Nine years ago today I was calling my little sister to the house to take care of Maile because it was time for me to have another baby.
She sat in the kitchen talking to Pat and when she said, “where is Kathy anyway?” I popped up from the staircase and said, “Right here! Sorry…was having a…contraction…hold on…”
And from there we jetted to the hospital.
I wrote extensively about what happened at the hospital with Laina back in my early blogging days. And when I say extensively I mean I think it was a 3 or 4 part SERIES.
Things didn’t go as planned. I wound up having an emergency c-section and after that I hemorrhaged. My poor mother and sister were in the room with me when I lost oxygen and began gasping for breath. It was crazy chaotic.
Everyone was escorted away and I was wheeled back into the operation room for six hours while they essentially saved my life.
I spent that night alone and incredibly sick in the ICU and just as as disappointed to be missing out on everything my little baby was doing in the other wing of the hospital.
I worried that spending time away from me might somehow damage her for life. You hear how crucial those first few hours are to bond with your baby.
I’m happy to report, nine years later that it is possible to raise a perfectly beautiful and happy human being regardless of how traumatic her entry into the world might have been.
I have a little girl who still insists on climbing into my lap for hugs and when I ask her what it was like to be raised by her father and hospital nurses while I was away that first night of her life, she shockingly has no recollection of it at all.
At nine she’s just as obsessed with animals as she was at one. She wants to train elephants and live with her best friend Erica on a ranch when she grows up. Her favorite color is purple. She hoards everything anyone has ever given her. She hates hot dogs, but loves spam musubi. And she floats seamlessly between her older sister and little brother, playing easily with each and uniting them all.
The world is a better place because of humans like Laina.
Happy Birthday Laina!
You turned three.
You turned four.
You turned five.
You turned six.
You turned seven.
You turned eight.
Leilani says
What a sweet tribute to your beautiful daughter! I think I might be pmsing but I kind of cried a little. Mostly because now I’m thinking about my baby girl who is one but will one day be nine. And I feel like it’s going to happen too soon. I wish I could slow down time. Anyway, I so enjoy your blog :)
Gigi says
Happy, happy birthday to your beautiful girl! We definitely need more people like her in the world.
Stacey says
Happy birthday! Nine is a big year :)
Katherine says
What a beautiful birthday post for your daughter. It’s amazing how despite all our worries, our children end up being just amazing all on their own.
Betsy says
Happy birthday to her! And sounds like a crazy story.
Andrea says
It’s amazing how such a traumatic beginning could produce such a sweet soul. Happy (belated) Birthday Laina. xo