Welcome Home Myah!

Patrick, Myah, and I right before checkout from Mayo.

After four days at Mayo it was finally time to come home.  We had enjoyed our bonding time as just the three of us.  Myah did AWESOME in the hospital.  She was eating well, sleeping soundly, and passed all of her assessments.  We were also lucky to have my our girls, my parents, and Patrick's brother's family from Minnesota come visit us and meet Myah.

Patrick, Myah, and I leaving the delivery floor at Mayo.

 We checked out of Mayo at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10.  The doctors gave us the option to leave on Wednesday since Myah and I were doing so well, but Patrick and I decided to stay to give me one more day to heal before heading home to the craziness of the girls.  We made the right decision.  I was still incredibly sore from the C-section when I woke up on Thursday and the two hour drive definitely proved that!  Having to sit up made me feel like I had a knife stabbing me in the tummy the entire time.  The rough winter roads made me want to cry.  Every bump would about send me through the roof.   I basically sat as still as a statue and tried to sleep.  I have now had both vaginal and cesarean deliveries.  I am so happy I only had to have one c-section!  I would never want to do it again.  Women who choose to have them are much stronger than me!

Rosie, Grandpa Smith, and the Minnesota Smith's meeting Myah.

We stopped in New Hampton to introduce Myah to Grandpa Smith and Aunt Rosie.  I couldn't even stand up straight when I got out of the van.  I was so stiff and my tummy felt like it was going to rip in half as I stood up.  Myah continued to do awesome though.  She slept as Saude and Rosie oodled over her.  They loved her name and complimented her great color, big lips, and skinny toes and fingers.

The big girls were not home from school yet when we got home.  We had about 45 minutes until they were going to arrive so I fed Myah to make sure she was happy and content.  I knew her sisters would all want to hold her when they got home.  And I was right!  Seeri was the first one to get home and she didn't even say hi to us when she walked in.  Instead, "Where is Myah?  Can I hold her?"  Jaelyn and Linden did the exact same thing.  So began what we call "Musical Myah."  Meaning that every night Seeri, Jaelyn, and Linden take turns holding her for short amounts of time for about an hour.  The big girls love this; Myah is not a fan!  She is very comfortable with Seeri and Jaelyn.  She is terrified of Linden.  Linden wants to kiss her every two seconds which is super cute.  But, she squeezes and scrunches her to reach her forehead and it hurts Myah.  So Patrick and I spend that entire time refereeing turn taking and reinforcing the rules of holding her.  It is chaos, but completely joyous at the same time.

Nathan and Ashley, Grandpa and Grandma Garbes, and Chelsea and Joe meeting Myah.

The Iowa City Smith's meeting Myah.

My side of the family came over to meet Myah the day we arrived home.  The Iowa City Smith's visited that Sunday.  The Stoler family (Patrick's sister's family) visited on Easter.  Everyone commented on her color and long and skinny fingers and toes.  Everyone agreed that she either looked like Seeri or Linden.  It has become pretty clear to me that the only trait my girls get from me is my lips!  

The Stoler's meeting Myah.

The first two nights at home were rough on Myah and I.  Myah was struggling with the new environment.  She was still eating and sleeping but only wanted to be held to sleep.  Obviously, that is not a comfy sleeping situation for me.  Plus, it is completely dangerous.

I had definitely felt better.  I could barely move, I was sleep deprived, and my breasts were sore.  I was emotionally exhausted.  It was one thing to take care of a newborn.  It was an entirely different beast to take care of a newborn, recover from a C-section, recover from a stroke, and take care of three kids under the age of six.  But, did I rest?  Nope.  Why?  Because I am an idiot.  I was up doing house chores and trying to do everything by myself.  By Saturday, my right ankle had swelled so badly that you could barely tell the difference between it and my calf.  Plus, I was so fatigued that my stroke symptoms became much more pronounced.  My left side became so much more stiff.  I still functioned the same, but felt much worse.  These new developments were enough to freak me out.  So I put myself on bed rest.  During the day I took numerous naps with my feet up and didn't allow myself to do anything except care for Myah and rest.  It worked.  By Monday my ankle was completely normal and my stroke symptoms were back in check.

Those first four days were less than ideal, especially physically.  But I was still on cloud nine.  My heart just overflows when I watch Patrick and the girls with her.  The girls are overbearing with Myah at times, but it is still the cutest thing to watch Seeri nurture her, Jaelyn beam with pride when she looks at her, and hear Linden call her name and smother her with kisses.  Watching Patrick with her about takes my breath away.  Every emotion is written all over his face; love, adoration, pride, joy.  All of this was worth all the pain and exhaustion I was feeling.  Unlike my stroke, I knew it would come to an end.  I just had to keep telling myself that I would be better in two weeks.  I just had to suck it up for two weeks.

No matter how crazy our life is , one thing remains certain; we are blessed beyond measure.