The DayYou Were Born...

Written by- Celia Abigail McLaughlin

Mom and Dad called to let Aunt Celia, Grandma Mac and Granddad Mac know that you were going to be born by c-section. They all came to the hospital & saw Mommy before she went to deliver. Grandma Mac was super nervous and wanted to make sure your mommy was super ok and very well taken care of. She paced the floor infront of the OR doors and asked everyone who went in if everything was ok. Dr. Rainwater came down the hall and Grandma Mac freaked out. Dr. Rainwater told us that she was going to be on standby and assist Dr. Clary with the delivery! Two great doctors were there with you! When your daddy brought you out, Granddaddy Mac and aunt Celia were exercise "power" walking the halls. Grandma Mac did her regular Sigh and there you were. You were absolutely beautiful. The nurses took you and your daddy into the nursery and opened the blinds for everyone to see. Grandaddy Mac dialed Uncle Sam on his mobile phone and he couldn't talk. He handed the phone to Aunt Celia for her to tell Uncle Sam about you. Grandaddy Mac was crying- and as you will soon find out, when he crys, everyone crys! So Aunt Celia cried telling Uncle Sam. Grandaddy Mac made his "generation" statement, which made it even worse. The visitors started coming. 1st was your great aunt Linda Strickland. She had called and was worried about your Mom. Next came your God parents, Jay and Flo Vinson. Flo had laryngitis and couldn't talk. Next came your Granddaddy Wade made it. He was chewing his gum faster than you would believe. He made his way to the window- and it was love at first site! His only expression was (with big tears running down his cheek) "Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?" He was so proud. Brian Urquhart (Aunt Celia's Boyfriend) came in next. He was excited even tho he doesn't show much expression. Aunt Celia could tell. Next came Jack, Janet and Laurie Miller. They were so excited. Everyone just stood and gazed at you. Once your Mommie was awake and back in the room, Your Daddy, grandaddy Rawlinson, grandma and grandaddy Mac, Aunt Celia and Laurie Miller went in. Then in you came. Your Daddy picked you up after the nurse left. By the way, your nurse said you were the most active and verbal baby she had ever seen! Anyway- your dad gave you to your mom so she could see you for the first time. Aunt Celia had the video camera. We all had tears in our eyes and then we all laughed. You started crying and everyone sorta looked at each other and it was like "what do we do?" Your dad suggested we feed you. So he got out your bottle just like he was a pro!! We hearda snubbing in the corner behind the curtain, and it was Janet Miller, crying. She said "Its not everyday you get to see a family see each other for the first time!" It was so sweet. You started sucking the bottle right away. You made little noises and Brian said "sounds like a brim sucking a cricket off the hook." We all laughed. One day you will understand Brian- maybe by then we maybe "Uncle Brian". Aunt Celia sure hopes so!! After we all spent time gazing over you, we all left and let your mommy and daddy ring in the new year with you! Mary Catherine, I just wanted to let you know about your first few hours of life. Your Mom was a little bit out of it and your Daddy was overwhelmed so I am not sure they will remember everything. I am a detail person. I note everything! You are absolutely beautiful! You have the longest fingers, toes, legs and arms ever. I can't wait to spoil you! Love, Aunt Celia P.S. Eddie Potts says: " I bet she is the prettiest little filly ever born at Wildwood!"

The Week After Christmas---Something is Happening!

The day after Christmas, it started out like a stomach ache or severe gas pain. My belly would tighten and loosen, tighten and loosen. From this point until Mary Catherine was delivered, I had contractions. At first it was every 30 minutes or so. Then it got faster. Soon it was every 4-5 minutes. Kevin called the doctor. They told us to come on to the hospital. We got there and they put me on the fetal monitor. I was having contractions but, I was not dialating at all. They gave sent me home. On Saturday the pain was awful. I was having a hard time doing anything but laying down. We went up to the hospital again and they put me back on the monitor. This time, they gave me morphine and sent me home. At this point I swore I was not going back up there until my water broke. The morphine knocked me out for 2 days. When I came to on Tuesday morning, I wasn't getting any fetal movement and it scard the dickons out of me. Kevin called the doctors and they told us to come to the office. We got in about noon and they took us back for an ultra sound. The baby was moving...whew..big relief. Undoubtedly, the morphine had it where I couldn't feel the baby. As the ultra sound tech was about to finish, I said, would you mind flashing that thing over here on my right side and telling me what part of her body this is...it feels like she has had something stuck in my right rib cage the entire pregnancy. The tech flashed the ultra sound that way. She got an odd look on her face and said, "you all will need to have a seat in the lobby and see the doctor as soon as she returns from lunch. " As soon as Kelli Rainwater returned from lunch, she took Kevin and I back. She said the pain I was feeling was the placenta possibly growing into the uterine wall and we would need to do an emergency C Section now. She said that if it was the case and the placenta had grown into the wal and I had tried to deliver, I could have had serious compliations with bleeding. They would have had to go in and try to repair it to save my life anyway. Okay, Mary Catherine is going to come today by C-Section!

Month 8- It's almost time...

Well, the goodtimes were short lived. Thanksgiving in Charleston was a complete disaster. We went to the Rawlinson family Thanksgiving luncheon. I am sure the food was good but all I could smell and see was FOOD. I could not get out of there fast enough. Before we got back to Kevin's Mom's I had to have Kevin pull off the road for me to be sick. I am so tired of being sick everytime I eat. I am starving for real food but, I can't look at it. When we got to Kevs Mom's house, I had to go lay down while everyone else celebrated Thanksgiving. I was finally able to eat a cold turkey sandwich that evening before going to bed. In the middle of the night, I thought I was about to have the baby. She turned herself completely around so that she was head first. It felt like she had her feet pushing my boobs into my throat. I just knew that we were going to have to go to MUSC to have the baby that night. I swore that night if I ever got back to Florence, I would not leave town again until the baby arrived. In the middle of everything else, Kevin got a call from the City of Florence (his previous employer). They ask him if they give him a huge raise and name him Controller for the city if he will consider coming back to work for them. We decided it would be the best decision for us. He will be coming home the week before Christmas and starting back with the city January 7th. This has been a stressful situation on top of everything else that has happened with this pregnancy. Our newest trick is passing out. Oh yes, I have passed out a few times. The first time it happened, I went to the hospital to have blood work done a week or so ago. As I walked up to the registration, I felt myself get hot and my legs go weak. I got to the counter and I looked at the lady sitting there and I was gone. The next thing I remember I was at the women's center in Dr. Clary's office This happened to me several more times. They don't know what was causing this. I tried to talk the docs into letting me have the baby before Christmas. They said "no!" I have decided not to breast feed. I know that it is best for the baby to breast feed but, I honestly don't think I am healthy enough after all of these problems to take this on. I have decided to reduce the stress and simply use formula. I am sure I am going to hear about this for months from other moms but, they can talk after they have had a pregnancy like mine. I will just be glad to get Mary Catherine here! I think we are seriously going to talk about adopting the next child. I do not know that I can physically or mentally do this again.