Jenna is finally here!

Well, I keep hearing from everyone... we now have the "million dollar family"!! A wonderful son, and now a beautiful daughter too! I am so excited that my baby girl is finally here!

This was a very different experience than having Colby... walking into the hospital with no labour pains or anything and being prepared for my scheduled cesarean section last Monday morning was very strange! I had fantastic care at the Misericordia Hospital - from the OR nurses, anesthetist (sp?), and postpartum nurses. Jenna Ann Cameron arrived at 9:39 am on Monday, September 21st weighing 6 lbs. 11 oz. and 19 3/4" long. She is absolutely beautiful! Jenna looks a lot like Colby did when he was born (although more feminine and a pound lighter)! Everything went fine with the c-section, but the recovery is going to be a long road!! Now that I've had both a natural delivery and a c-section delivery, I'm often asked which is better! At first, I couldn't decide, but I've definitely decided that I'd like a natural birth any day over the surgery. I cannot lift more than Jenna for 6 weeks, can't drive for 2 weeks, and it was greatly stressed for me to take it easy and not overdo it. For those of you who really know me, this is a bit difficult for me.....!!! I'm feeling a bit better everyday, but just wish I was more useful around the house!! Thank goodness for my wonderful husband and family members helping out!!

Colby is doing quite well with Jenna. He did very well with my mom! She had no problems with him at all, which made things much less stressful for us. I was worried about how he would do with the major changes and coming to visit Mommy in the hospital for a few days. He seemed to be really excited once he found out that Jenna and I were coming home on Wednesday (a day earlier than I should have been discharged... I just wanted to come home and not be in the hospital anymore!) He wants to hug and kiss her and he completely makes my heart melt when he says, "I love you, Jenna!" Awww..... :) I am the luckiest mom!!

As I mentioned, Jenna and I were discharged on Wednesday morning. The health nurse came on Thursday morning and mentioned that she looked quite jaundice. We had been quite concerned because we were having a really hard time waking her up to eat, she would sleep all the time, and wasn't interested in eating at all. They tested her bilirubin level (cause of jaundice) and it was over 300. Dr. Currie wanted her admitted to the Stony Plain Hospital for Photo Therapy to treat the jaundice and bring her levels down. It was pretty scary, but I knew it was f0r the best and would quickly help her become less jaundice, more alert, and interested in eating. I stayed at the hospital with her overnight and they tested it again in the morning. With a visit from Dr. Currie and a level of 197, everything was fine and we were able to come home (again!). She has been doing much better since then and has been eating like crazy to catch up! She's putting weight back on too, which is good, as she had lost quite a bit at first. When we left the Stony Plain Hospital, she weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. We'll see how much she weighs at her 9 day check-up on Wednesday afternoon!

We are thrilled with our new addition and I'm loving being a mom of two beautiful children! Thank you to everyone for your well wishes, offers of help, and visits! We love having such great family and friends around!

Love,
Gerry, Lesley, Colby, and Jenna xoxo