My Green Family. ramblings of one family's journey to green living

It’s hard to believe a year has passed since Maya joined our family. Her birth was supposed to be much less dramatic than her brother’s. With Tristan I was in labour for almost 3 days and it ended in a c-section. Maya was breech and we had a scheduled section. Boy did she have a different plan. Four days before the section I started spotting. We went into triage and they discovered I had a placental abruption; the placenta was breaking off of my uterus, which can be life threatening both to mom and babe. Mine was minor though. But my Dr. decided to keep me at the hospital and moved up the section date. Of course everyone had planned on being at the hospital for August 1 and we had family coming to take care of Tristan. So at the last minute we had to scramble to get someone to watch Tristan while Odum got me all settled in at the hospital and then call his mom to see if she could come from Sudbury a day early. Luckily she was able to.

So the day of the section came and I was so nervous. Being awake during surgery is such a weird thing. To make matters worse I ended sitting on the operating table for almost an hour waiting for my OB/GYN, as usual. Let me tell you how nerve wracking it is to be looking at all the instruments they are going to use to open you up! So finally the Dr gets there and then proceeds to have a power struggle with the anesthesiologist. He didn’t want to give me the spinal until she came in and she wouldn’t come in until I was frozen. All I could think was, seriously people just get this kid out of me!

I was very sick throughout my whole pregnancy with Maya: all day sickness for most of the pregnancy, heart burn that made me throw up and acid reflux. So it was only fitting that I threw up one last time. There was something about the spinal that didn’t sit well with me and I threw up big time while they where operating. Throwing up when you’re on your back is gross! Thank goodness for Odum, he held the bowl for me and cleaned my hair, now that’s love. When they finally pulled her out I was so excited and emotional. I was so excited she was a girl; I think every mother looks forward to that mother daughter relationship. And I got to hold her right away, with Tristan I was shaking so bad I couldn’t hold him until about an hour after he was born. It was pure bliss to look into those beautiful eyes. All I remember thinking was, oh its you, like I knew her all along. And she was so tiny 5lbs 14oz, I was afraid they wouldn’t let me keep her with me because she was so small. We named her Maya Ada Kay. Maya means princess, Ada is a Nigerian name to honour Odum’s Nigerian heritage, and Kay is for my grandmother. Her name was Kathleen but everyone called her Kay. She was one of the best women I have ever known. I love her name and it suits her.

Even though she’s only been here a short time I can’t imagine my life without my daughter. She is the most beautiful baby (besides Tristan) I’ve ever seen. She is my sunshine, she always has a smile on her face and is so precocious. She is a daddy’s girl through and through and has had Odum around her little finger since birth. She loves Tristan so much and is always trying to keep up with him. And she never gives up on him, he’ll push her and she’ll go back for more. I feel so lucky to be her mother and able watch her grow into the beautiful woman I have now doubt she’ll become. Happy Birthday my princess.