Rowan's Story

Okay, sorry this has taken so long, but here is Rowan's story. Dave and I got a call on Friday, January 7th that there was a birthmother due on 1/24 in Memphis, Tennessee and did we want our profile shared. Of course we said yes! We found out on Tuesday, 1/11/11 (lucky day,right?) that she liked us and wanted to have a conference call with us! It was such a neat experience, but I was nervous. What do you say to someone who is about to give you her child? It went well, and she told us that she had an appointment on January 18th for an amniocentesis. If everything was okay, they would deliver her on the 19th (a week early!) Dave and I both know that an amnio can cause labor, so we decided to fly in to Memphis on 1/17. It was a busy week getting ready (airline tickets, hotels, crib, carseat, etc.)
We went with the mom to her appointment on the 18th and they said she didn't have enough fluid for an amnio. The resident said to come back in a week ( I almost threw up), but luckily, after a few prayers, the doctor came in and asked just the right question: "Have you leaked any fluid lately?" Come to find out, she did leak fluid on Saturday, meaning her water was broken and she was going to have a C-section that day! Woohoo! We walked over to the hospital and she got ready for delivery!

After hours in the waiting room (Dave got asked for bus money twice by the same guy), she was finally ready. I was able to be in the OR with her for delivery, and Dave was brought back to the OR by the CRNA about 2 minutes after he was born. Rowan was born at 3:40pm via C-section. He came out kicking and screaming and I was crying the whole time. He weighted 6lbs 14 oz and was 18 1/4" long. Perfect!

We had quite a hard time dealing with the nursing staff at the hospital in order to see him. It was super hard for us, being in the medical field and knowing how other hospitals operate. After the papers were signed on 1/19, we had free access to him in the nursery, which was so wonderful. He was discharged on 1/20, a snowy day in Memphis (by snowy, I mean 1 inch and all of the schools were closed). This was the best day, as I was ready to get him out of the gross hospital with the mean nurses.

We spent the next 5 days in a hotel in Memphis, waiting for our ICPC paperwork to go through. This is a state to state contract that is required with adoption. My mom came down to visit and to spoil Rowan, Dave and I with wonderful clothes, gadgets, meals and hugs and kisses.

On Monday night, we returned to Idaho, and I cried when we touched down in Idaho Falls. There were so many steps that had to be taken in order for him to be ours, and each time we completed one, I breathed a sigh of relief. This was the final step. We were home.

The next morning, the kids came over to meet their brother, and they had no idea that he was coming. We have always talked about adopting, but after a false alarm in December, we decided not to tell them until we had the baby with us, in case of the birthmother changing her mind. Their reactions were the best! (see video) I never anticipated the fighting over who gets to hold him, who held him last, who fed him, etc. No one offers to change diapers though...hmmm.

He is such a wonderful baby and we know that he was the baby boy meant for OUR family. Everything worked out so smoothly, and we were blessed with the most wonderful baby boy. I never anticipated spending so much time with the birthmother in this process, but we were lucky to have such a wonderful, loving, mature young girl who was willing to give Rowan a chance at a great life.

Now I know why new mothers take so many pictures. I try to capture his every "first." And no one would ever know that I have been a NICU nurse for 5 years....I checked his breathing about every 30 minutes the first night home. We are working through his day/night mix up, but I love being able to cuddle him in his rocking chair at night and stare at those big brown eyes.
We are the luckiest family ever!