Jereiah 29:11

Hey guys...I am finally on here to post myself! It's been a whirlwind the last few days and I so appreciate Hailey posting on my behalf. She is the best friend a girl could ask for and I just love her. Last June she was posting for me after my ankle surgery so I think that we may just hibernate for the entire month next year!

I can honestly say that this has been the most exhasuting day of my life. If you told me a few months ago that I would have a child at Egleston's I would have looked at you like you were crazy. I had a perfect pregnancy and took for granted that we would have a normal delivery and be home with our girl in a couple days. On Friday night as we were headed to the hospital I made Scotlon take a picture of me going out the door (I actually made him take a few). I am grinning like an idiot and holding my belly because the next contraction had just started. I look back on those now and wish that I could go back and capture that light-hearted feeling for just a second. Tonight, I would settle for anything lighter than what I'm feeling now.

Alaina was transfered to the NICU at Egleston's tonight. Scotlon rode down there to meet the team and make sure that she got settled in okay. I just spoke to him and she is all tucked in with her new doctors and nurses. For the next 24 hours they plan on trying to just keep her stable and let her rest since she's been through a lot today. If all goes well tomorrow (or later today technically) they will discharge me from the hospital and I will be able to go down and see her. There are so many different variables that are playing a part in her health right now. For the next couple of days we are trying to get her well enough that she doesn't have to go on the ECMO machine. There's only a short window that they can introduce the ECMO though so they may have to just so she doesn't miss that window. It's so much information to take in and we're still trying to process everything.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. I am speechless at the number of people that are lifting up our sweet girl. Scotlon and I are overwhelmed and incredibly blessed by all of you. Please continue to pray for healing for Alaina and for strength & peace for us. We know that He has a plan and we will continue to follow Him faithfully.

Jeremiah 29:11~For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Sweet Jesus, I ask that you put your healing touch on our baby girl. You are the Ultimate Physician and there is no docotor on this earth who can heal her the way that you can. Touch her with your hands and let her feel nothing but love pouring over her. We are placing her life in your hands, Lord.

Love,
Stephanie

Update on Alaina

I just spoke with Stephanie, & Alaina is moving from North Georgia Medical Center to Egleston Children's Hospital. Alaina has continued to be in stable condition since my last update, but her precious doctor feels that she will receive better care with his mentor in Atlanta.

Please be in prayer for the Angel Team from Egleston who are en route to fly Alaina to Atlanta, as well as the medical team that will be responsible for her care until she is able to come home with her Mommy & Daddy where she belongs.

We love you so much baby girl, please don't stop fighting.
Aunt Hailey

Update on Alaina

Michael, Hannah & I have just returned home from visiting Stephanie & Scotlon at the hospital. Alaina is stable for this very moment, but she is still a very, very sick little girl in desperate need of our diligent prayers.

Please continue to pray for her & her sweet Mommy & Daddy.

Many blessings for your kindness,
Hailey

Urgent Update on Alaina

I just spoke with Stephanie & Scotlon. Alaina's blood pressure is bottoming out. She is receiving an immediate blood transfusion in hopes that the extra blood with help stabilize her, but if this does not work, Alaina will be transported to Egleston Children's Hospital in Atlanta this evening.

Please, please pray for our sweet little girl's healing.

With much gratitude,
Hailey

Alaina Kristine Hughes

This is Stephanie's friend, Hailey. Stephanie asked if I would post a short update about Alaina's birth. I will not go into grave detail, because I am sure that once Stephanie regains her strength, she would love to share the entire birth story in her own words.

Alaina Kristine was born Saturday morning at 8:07 via emergency c-section because after laboring for several hours, her heartbeat kept fading from the fetal monitors. After she was born, the doctor found that she had been living in a severely significant amount of meconium for about a week. Apparently Stephanie's placenta had aged prematurely, causing Alaina a great deal of stress. The lack of amniotic fluid & oxygen in the placenta triggered Alaina's premature bowel movement, releasing the meconium. The doctor was able to remove a large amount of the meconium from Alaina's lungs, but the remainder of it is preventing her from breathing properly & has to be dissipated by her body. She is making small improvements, but she still has a long road of healing ahead of her. Fortunately, every report that we have received from her doctor since early Sunday morning has been encouraging.

Stephanie is doing well. I can not imagine the torment that she & Scotlon are facing. Alaina is in a zero-stimulus environment in the NICU where they are not allowed to hold her, touch her, or even speak to her. Thankfully, Scotlon was able to touch & visit with his daughter immediately after she was born. Stephanie was able to touch & visit with her daughter only minutes before she was taken to her postpartum room to recover.

Thank you for your prayers. I know that Stephanie & Scotlon are both extremely appreciative of every prayer, every thought & every kind word of encouragement. Please continue to pray for Alaina's & Stephanie's complete & speedy healing, as well as peace & wisdom for Stephanie & Scotlon during this terrifying time.

With much gratitude,

Hailey

Baby Bump

For those that have complained because there are no pregnant pictures of me, here you go! These are from the shower that Hailey through me a few weeks ago. I promise that we didn't all plan to match ahead of time:)

Report

SOOOO...nothing new to report! I went for my weekly appointment yesterday afternoon and there's been no change. I go back next Monday if I haven't had her before then. However, I am praying with everything I have in me that she comes before then. Before you start thinking it's just because I'm 47 months pregnant and every woman feels that way, I can assure you that I have two very good reasons:

1.) My hand-picked, fabulous, calm in every situation, nurse leaves for vacation to Cabo San Lucas on Sunday morning.

2.) One of my dearest friends is moving several states away on Tuesday. I would really love it if Alaina could meet her before she goes!

So, if you would join us in praying that our sweet girl will make her appearance in the next few days, we would really appreciate it!!!

Pampering

While I wish that I had something more interesting to report this morning, I am still pregnant and trucking along! There is no doubt that she is my daughter and determined to do things in her own time. However, as long as there's air conditioning I'm happy to house her until she's ready to come out!

This weekend was just about the most perfect weekend a girl could ask for. My wonderful friend Nina planned a surprise day of pampering for me on Saturday! We went and had lunch and then she took me for a wonderfully relaxing prenatal massage. Girls, I'm telling you this is the way to go. Seriously, beg, borrow or steal to find a way to get one (or more!) while you're pregnant.
After that we went to the mall and shopped, splurged on a couple of pieces of Godiva chocolate, had dinner at Macaroni Grill and headed home for the evening. Saturday night, Scotlon & I headed to a birthday celebration where the cake was an oh-so-creamy homemade cheesecake.

Hmmm...there's a distinct possibility that Alaina is staying put for good reason. After all that fabulous food, can you blame her???

Work Shower

As promised, here are some of the pictures from the shower I had at work a couple of weeks ago. The girls I work with did such an awesome job! As soon as I get the ones from Hailey's shower I will get those up as well.

As far as Alaina goes...we're ready anytime! I'm still not dilated at all but am now 70% effaced so I'm slowly moving in the right direction. We think it would be really cool if she was born this weekend since it's Fathers Day, so if you wanted to send prayers that direction, it wouldn't hurt my feelings any. ;)

Hope that you all have a great weekend!

Wonderful Weekend

This weekend was absolutely wonderful...uneventful, but wonderful! We got together with some good friends to celebrate a birthday, slept late, enjoyed some time at the pool and just took it easy. Yesterday afternoon we wandered the outlets and bought some cute things for our girl. We're trying so hard not to buy everything we see, but Carters was having a sale. It's hard to say no when everything at the already discounted outlet is even cheaper!

Mom Norton (Hailey's mama) came over last night to work on the nursery and we had a lot of fun painting together. She's doing a super cute border around the room that I can not wait to post pictures of. She is so talented and I love that Alaina is going to have a nursery that's unlike any other! Now if she would just get here so she could see it...

On that note, nothing new to report. We're down to only 12 days and I am SO ready for baby girl to get here. I'm doing everything that people tell you to scoot her along, walking, hanging out on my yoga ball, eating spicy foods, etc. Scotlon is really crossing his fingers that she's born on Fathers Day (6/21) which is next Sunday. Since there's supposed to be a full moon that day he may be on to something...I go back to the doctor on Wednesday afternoon so maybe I'll have something more to report then!

Blog Slacker & Random Update

So...I've been away from my blog for over a month now. I swear I just posted the other day, but time has started moving faster and faster as we approach D-Day! None the less, I am here now with a random update on what's been happening lately.

~I am 37w3d pregnant which means we only have 18 more days if Alaina comes on her due date. Does that seem really close to anyone else??? However, as of my last doctors appointment she appears quite content to hang out in the home that I've made her so that number may or may not be accurate! I go back weekly now though and promise to try to do better on the updates.

~Our house has become an explosion of all things pink and baby. My cats are terrified by all the new noise makers in the house...if they only knew what was up ahead! They can smell change coming though...we've been trying to give them extra love and attention so that they will bond with Alaina when she gets here. Worst case scenario, we'll just sprinkle cat nip all around her and they're sure to love her, right?

~I've had two baby showers and am working on trying to get the pictures from them so I can put them up. Both of them were absolutely wonderful and I can not believe how sweet and generous people are! We only have a couple of things left to get and we're finished.

~There is officially no way to walk without waddling now. I look like one of those Weebles-Wobble that I used to play with as a kid. Unlike the toy, I will fall down if you barely bump into me though...my balance is gone!

That's all for now folks! Hope that you have a great day!