It was 9 years ago today that you entered my life. You did not come in a mad rush. Rather, you took your time arriving.
On April 25, 2005, I had eaten curry for dinner. After dinner, I began to vacuum the house because their were friends coming from Hawaii the next day. I was teaching 5th grade at Lois Craig Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada. After vacuuming the house, I went to bed. Right around 11:30 p.m. I began having cramping and thought it was just the effects of the curry from dinner that night. I was getting up throughout the night trying to use the restroom. Around 6:30 a.m. I noticed that these restroom cramps were coming pretty regularly about about every 30 minutes. I began to get ready for work, and the cramping began coming closer together.
Everyone I had talked to said, "Oh! You will know you are in labor, it is a sensation you have never felt before." I had felt this before, it was cramps signaling the need to use the restroom.
Right around 7:15 a.m. I called my doctor and was told "If you think you are in labor go to the hospital." I was a bit flustered because I was unsure and was hoping to have some description or identification that I was infact in labor. After speaking to my doctor, I called my Vice Principal, Mr. Ryan Merritt. I explained to him that I was not sure if I was in labor, or if I just had a bad stomach ache. I told him I intended to come to work, and I would just leave if necessary. He responded, "How about you just stay home? I think me delivering your child in your classroom would be way more than you or I bargained for, and embarrassing for us both."
I was not going to go to the hospital and be sent home. I refused. So, I began writing down start times of the "cramping" and timing how long they lasted for, and was only going to go once I had a good hour of documented cramping. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat anything once there and tried to eat some Frosted Mini Wheats to no avail.
The contractions, as I finally decided they were, had started coming every 15 minutes and last for 30 seconds to a minute. We loaded up the car, and began the drive to the Summerlin Hospital. We had been through this drill before because I had spent a day there when I was about four and a half month pregnant. I had become very dehydrated and began experiencing contractions.
We arrived to the hospital, and were triaged. I was 80% effaced and 4.5 centimeters dilated. They admitted me to the hospital around 9 a.m. and the wait began. I opted for an epidural, because I was unsure the pain that was to come. After my epidural I spent the rest of the time in the bed. We discovered our video camera did not work . . . so, one was accrued. We took some pictures. A long waiting game began.
I called Grammy and Granddad, they loaded up in Arizona and began the drive to Las Vegas.
My epidural wore off twice. The first time was around noon, and I asked for another. They gave me another. Right around 3 p.m., it began to wear off again, and I was told I could not have another. I was okay with that, I was able to get my mind in a mental state to be able to cope with the discomfort.
Right around 4:30 the began to prep me for delivery. We had progressed. You were 2.5 weeks early. My doctor arrived and asked if it was okay for a student nurse to observe. I will remember seeing her dressed in all white forever! Right about 10 minutes to 5 Grammy and Granddad arrived, and it was time to push. Granddad stepped into the hallway. I pushed 3 times, and suddenly you were here. The student nurse had been splashed in birth fluid from head to toe. She immediately excused herself as my ob/gyn joked that she shouldn't have stood so close.
They placed you on my stomach and I began to weep. My beautiful baby girl, that I had played tag with for 4 months was resting on my stomach. You were the most beautiful robust sweet thing. They placed you on the warmer where you stayed for a while because you would not regulate your body temperature.
You weighed in at 8 lbs. 10 oz and 21 inches long. You had jet black hair. You were perfect. I could not take my eyes off of you! I weeped with joy for a few minutes and just watched you.
I cannot believe it has been 9 years since that moment. You have brought so much joy into my life. You have always been a very thoughtful little girl. Through the last 9 years you have transformed form a sweet baby, a rambunctious toddler, a perfectionist preschooler, a kind and considerate kindergartener and first grader, to an intelligent second grader, and a beautiful sweet 9 year old.
In 2011, you added the title of big sister to your title. No little girl could ever have a better big sister. You are so extremely sensitive to your sissy, and her needs. You crumble and weep with the idea of anything you doing or saying hurting her. You help her and play with her. You have become aware and careful in all you do because you know that sister copies everything you do. You give sweet sister hugs.
Kaelani and I are so blessed to have you in our lives. I love you my sweet baby LoveBug! While you are no longer the cuddly little baby bundle you once were, and you have morphed from LoveBug to KaiBug . . . you are my sweet girl. I am so proud of you! I am grateful Heavenly Father entrusted you to me!
I love you to the moon and back, always and forever!!
Mom
On April 25, 2005, I had eaten curry for dinner. After dinner, I began to vacuum the house because their were friends coming from Hawaii the next day. I was teaching 5th grade at Lois Craig Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada. After vacuuming the house, I went to bed. Right around 11:30 p.m. I began having cramping and thought it was just the effects of the curry from dinner that night. I was getting up throughout the night trying to use the restroom. Around 6:30 a.m. I noticed that these restroom cramps were coming pretty regularly about about every 30 minutes. I began to get ready for work, and the cramping began coming closer together.
Everyone I had talked to said, "Oh! You will know you are in labor, it is a sensation you have never felt before." I had felt this before, it was cramps signaling the need to use the restroom.
Right around 7:15 a.m. I called my doctor and was told "If you think you are in labor go to the hospital." I was a bit flustered because I was unsure and was hoping to have some description or identification that I was infact in labor. After speaking to my doctor, I called my Vice Principal, Mr. Ryan Merritt. I explained to him that I was not sure if I was in labor, or if I just had a bad stomach ache. I told him I intended to come to work, and I would just leave if necessary. He responded, "How about you just stay home? I think me delivering your child in your classroom would be way more than you or I bargained for, and embarrassing for us both."
I was not going to go to the hospital and be sent home. I refused. So, I began writing down start times of the "cramping" and timing how long they lasted for, and was only going to go once I had a good hour of documented cramping. I knew I wouldn't be able to eat anything once there and tried to eat some Frosted Mini Wheats to no avail.
The contractions, as I finally decided they were, had started coming every 15 minutes and last for 30 seconds to a minute. We loaded up the car, and began the drive to the Summerlin Hospital. We had been through this drill before because I had spent a day there when I was about four and a half month pregnant. I had become very dehydrated and began experiencing contractions.
We arrived to the hospital, and were triaged. I was 80% effaced and 4.5 centimeters dilated. They admitted me to the hospital around 9 a.m. and the wait began. I opted for an epidural, because I was unsure the pain that was to come. After my epidural I spent the rest of the time in the bed. We discovered our video camera did not work . . . so, one was accrued. We took some pictures. A long waiting game began.
I called Grammy and Granddad, they loaded up in Arizona and began the drive to Las Vegas.
My epidural wore off twice. The first time was around noon, and I asked for another. They gave me another. Right around 3 p.m., it began to wear off again, and I was told I could not have another. I was okay with that, I was able to get my mind in a mental state to be able to cope with the discomfort.
Right around 4:30 the began to prep me for delivery. We had progressed. You were 2.5 weeks early. My doctor arrived and asked if it was okay for a student nurse to observe. I will remember seeing her dressed in all white forever! Right about 10 minutes to 5 Grammy and Granddad arrived, and it was time to push. Granddad stepped into the hallway. I pushed 3 times, and suddenly you were here. The student nurse had been splashed in birth fluid from head to toe. She immediately excused herself as my ob/gyn joked that she shouldn't have stood so close.
They placed you on my stomach and I began to weep. My beautiful baby girl, that I had played tag with for 4 months was resting on my stomach. You were the most beautiful robust sweet thing. They placed you on the warmer where you stayed for a while because you would not regulate your body temperature.
You weighed in at 8 lbs. 10 oz and 21 inches long. You had jet black hair. You were perfect. I could not take my eyes off of you! I weeped with joy for a few minutes and just watched you.
I cannot believe it has been 9 years since that moment. You have brought so much joy into my life. You have always been a very thoughtful little girl. Through the last 9 years you have transformed form a sweet baby, a rambunctious toddler, a perfectionist preschooler, a kind and considerate kindergartener and first grader, to an intelligent second grader, and a beautiful sweet 9 year old.In 2011, you added the title of big sister to your title. No little girl could ever have a better big sister. You are so extremely sensitive to your sissy, and her needs. You crumble and weep with the idea of anything you doing or saying hurting her. You help her and play with her. You have become aware and careful in all you do because you know that sister copies everything you do. You give sweet sister hugs.
Kaelani and I are so blessed to have you in our lives. I love you my sweet baby LoveBug! While you are no longer the cuddly little baby bundle you once were, and you have morphed from LoveBug to KaiBug . . . you are my sweet girl. I am so proud of you! I am grateful Heavenly Father entrusted you to me!I love you to the moon and back, always and forever!!
Mom
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