Lees Est. 2007: March 2010

Giuliana wanted to come into the world on her own terms! I was scheduled to have a c-section on Monday March 22nd. At about 5:30 a.m. on Sunday March 21st, I started to have contractions. After about 3 hours, I told Joe it was time to go to the hospital. By the time we got there, my contractions were about a minute and a half apart. It went pretty quickly. Giuliana Payton was born via c-section at 12:10 p.m. She was 8 lbs 14 oz and 19 1/2 inches long! Joe was able to see her and take a few pictures, but the neonatologist said he was concerned because Giuliana has an enlarged tongue and she was having trouble breathing. He came and told me he did not feel comfortable with her going to the nursery, and he was sending her down to the NICU. I got to kiss her and she was whisked away.

With everything going on, I really didn't process what that meant. I thought she was just going to the NICU to get checked out and would be in my room with us. It really hit me when I was in recovery, and I could hear the other woman's baby crying in her arms, and ours was in intensive care. Nobody would really tell us anything, and if they did, they were very vague.

Finally after 3-4 hours, Joe and my parents were able to see her. Only the parents and grandparents were allowed in the NICU. I physically was unable to get out of bed, so I couldn't go down. It was the hardest thing in my life to lay there unable to move and not know what is happening to our little girl. Joe and my parents were able to hold Giuliana, but she was connected to monitors, she had an IV, and a feeding tube. Finally, the next day I was able to go down to the NICU and hold her.

The entire week is pretty much a blur. Slowly she came off the wires and tubes and she was strong enough for us to bring her home. We still do not know what, if there is anything wrong with her. They have been running a bunch of tests, but it will be 2-3 weeks before we get any kind of answers about her future. We know we have to take her to specialists, but hopefully we will find out more after we visit her pediatrician. I was discharged on Thursday, and we were blessed to be able to bring Giuliana home on Friday afternoon.

I can't wait for you all to meet her. She is such an angel. I hope you enjoy the pictures, and if you are the praying type, please keep our little Giuliana in your prayers.

Joe holding Giuliana for the first time