Kennedy’s Story

I’ve shared before, but Kennedy’s pregnancy was the hardest I’ve experienced. Obviously every second was worth the struggle, but talk about a hard season. I was hospitalized at 6 weeks for hyperemisis, which basically means I threw up A LOT. I stayed in the hospital for 3 months, seeing my sweet boys only once a day, knowing that my husband was carrying the load of parenting, and working full time. He is my HERO!

Then when all seemed well, my water broke in the middle of a Home Depot aisle at 30 weeks. If you’ve ever experienced your water breaking, you know that there is that moment where you question whether or not your water really broke, or if maybe you just peed yourself (mom truth).

My husband was at drill that weekend, so I was alone with my two toddler boys, one of which decided it would be a good idea to throw a fit in the middle of the aisle while trying to convince him to go to the bathroom with me.

After convincing myself I had probably peed, I finished shopping. Seriously. I walked through Home Depot, paid and loaded my car. I had a couple nice gentlemen help me load my 10 bags of soil (to make our veggie garden) when my water completely broke. Yup, in front of the nice men. The crazy part.. I didn’t even acknowledge it. I just thanked them, calmly got into the car and proceeded to call my husband and head to the hospital. I am sure they still have nightmares about it.

Looking back I probably shouldn’t have driven myself to the hospital, but hey. You do what you have to do right?!

After being admitted and tested and confirmed that my water broke, they proceeded to tell me I would be staying until l had baby, but that they wanted her to stay “in there” as long as possible.

This was so hard for me to hear. Another hospital stay seemed like the worst thing that could ever happen. I had to say goodbye to my boys, who still had previous trauma from my last stay. I had to let go of all expectations of shower celebrations and maternity pictures, and had to focus on my little girl and her best interest.

I had the NICU doctors come in and talk to me and give me the news that no matter what she would be a “NICU” baby. This is one of the those things that you think happen to other people… but “not me”. Acknowledging that she would need support that could not come from me was so hard. One week later I woke up and knew it was the day. I had pains in my stomach and just felt like she would be coming at some point.

So much happened between then and her birth, but basically they waited all day while monitoring my contractions to progress naturally. They knew I would be having a C section because of my first two C section births. They couldn’t check me for dilation because of infection, so I had to go through all of labor, even though I would have surgery at the end of it all. They  gave me magnesium to help brain development. If you have ever had magnesium you know its not fun. You feel like you’re in a sauna, irritable and it makes your arm feel like needles being pushed through your skin, but I pushed through it all. The whole time I just focused on her.

That evening sweet Kennedy entered this world. The first thing her daddy said was “babe, she has SOOOO much hair”. Our others were baldies, so she looked so much different. When our boys finally got hair, it was blonde like mamas. She came out with a full head of dark hair. I even thought at one point, “no way she is my baby”. But she is the spitting image of him. Nothing could make my heart happier. Who knew a girl version of him who be so cute?

Kennedy spent the next 30 days in the NICU, but she had absolutely no complications. She is a complete miracle baby. She had a feeding tube because she was too young to know how to suck. Other than that, she breathed on her own, and met every milestone on time.  The day she came home to us will be one I never forget. Her brothers are obsessed to say the least, and I know will be her greatest protectors.

Walking through that season was so hard, but I look at her every day and think of how lucky I am to have her, and to have the healthy kids I do. I appreciate her and every milestone so much more. I wake up, up to 6 times a night still, but cant help but think of how lucky we are. Perspective.  God is so good  and how blessed we are to have him carry us through. She was so perfectly woven and created. Happy 9 months sweet Kennedy. We love you so.