We're overJOYed

So this was how our morning began....well, it actually began at the Ronald McDonald House around 5 as we got up to get ready to arrive at the hospital promptly at 6 so that we could get all of the pre-op procedures going.  We'd been told that Monday mornings are a little unpredictable and that there is a weekly staff meeting to go over the schedule for the week and such, but that Shawna would probably be in the OR by 9 (see bottom of the top 3 pics...yes, she's still very pregnant - 37 weeks AND 1 DAY - take that spina bifida - and the clock definitely reads 10:20).  So we sat and waited, with quick pop ins by nurses checking in on us.  Originally a short wait was OK with me as I finally had to turn off my Peyton Manningless Broncos take the New England Patriots into overtime last night so I was excited to get a chance to watch SportsCenter and see the highlights of our win and then get a chance to watch my new favorite show, Live with Kelley and Michael which is on at 9, but all of that was hoping we'd be getting taken to the OR in the 9 o'clock hour....as Lou Corso says on College GameDay..."Not so fast my friend."
Finally at about 10:30, two nurses came in and explained that one of the mothers down the hall was having some serious issues and was in need of a transport from CHOP to one of Penn's medical facilities down the street...not good.  So, it was explained to us that most of the medical personnel that we needed were a bit preoccupied and that it could be 30 minutes or 3 hours...so we started CHOOSING JOY.  The frustrating part was that they apologized to both of us and said they'd make it up to us as best they could with food vouchers to the cafeteria for me or other handouts like that (Hello, I'm not the one who's been in Philly for the past 100 days and very limited in what I could go out and do physically and I'm not the one in need of food as it's my wife who has not had anything to eat since 6pm the night before and is hungry enough to eat the **** off a skunk).
Fortunately, it was about 20 minutes later they came in and said they couldn't transport (I shouldn't say fortunately but you know what I meant) the other patient for about an hour and a half so they'd get our section going and that's what happened.
They took Shawna away and allowed me to mentally and physically prepare!!!

Good thing I didn't go premed.  Not only would I have no idea what I'd be doing but I can't even dress the part.  I was escorted into the OR to find Shawna laid out on the operating table with her arms stretched out and strapped down like they were worried that she'd start swing or try to perform the surgery on herself.  Everything seemed to go smoothly and after about 45 minutes we could hear the first cries of our gorgeous new baby girl, Kierstyn Joy Carlson!  It was amazing to be in the OR knowing what they were doing yet all the medical staff was so comforting and at ease, just going about it as normal as I clip my fingernails (doesn't everyone have their quarks?  I cut my finger/toe nails about once a day...TMI?).  She came out 5lbs. 3oz. which I thought was a good size for a 37 weeker, and then remembered Peyton was 8.10 and Myles wasn't much smaller (oh Shawna, bless your heart and other parts!!).  KJC's lungs were not a concern of any of ours as she let the world know she was out and alive (I was going to say kicking, but that darn spina bifida may not allow for any kicking until we work with some physical therapists!!).

So the initial checks on vitals were done and all looked great.  They took Kierstyn to the NICU for more observations but quickly informed us that they were going to allow her to come up and try to breast feed with Shawna.  That was a HUGE positive surprise to us as we thought we'd be going down to the NICU to feed.  The nurses with us were also a little surprised that they allowed her to come up to us for an HOUR so soon (hopefully good foreshadowing for things to come!!).  This also gave us some more time to hold our new bundle of JOY.  And again, they brought her back up for a second feeding!!!  This is quite a rarity for spina bifida babies so soon after the CSection.

This evening Shawna and I made our way down to the NICU for Shawna to spend some more skin-on-skin time with Kierstyn and feed her...which she did for almost an hour!  Way to go Girl....if she keeps feeding like that, look out Peyton and Myles, little sis may be the family protector!!!  Better not try to borrow any of her skirts!!  Speaking of Peyton and Myles, we got the chance to facetime with them tonight and they were excited to see their new baby sister.  They shipped home with John and Janet on Saturday after spending Thanksgiving week out here with us.  Kurt, Catie, Shane, and Nolan also made the trip out to visit us for Thanksgiving where we were able to celebrate Kurts birthday at the Holiday Inn Cherry Hill (yes, that's like the third or fourth bday we've celebrated there).  The boys love the hotel in Cherry Hill because of the "hot tub" (the pool there is about 85 degrees, thank goodness, and they call it a big hot tub).

Peyton did make the comment to Ms. Jen today at daycare that he wished it was a boy, but he'll get over it as he very big-brotherly said "goodbye Kierstyn, my sister" on facetime tonight.
After sending the boys home on Saturday, we tried to enjoy our last 48 hours of time together in Philly by getting out to eat and a few local eating holes and spent some time at LOVE Park where they set up an open air Christmas market with little vendor shops.  It was fun to spend some time just the two of us as we prepared to be blessed with Kierstyn.
So, we're down to our final few days in Philly before we return for Detox December (that's what we're referring December to for our family as we detox back to reality...that is a good thing).  Shawna will be discharged from CHOP on Thursday but Kierstyn's discharge is all dependent on a ton of different variables.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll be back to Zeeland by the weekend (I reminded her that we...Hope...have a game Friday night and Saturday afternoon) and she could get to watch these studs play this weekend if she cooperates and gets out of here soon!!!

What a bunch of studs....her first 15 or so boyfriends!!

Can't wait to get up in the middle of the night to help keep our Princess happy and fed!!

CHOOSING JOY (even though I/we still have yet to see those food vouchers!!)

-Jeff