Dear Phoebe,
Your brith story is quite different from your sister's. Throughout my pregnancy with you, I went back and forth about whether to try to recreate your birth story in the eyes of Skylar's...mainly would we bike to the hospital this time? If so, how could we make the trip similar and different. We planned for you to be born at the Mother Baby Center at Abbott Northwestern, the hospital where I was born, coincidently. It's only 2 miles away so a bike ride was simultaneously much easier to think of doing and not as big of an adventure. Well turns out, that's not the adventure you wanted!
First you were scheduled to arrive on October 11, 2017, 2 days after Grandpa Tom and Grandma Sue were scheduled to arrive back from Greece. Then you were scheduled to arrive on October 4 due to a misplaced placenta. Then you were scheduled to arrive on October 2 due to a schedule conflict at the Hospital. In the end, you didn't want any of those dates.
On February 6, we went to Denver, got you out of the freezer and crossed our fingers. I found out I was pregnant with you on February 15. We were so happy and so terrified.
Once I was cleared to exercise, I jumped on my bike and we started riding to work. Later that spring, I bought a burley and added Skylar to our daily commute. I added yoga, circuit training and boot camp to the mix shortly after that.
At my 20 week scan, they told me that I had placenta previa which could mean a change in plans along the way. I never worried about it and we continued on our way. The doctor said you were doing great BTW.
We waited patiently for you to arrive. We went on an awesome trip to Cape Cod and I did a lot of comparing my belly with you to my belly with Skylar.
While playing with Skylar in late August, I started bleeding. It was no big deal but it meant an end to our exercising. It was kind of a bummer but as the days ticked by and you continued to do just fine inside, I gradually worked some things back in. We did yoga a few more times and I had my last ride to work with just you on Thursday, September 21 at 35 weeks and 1 day pregnant.
On Friday, September 22 I went to the hospital to be monitored for bleeding again. They sent me home saying it was no big deal. On Sunday September 24, we went to an apple orchard. It was 90 degrees. We had fun and managed to get a really great picture of the three us.
That night, just as we were getting ready to go to Grandpa Greg and Grandma Pats for dinner, I started bleeding a little bit. We hemmed and hawed and finally decided that I should go the hospital and Dad and Skylar should go to dinner. They dropped me off thinking I would have to stay in the hospital until your scheduled delivery date 8 days later. After talking to Dr Wilcox about the plan, she did an exam and told me my water had broken and that you would be coming 8 hours later.
Fun fact: I decided to eat right before leaving for the hospital...tomatoes, carrots, and green beans from Daddy's garden.
While Daddy and I waited, I texted everyone I knew to let them know you were coming. At midnight, the medical staff came to get us ready. You were born at 1:40 am on September 25, 2017. 6 lbs 3 oz 19.5 inches long. Happy and healthy!
You spent the next week in the special care nursery so you could learn how to eat. Because you were born at 35 weeks and 5 days, you needed a little extra help. The next day, Skylar came to meet you and we then let everyone know that your name would be Phoebe Rose Schaffner. Phoebe was a name that both your dad and I liked and Rose is Tutie's mother's name, your great great grandmother.
On Monday October 2, you were ready to come home!