Baby Taylor's Debut!

OK, I have been SOOOOOO excited for Gina and Kevin to have their baby!  They did NOT find out the sex and it was due on Christmas Eve!!  That day came and went and we all agreed we would be happy if it waited until the 26th so we could enjoy Christmas together.  We didn't know it but after Bonefish Gina was having mild contractions through the night.  All morning while we were opening presents she was having them but she didn't tell us!  About 10 when we were taking a break she said- "Rach, what do they feel like, like I need to go to the bathroom?"  I told her yes, but I didn't know she was HAVING them I thought she was just asking.  I gave her and Kevin a video of their wedding and we were waiting for them to come up from downstairs to watch it.  It was taking a while, and finally they came up... but Gina was in tears!  She told us she was having contractions and they felt close together and she was scared.  We were THRILLED and assured her she was going to do great and there was nothing to be scared about.  We timed her contractions and they were about 5-10 minutes apart!

They went home and rested for a while.  About 4 when we were at my Gramma and Grampas we got the call that she had checked into the hospital.  We went to Jack and Judy's for a bit- but then headed down to the hospital with Brady in tow.  At that point she had had her epidural (which didn't work :( ) and was about 7 cm.  

The rest of the time was a blur, I was honestly so excited!  After Mary came out and said she was pushing I started praying.  I knew she was in pain and I hated that so much for her.  I was really surprised that Kevin was doing so well (Ya'll he threw up the first time he felt the baby kick- he does NOT like blood etc)  As time went on I started getting really nervous.  We had not heard anything for a few hours and they weren't responding to texts.  I got up to go to the bathroom and as I was walking back I saw 2 or 3 nurses rushing with a baby in a NICU bed with a top on it and Kevin right behind it.  My heart dropped literally to the floor.  I froze and as they rounded the corner out of sight, Kevin's dad caught a glimpse of Kevin who gave him a half smile.  Mark thought it was a good sign that Kevin smiled, but I knew what I had saw and I was the only one.  I was SICK.  I couldn't even talk.  Glen noticed and asked if I was ok and all I could say was that I was very worried.  I didn't want to be the one to tell everyone something was wrong when I wasn't POSITIVE something was.  I just knew.

It was about 25 minutes later and Kevin came out and you could see how distraught he was.  Tears were welling up and not the good kind.  We knew this was out of the ordinary because Gina and Kevin wanted to tell us the sex together.  All he could say before he broke into tears was "He's really struggling.... He is having trouble breathing"  Honestly I can't remember anything else.  Greg and Mary rushed back to Gina, Kevin's family huddled around him and consoled him and I sat on the couch with Glen I think with my hand on his arm or something.  He was beside himself, and rightfully so.  I remember him saying "This can't happen again...." and I was thinking the same thing.  My mind immediately went into overdrive and tried to think of what we needed to do.  We needed to find Jack and talk to his doctor immediately to get some news.  

This was where Northside (YES THE BABY FACTORY) totally dropped the ball.  I am NOT one to complain about much, no seriously, but that night the communication was the worst thing I have ever seen.  Kevin joked that we got the "Christmas rejects" but there was NO reason for how poorly the whole situation was handled.  NO ONE communicated anything to us.  NO ONE let us know what was going on.  At one point they moved him and we didn't even know where he was.  It was the worst 3 hours of my life.  THREE HOURS with very little information and all you could do was see him behind a tiny window struggling to breathe.  I can't even put it into words.  Once we got the news that he was slowly coming off oxygen and that he had an IV for antibiotics we headed home.  We weren't able to visit them that day but we came back on the 27th baring Carrabbas :) We were able to see him, but not hold him in the NICU.  He came home with Gina and Kevin 2 days later.

I am so proud of my sister.  The past ten months she was SICK and stressed but she did so well.  She has been a wonderful mother to Jack and I can't wait to see her in the future.  Kevin is also a fantastic dad (and uncle!!) AND husband.  I have been so impressed with him.  I feel so lucky to have them as my family!

OK I know ya'll LOVE pictures- so you have to watch THIS MOVIE!!!