Lately

Having two kiddos is a lot of work but, I wouldn't trade a minute of it!!  I've decided my home will NEVER be clean.  My memory is horrible.  Worse than when I was pregnant!  ha!!  But I'm loving spending time with my two babies.  I still can't get over that I'm their Momma!  What a privilege!! 

Kagen dumped a whole package of straws on her baby sister

Excited about going to church

yep...

Little stinker holding her head up!

Our first week home.

So far Kagen has been wonderful with Kalli.  I can tell she loves her baby sister so much!  She is always wanting to hold her and will rub her head and kiss her.  She is ALWAYS wanting to help out with her.  Our life at home hasn't been perfect.  We've had a few tantrums and meltdowns but, you just learn to deal with them.  I know my girls will be grown before I know it so I'm cherishing every single moment with them. 

Kalli Reese Richardson

Our sweet little Kalli came into this world a little over a month ago.  Not how we planned....
She was born on July 18th at 4:59pm.  She was 5lbs 12oz and 18.5in.

The morning she was born I had my usual weekly check up with my Doctor.  I got there at 8:30 that morning.  Everything was looking good and I was even dilated to a 3.  I was excited thinking I didn't have too much longer.  Then she noticed I had dropped significantly since my appointment last week.  She wanted to do a quick sonogram just to make sure my amniotic fluid looked okay.  They rolled in the machine and she started the sono.  After doing a few measurements on the machine she looked at me and said I didn't have any fluid.  My heart sank.  She then told me I would need to have Kalli.  I burst into tears.  I was by myself at this appointment and I was panicked.  It felt like a nightmare.  She calmed me down and said Kalli would be much better outside of my womb.  I called Lex and told him then she sent me straight to the hospital.  My sweet Grandmother in law, who is the manager at the clinic, drove and stayed with me until Lex could get to the hospital.  None of this was how I planned or thought it was going to go.  It still felt unreal.  Once Lex got there, we prayed for the safe delivery of our sweet baby girl.
 I had THE BEST nurse that day.  She was amazing.  I even saw her a week later and she hugged my neck.   They started the pitocin and then my Doctor came and broke my water about 10.  The contractions were getting stronger but I was not progressing how they wanted me to and Kalli was having a hard time with the contractions because I was lacking fluid.  They decided to try and flush fluid around her to see if it would help and if it didn't, I would have her via Cesarean Section.   

My Dad, sister and brother-in-law took turns spending the day at our home watching Kagen.  I'm so grateful for that and them!

By 1pm I was ready for the epidural!!  I was also hoping it would speed things up since it did when I had Kagen.  About 1:20 I had the epidural but, it was only working on my right side.  OH NO!!!  I tried laying on my left side but that didn't help.  So the anesthesiologist came back in and gave me a stronger medicine.  In no time I was numb on my left side and REALLY numb on my right.  Too numb if you ask me!  Sure enough things sped up and I was a 10 at 4:30.  They called Dr Carl and she came straight there and I had Kalli about 20 minutes after my Doctor arrived. 

 They had a NICU team in the room with us just in case Kalli had trouble.  I wasn't too concerned and thought she would be fine.  She was such an easy delivery.  I think the Lord made sure of that. 

Hearing her cry sent terror through me again.  You could hear the fluid in her lungs.  It didn't sound good and they told me should would need to go to the NICU.  They let me hold her before they took her away. 

We had family and a couple of my sweet friends come by afterwards.  My mind was so frazzled I only got a few pictures. 

 At first we were told it might be a few days.  They placed a CPAP mask on her to help her breathe.  I remember seeing her and watching her little chest.  She was breathing so fast.  

The next day a nurse from the NICU came in and told us that Kalli may need to be placed on a ventilator.  Not much long after that conversation they decided to go ahead and place her on it.  When they finally let me see her it broke my heart.  She was sedated and just lying there with this tube in her mouth.  No one wants to see there child like that.  By doing this they were also able to give her medicine directly to her lungs to help them heal.

  Then Wednesday came.  The day I would be discharged.  That was one of the most difficult days of my life.  My doctor told me I could stay as long as I wanted but, I would need to be discharged by midnight because of insurance reasons.  I decided to leave that afternoon so I could see Kagen and then go back to the hospital.  Leaving the hospital with out your baby is something no mother wants to do.  EVER.   When Lex and I showed back up that evening we were pleasantly surprised to see they were able to remove the vent and replace it with a cannula!!  That was the best feeling seeing that. 

On Thursday, July 21, I was able to hold Kalli for the first time since after she was born.  It was wonderful!!   

The next few weeks were filled with so many emotions.  It was tough on everyone.  We've been blessed with some of the best family though.   Kagen was able to spend her days with NaNa and GiGi.  They both took turns watching her and worked together to figure each day out.  It was so nice not stressing about where Kagen would go or who would watch her.  Thank y'all again.

They tried a few times to get Kalli off the oxygen but, she wasn't quite strong enough.   They decided to send us home with her on oxygen since that was the only thing keeping us there.  We brought her home on Friday August 12, weighing 7lbs 11oz and 20in long, nearly 2 lbs more than when she was born!!
  That was Kagen's first time to meet Kalli.  It was wonderful having her see Kalli.  Once she got over all the equitment, she was loving on Kalli and wanting to hold her. 

These are just a few of the awesome nurses we had.  We were absolutely blessed with some amazing nurses and Doctors.  I'm so thankful for each and every one of them.

This is Dr Morris.  We LOVE her.  She was the one that admitted Kalli AND she discharged her as well.  I was so happy that we were discharged while she was there.  =)  

So far Kagen has been an awesome big sister.  She will walk over to Kalli and give her a kiss and say, "I love you Kalli."  My heart is over flowing with joy.

This whole experience has made my relationship with the Lord grow even stronger.  There is no way I could have gotten through this without Him.  I never once doubted His plans for my sweet Kalli and I still don't.  I know I could have easily lost her and I'm so thankful that He allowed/ is allowing her to be with us.  As well as Kagen.  I'm so thankful He chose me and Lex to be Kagen and Kalli's parents.