thought they would be. The cabinets are really huge! I'm going to put a floor lamp in that empty square and perhaps it will look OK. Cammie & Chris should have all the storage space they need.
How did they respond to the new Baby Sister? Jacqueline is not so sure she likes her position of Baby Sister usurped by another little girl. Nathan, in typical little boy fashion complains that she does not do anything. Jacqueline has the nurturing gene and I think she will do fine as the Big Sister, the Helper.
I made us a big pot of vegetable soup, and to celebrate the Homecoming I made an apple pie with granny smith apples, tart/sweet, delicious. The McWilliams came by to deliver a book/Christmas gift Cammie ordered. We had tea & apple pie & a nice chat. It was a nice evening.
Yesterday morning David came over so we could shop for Christmas and just as we were getting ready to leave, a huge tractor trailer circled the cul-de-sac and stopped in front of my house. But I had not ordered anything that big! Well, indirectly, yes. It was the cabinets for the Gathering Room. They look really good, but I'm not sure I like the look of the space now. The cabinets do not go all the way against the opposing wall and there is an empty square of space in the corner between the window seat and the end of the cabinets. It looks like a mistake. It is a mistake. The window seat is longer than I expected and the beautiful framing of the windows takes up lots of space. Maybe the cabinets would not have fit anyway because they are deeper than I thought they would be. The cabinets are really huge! I'm going to put a floor lamp in that empty square and perhaps it will look OK. Cammie & Chris should have all the storage space they need.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Paradox
She's so small! How can she have so much power? Maggie is big for a newborn baby, but very small compared with other human beings. She's very weak and must have care for her every need. She's strong with all the love she draws from all of us. She inspires a desire to nurture her.
Before she was born she was very active. "She's poking parts of my insides I did not know I had!" Cammie complained. Maggie was constantly turning and moving and I'm not sure how she did that since it was such a tight spot! Toward the end when she was bottoms up we could see her feet making a lump at the top of her mommy's belly. She's very strong already; on Tuesday she was lifting her head and turning it from one side to the other. Amazing! I've not seen many babies who could do that!
Maggie has already had many visitors. Doug Huntley (my nephew) came up from Fort Myers and stayed during the birth and today Bob & Louise (my brother & his wife) came to see the new baby. Doug grew up with Chris and was a main encourager when Cammie & Chris started dating. My son, David was at the hospital most of the day taking pictures and admiring the baby. Many other people from church have been there, too. Maggie was born at 2:45 PM on Monday and the news got out in record time on Luciamail, at 3:30 PM!
Today Maggie will come home from the hospital.
Before she was born she was very active. "She's poking parts of my insides I did not know I had!" Cammie complained. Maggie was constantly turning and moving and I'm not sure how she did that since it was such a tight spot! Toward the end when she was bottoms up we could see her feet making a lump at the top of her mommy's belly. She's very strong already; on Tuesday she was lifting her head and turning it from one side to the other. Amazing! I've not seen many babies who could do that!
Maggie has already had many visitors. Doug Huntley (my nephew) came up from Fort Myers and stayed during the birth and today Bob & Louise (my brother & his wife) came to see the new baby. Doug grew up with Chris and was a main encourager when Cammie & Chris started dating. My son, David was at the hospital most of the day taking pictures and admiring the baby. Many other people from church have been there, too. Maggie was born at 2:45 PM on Monday and the news got out in record time on Luciamail, at 3:30 PM!
Today Maggie will come home from the hospital.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The arrival
When Jacqueline first held Maggie at the hospital yesterday she sang Christmas carols to her. Cuddling seemed to come natural to her. Maggie was quiet in her arms and studied her face. Nathan also held her in his little boy way--just kinda laid her across his lap and lightly held her in place. She opened her eyes wide and looked at his face as if trying to figure out the mysteries of the universe. Grandpa has not yet held her, but I'm sure that will come later--at least for the pictures.
December 19, 2011: Cammie's water broke at three AM. She said it was like peeing but you can't stop it. It was official; the birthing was about to commence. She took a shower and got ready to go. While Chris was showering she laid down again to rest. Real labor pains started about five AM. They got to the hospital about 5:30 AM.
For such a big baby most of the labor was not that bad. The pains came and went with increasing intensity. At about 1:20 PM I decided to go and get some lunch, and wanted to eat in the lunch room. At about 2:00 PM Doug came and got me and told me if I wanted to see the birth of my grand child I should come immediately! And so I did.
When I got to the room Cammie was already prepped for the birth with her feet in the stirrups. Push with the contraction! Maggie was high up so it was lots of work moving her down. Cammie grew tired. The last thirty minutes or so were the hardest. We found out later that Maggie was sunny side up--face up--and that made the birth more difficult. It was also difficult because Maggie was so big: 9 lb 6 oz and 21 1/2 inches long! She looked like some three month old babies.
She was very alert all afternoon and evening. David McWilliams came by and read Psalm 73 and prayed with us. Most of the day the nurses were busy adjusting this and checking that. Because of Cammie's diabetes they had to check both Cammie's & Maggie's blood sugar and Cammie throughout the day. Cammie is breast feeding and after the second try Maggie latched on and got some nourishment. It was quite a day!
I'm still amazed at the process of birth. Everything works together just as it should. When the baby comes out of the mother's body and the cord is cut her lungs understand that they are now supposed to breathe air and two little holes in the baby's heart close up and are ready to pump blood correctly for the world outside the mother's womb. God's design for new babies is amazing! Perfectly formed, each part functioning just as it should.
December 19, 2011: Cammie's water broke at three AM. She said it was like peeing but you can't stop it. It was official; the birthing was about to commence. She took a shower and got ready to go. While Chris was showering she laid down again to rest. Real labor pains started about five AM. They got to the hospital about 5:30 AM.
For such a big baby most of the labor was not that bad. The pains came and went with increasing intensity. At about 1:20 PM I decided to go and get some lunch, and wanted to eat in the lunch room. At about 2:00 PM Doug came and got me and told me if I wanted to see the birth of my grand child I should come immediately! And so I did.
When I got to the room Cammie was already prepped for the birth with her feet in the stirrups. Push with the contraction! Maggie was high up so it was lots of work moving her down. Cammie grew tired. The last thirty minutes or so were the hardest. We found out later that Maggie was sunny side up--face up--and that made the birth more difficult. It was also difficult because Maggie was so big: 9 lb 6 oz and 21 1/2 inches long! She looked like some three month old babies.
She was very alert all afternoon and evening. David McWilliams came by and read Psalm 73 and prayed with us. Most of the day the nurses were busy adjusting this and checking that. Because of Cammie's diabetes they had to check both Cammie's & Maggie's blood sugar and Cammie throughout the day. Cammie is breast feeding and after the second try Maggie latched on and got some nourishment. It was quite a day!
I'm still amazed at the process of birth. Everything works together just as it should. When the baby comes out of the mother's body and the cord is cut her lungs understand that they are now supposed to breathe air and two little holes in the baby's heart close up and are ready to pump blood correctly for the world outside the mother's womb. God's design for new babies is amazing! Perfectly formed, each part functioning just as it should.
Friday, December 16, 2011
The count-down
Cammie saw her doctor today and he indicated that the birthing process has begun. We don't need to talk in centimeters or softened thingys that will allow her baby to pass from the safety of her womb to this troublesome world. If Maggie does not come on her own in the next three days, on Tuesday very early in the morning Dr. Mammel will induce labor and hopefully Maggie will be born later that day.
Cammie still has some organizing to do. Maggie's clothes and all those baby accouterments are in heaps in Cammie's room and in the Gathering Room. The clothing needs to be washed and the diapering station needs to be set up. Babies need so many things! I think she has everything she needs and all she needs to make caring for the baby easy.
Cammie still has some organizing to do. Maggie's clothes and all those baby accouterments are in heaps in Cammie's room and in the Gathering Room. The clothing needs to be washed and the diapering station needs to be set up. Babies need so many things! I think she has everything she needs and all she needs to make caring for the baby easy.
Insanity
Some time ago, maybe a month I talked with Jonathan Streets about the possibility of making some changes to the Gathering Room. I wanted to knock out an exterior wall and put in French Doors, then put in a big window with a reading bench just under it. I also wanted to install cabinets for extra storage space for Cammie 'n Chris' stuff. When I talked with Jonathan about a week ago he told me that he had time to do the job now and "When would you like for me to start?" Do it NOW! A big mess with hammering, sawing and banging needs to come before the baby gets here! "I can do it in a week!" Two weeks to finish everything. Did I know the extent of what I was starting? No.
After the door was installed the stucco had to be repaired and painted. After everything is finished and installed I want to paint the room a nice soft green to blend with all the outside you can now see. The carpet has been needing to be replaced since we moved in here eleven years ago. Now is the time! I need to get a new cabinet to store the DVDs. The window seat will need a custom cushion and other loose cushions to make it comfy. The whole room will be refurbished and beautiful!
Within three or four days Maggie should arrive. Are we ready? No, but that changes nothing.
After the door was installed the stucco had to be repaired and painted. After everything is finished and installed I want to paint the room a nice soft green to blend with all the outside you can now see. The carpet has been needing to be replaced since we moved in here eleven years ago. Now is the time! I need to get a new cabinet to store the DVDs. The window seat will need a custom cushion and other loose cushions to make it comfy. The whole room will be refurbished and beautiful!
Within three or four days Maggie should arrive. Are we ready? No, but that changes nothing.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
December 1, 2011
Yikes! Cammie's due date in Christmas Day! She is really stressed about finishing her classes and then promptly having a baby. Yesterday Nathan asked me when he was going to see his mother. "Oh, in about two weeks." You should have seen the look on his face! Things are changing. Nothing is ever the same after a baby arrives.
Nathan is now eleven and Jacqueline is nine. They have both grown very tall since last September. I think they are learning to get along better, too. Playing soccer this year--on different teams--seems to be one of the factors that has made Nathan kinder to Jacqueline. They both play goalie for their teams and they are very good at it. Jacqueline's team has quite a few beginning players so their win/loss record is not so great. Nathan's team has not lost one game! He's so proud!
It's fun to watch them grow and learn and grow spiritually, too. The plague of Nathan's life is his Latin teacher. He has even spoken of the wish to go to school somewhere else (not gonna happen) so he won't have to have Latin. "So what if you go to another school and you find a teacher worse than Mrs. Gagnon? What then?" I told him that God, in his wise providence put Mrs. Gagon into his life. I don't know why, but He did. Adversity can help us grow in Grace, I told him. He must not rebel against someone God put in authority over him. It's wrong. It's sin. Not only must he obey her, he must do everything he can to promote an environment of learning. That does not happen when he's chatting with Isaac Albritten during class. He had to write a note of apology to Mrs. Gagnon last night. I hope he will choose better behavior. I told him he could not change is situation, but could only change his attitude toward it.
Nathan is now eleven and Jacqueline is nine. They have both grown very tall since last September. I think they are learning to get along better, too. Playing soccer this year--on different teams--seems to be one of the factors that has made Nathan kinder to Jacqueline. They both play goalie for their teams and they are very good at it. Jacqueline's team has quite a few beginning players so their win/loss record is not so great. Nathan's team has not lost one game! He's so proud!
It's fun to watch them grow and learn and grow spiritually, too. The plague of Nathan's life is his Latin teacher. He has even spoken of the wish to go to school somewhere else (not gonna happen) so he won't have to have Latin. "So what if you go to another school and you find a teacher worse than Mrs. Gagnon? What then?" I told him that God, in his wise providence put Mrs. Gagon into his life. I don't know why, but He did. Adversity can help us grow in Grace, I told him. He must not rebel against someone God put in authority over him. It's wrong. It's sin. Not only must he obey her, he must do everything he can to promote an environment of learning. That does not happen when he's chatting with Isaac Albritten during class. He had to write a note of apology to Mrs. Gagnon last night. I hope he will choose better behavior. I told him he could not change is situation, but could only change his attitude toward it.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Building to the Big Event
Cammie 'n Chris' baby is due in 26 days. Christmas day is her due date and before that comes to be Cammie must finish her first semester of nursing school, we need to set up furniture for the baby and we must do all the usual things expected at Christmas. Final exams haunt Cammie. Not knowing the exact date of the arrival of the baby adds stress. We are not organized; that adds stress. Christmas letter to do, cookies to bake, the house to decorate! Are all these things really necessary?
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