I had scheduled a c-section for September 12th, but the last few weeks of pregnancy, she had been measuring extra large and I had to keep track of my blood sugars because they worried that I had developed gestational diabetes. At my last ultrasound she was measuring 10 pounds. And although, at that appointment, we decided to keep her in until the 12th, my OB called the next day and said that she had spoken with the specialist once again and, together, they decided that it would be best to take her early. I was a mix of emotions, but trusted in their decision and started making phone calls to arrange babysitters. Shannon and her girls dropped everything to take the kids, Grandma Jerrie said they could spend the night, and my mom changed her flight to come out to PA earlier than originally planned.
Conner barely made it home in time for us to get to the hospital, but we were quickly on our way. And then, I burst into tears. Although I was excited for this MUCH anticipated baby (and probably more so, so have the pregnancy over) I was more fearful than I had been in past deliveries. As we watched the kids wave goodbye in the driveway as we pulled away, I just realized there’s a lot more waiting for me at home this time. I prayed to Heavenly Father that I would be safe, and Conner was able to give me a priesthood blessing before I was taken back for surgery. This definitely calmed my nerves and by the time they took us to the operating room, I felt so ready.
Claire was born at 7:01 pm, weighing in at a healthy 9 pounds 7 ounces. Everyone in the room was impressed. She was beautiful, and so perfect. Her hair was so dark, her eyes so blue and lashes so long, and her eyebrows! My mom would say "Women would kill for eyebrows like those!" Once she was in Conner's arms, I wasn't sure he would ever let her go. I kept asking him to bring her closer to me and as soon as I touched her soft little cheek, he pulled her away and told me that she just needs her Daddy. So much for him wanting another boy!
I had to spend a few hours in recovery before they would give us a room. Conner fell asleep (sitting upright in a hard-backed chair) in no time, while I enjoyed the evening holding our precious baby. The nurse and I were chatting when I looked down to see that Claire's face had turned blue. The nurse quickly rubbed Claire's chest and we were relieved when she took a breath. We did, however, have the pediatrician come assess her, to which they quickly dismissed it as anything concerning. I, on the other hand, stayed awake all night-just to watch her chest rise and fall. There was not another episode as severe, but she did have a handful of moments that made me nervous. The pediatrician the next day said she could have had a mucus plug that needed clearing, but that I shouldn't be worried from here on out. I took that advice with a grain of salt, but she proved to get better and better as the days went on.
The morning after her arrival, Grandma, McCrae, Hannah and Heidi all came to see the baby. McCrae was SO proud, Hannah was sweet, and Heidi was excited. They were all so cute meeting their new baby sister. They had waited so long to meet her. After about 30 minutes, our family of 6 began to feel a bit overwhelming and Conner took the kids home for a nap. My mom called to tell me her connecting flight had been cancelled and she would have to find another way to PA. Luckily, she was able to make it that same day and arrived that evening. We were all so glad to see her. Conner was happy to have her relieve him of his hospital duties and my mom ended up staying the second and third nights. I was surprised at how much help I needed while in the hospital. I think I had just forgotten how incredibly painful recovering from a c-section was. I'm glad to say, about 10 days later, I felt relatively normal again, but I was so happy to have all the help I did.
Once home, everything was a bit more chaotic with everyone trying to figure out their new roles in the family. My mom stayed for 2 weeks which was so helpful, but the kids were out of whack, I was still recovering, and Conner felt that he, too, had to stay home to help with the kids. I knew we would eventually figure it out, but it was an exhausting few weeks.
Claire took the first few weeks in stride. She was an excellent nurser from the get-go. I had a hard time producing enough milk and was soon supplementing, but she was my best nurser by far. She made everything as easy on me as she could. She slept well, only fussed when she was hungry or poopy, and didn't get upset when the kids ran through the house, jumped down the stairs, argued, growled, or cried.
My dad decided to book a last-minute flight to come see the new babe. With my Dad coming, I realized that we would have all of Claire's grandparents here at the same time. I wasn't sure if, or when that would ever happen again. SO...I jumped on Amazon and ordered a handful of dresses, and that next Sunday we blessed her at Shannon's home. It was so special just having our close family and friends there. Conner thanked everyone for coming and gave me the opportunity to bear my testimony. I was overcome with emotion. After months of emotional and physical pains this pregnancy brought, it was time to bless our perfect baby and thank our Heavenly Father for her safe arrival. I think it was the first time I truly reflected on the miracle of it all. Its ALWAYS a miracle. But after fighting infertility with the other three, I truly couldn't believe I had another baby come so unexpectedly, and my heart was going to burst with gratitude to my Heavenly Father. He truly knows our needs more than we do. I'm not sure I could ever adequately express my love and gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the blessing of each one of my children. Surrounded by men that we love, Conner then gave her the most beautiful blessing:
"Our Dear Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power and authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, we give this baby a name and a blessing. And we name this baby Claire Nielsen. And Claire, I bless you at this time with a healthy body, with a strong mind, and a heart that knows and understands that Heavenly Father loves you. I bless you that you will always know that your parents love you, and your siblings love you. And you have a tremendous support system to bear you up in your trials, and to help you at all times. I bless you with faith in Jesus Christ. I bless you that you will turn to Him when you need help, and have faith that He can help you. I bless you with a desire to follow the prophet and seek to do all you can to follow his guidance and apply it to your life. I bless you with an appreciation and understanding of who you are as a daughter of God. I bless you with an appreciation of your gender and a willingness to follow the Savior in your divine role as a mother and a woman. I bless you with confidence in your abilities, and your decision making, and in your trust in our Savior. I bless you to be a peacemaker: a person who is gentle and kind and sweet and who can help others feel those same feelings that come from our Heavenly Father. I bless you with the ability to feel the Spirit, and understand how he speaks to you. And Claire we love you, our Heavenly Father loves you. And we give you this blessing in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
Before we knew it, one month had passed. Our nine pounder was now a 12 pounder! I just keep trying to tell myself that she's just as small and new as she was the day she came. She really has brought such a tender spirit to our home. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed with our life of small children, I just sit on the couch and snuggle her. So, I do a lot of snuggling! We really are so lucky to have her...to have ALL of them.
