As your first birthday quickly approaches, I can't help but look back over the last year with much gratitude and amazement at how much our hearts were expanded upon your arrival into this world!
Daddy and I found out we were expecting you during our fourth anniversary trip to Tampa, Florida. When I was 17 weeks along, we found out you were a girl! I knew the second your gender was revealed that you were meant to be our little Ruthie Gail Wingo. Your Gi Gi was so excited to be your namesake.
Having two sisters myself, I was thrilled you and Ivey would have each other. Sisters share a very special bond, and I pray the two of you will be the best of friends through the years!
I was sick during my pregnancy with you well into the second trimester, but was feeling much better by about 24 weeks along. I craved sweets constantly (which really isn't new, but it was definitely in excess!) I had fun preparing for your arrival, decorating your room, and getting back out all of the sweet tiny clothes!
At 36 weeks I knew things were feeling different. I was having braxton hicks contractions and feeling more and more pressure as you moved lower and were getting ready to make your arrival. At my 36 week appointment, I was 3 centimeters dilated and 75% effaced! I began to think you might come early!
On Sunday, February 3, 2013, I woke up feeling totally different. I thought I had a stomach bug. I couldn't keep any food down that morning. I decided to stay home from church and rest. By lunch time, I thought I was feeling better, so I took Ivey to Mamaw and Papoo's house for lunch. After lunch, I got sick again and wondered what was going on and why I wasn't able to keep any food down. I had heard some women experience something like that right before labor, but I wasn't totally convinced that was what was going on with me.
By that evening, I was having contractions every 5 to 8 minutes. I was beginning to think I had gotten dehydrated, which I knew could cause contractions. Daddy went to get me some sprite to see if I could keep it down while I went to take a bath to try to relax and ease the contractions. I called your Nonna, who was on her way to Nashville with Papaw for a meeting she had scheduled for her upcoming book. I explained to her what was going on and that I was having what I thought were consistent contractions, but I wasn't sure. With Ivey, my water broke before I ever had contractions so I wasn't sure I would know what true labor felt like this time around. Nonna tried to explain how to time the contractions, but at that point I couldn't really tell where they started and stopped. I felt consistent cramps and light contractions with heavier peaks every 3 to 5 minutes. After timing the peaks for an hour or so, they were getting closer together. I tried laying down in the bed on my side, but was getting more and more uncomfortable. By 10:30 I decided things weren't slowing down and that I might need to go to the hospital for some IV fluids to see if it might stop what I thought was false labor due to dehydration.
Being the independent person that I am, I decided I could drive myself to the hospital for the IV fluids so Daddy could stay with your sister. I didn't want to bother Mamaw who was on call to come over and spend the night with Ivey, for what I thought was not real labor. (For the record, your dad did not want me to go alone, but I insisted.) I called my friend Brittany on the way to the hospital to talk to me while I drove. I laughed with her about the situation and then told her my contractions were really starting to get uncomfortable. Once I signed in at the hospital and they hooked me up to the monitors, the nurse checked me, and I was 4 centimeters and 80% effaced. My contractions were still every 2 to 5 minutes, and the nurse said I would have my baby in the next 24 hours! I quickly called your dad and Mamaw and got the troops moving. By the time I was admitted into the hospital, Nonna and Papaw had checked into their hotel room in Nashville. They decided to sleep a few hours and then head back to Memphis! Gi Gi and Papa left once I was admitted (their bags were already packed) and arrived some time in the middle of the night. It was all a bit of a blur throughout the night. I got an epidural and tried to rest. I was progressing well on my own and didn't have to have petocin through the night. By the next morning around 6 or 7 a.m. I was at about 7 centimeters. I stopped progressing at that point so they started petocin. Nonna and Papaw had gotten stuck in traffic from a wreck on the interstate and were trying their best to get to the hospital in time for your arrival. I am convinced my labor stopped progressing because your Nonna was praying she would make it in time! God listens to that lady!
Once they started petocin, I quickly progressed. Nonna and Papaw arrived in the nick of time, and I asked Nonna and Gi Gi to stay in the room with us for the delivery. They were so excited to be a part of it!
By 10:30 a.m. you made your appearance after pushing through about two contractions! You were born on the day I turned 37 weeks. The nurses laid you on my chest and, I was thrilled to be holding my sweet new baby girl. The nurses then weighed you and got your measurements. You were a little thing at 5 pounds 12 ounces and 19 inches long. You had a good bit of hair like your sister did.
After a little bit, the nurse told me she wanted to take you up to the nursery to monitor your breathing for an hour or so. You were moaning and your chest was contracting as you breathed in and out. She told me you probably needed a little more time to work up the fluids that were in your lungs. I was not excited to be separated from my sweet new baby but tried to be patient and knew we'd be reunited once they moved me to my new room.
After the two hour recovery period I was ready to go see you! When they took me up to the next floor, I was taken off guard when I saw a nurse pushing you down the hall. The nurse told me they had decided to take you to the NICU for further testing. At that point, I lost it! I had only held you for a minute and did not like being separated from my baby! The NICU was something I was not accustomed to, and it honestly scared me to death. They told me I could come see you in an hour or so. As soon as I knew I could, I wanted to go see you.
I wasn't totally prepared to see you hooked up to so many different things. They had you hooked up to a C-pap machine, an oxygen tube, and an IV. My mommy heart broke as I looked at you and knew there was nothing I could do to help you. We of course prayed that God would give the doctors wisdom as they ran tests and tried to discern exactly what was going on. I was so thankful that one of the NICU nurses working that day was GeorgiaAnne Haley from church. I remember crying and hugging her the second I saw her. I was just glad to see a familiar face! You had many people praying for you! The first day in the NICU was the hardest because we were not sure exactly what was going on with you and were simply waiting for test results and word from the doctors. A sweet friend from church sent me a verse of scripture that ended up being my prayer for you that night. It was such an encouragement to me! We prayed Isaiah 42:5-6 over you and trusted the Lord for your protection and healing. I went to sleep that night with perfect peace about what was ahead.
The next day, the doctors decided to give you a round of surfactant, which the nurses explained would basically help to lubricate your lungs so they wouldn't stick together when you breathed. Your little lungs were apparently not quite ready at 37 weeks to take on the outside world. I am so thankful for the amazing care you received in the NICU, and the first round of surfactant worked beautifully! By later that afternoon they were able to remove the C-pap machine, and I got to hold you!
Your oxygen levels were much better, and you seemed to be improving much quicker than anyone anticipated. Over the next few days, you were weaned from the IV and the nurses started feedings, first through a feeding tube, then eventually through a bottle. You did great with the feedings! As we know now, you definitely like to eat! ; ) On Wednesday night, the hospital discharged me, and I was so sad to leave you! Over the next few days I enjoyed the time with you undistracted, however. I loved kangaroo care and cuddling with my sweet new baby girl!
You had lots of visitors that week! Everyone thought you were so beautiful and were so happy you were doing so well!
Ivey got to see you for the first time through the window of the NICU. It was so special to see her excitement as she met "baby Rupy" for the first time!
After a week in the NICU, you were ready to come home! We were THRILLED to bring you home and to officially be a family of four!
I am not sure if anyone was more excited than Ivey was though!
Over the next few days, we thoroughly enjoyed being home as a newly expanded family. You were loved from the start!
Aunt Alli and Uncle Gentry drove down from Louisville and Alli took a few newborn photos for us.
My sweet friend Calli Smith took your official newborn photos when you were a little less than two weeks old.
Ruthie, the past year has been one of the best of my life because of the addition of you! You have been such a good baby, and your sweet smile lights up the room! I am so thankful God has allowed me to be your mom, and I count it as one of my life's greatest privileges! I love you more than you will ever know.
Love,
Mom
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