Our Bundle of JOY!

Tenna Mae Shumway

Monday night September 19 I had so many emotions going through me I couldn't hardly breath. Matt and my Dad gave me an amazing priesthood blessing and I KNOW that it helped. Matt and I went to bed that night knowing that in the morning we would be meeting our daughter. It was amazing to me to listen to the words of that tender blessing, and then see them in action the next morning.

We were to be at the hospital by 8:15 A.M to be prepped for a C-Section. Janice came so she could get Dylan to school and taken care of for the day. We got to the hospital checked in and hooked up in good time. I had such a peace that morning that I hadn't had for a...well a long time. I just felt and really knew that everything was going to go smooth and Tenna (which still didn't have a name at this point) was going to be healthy and everything was going to be a-okay!

11:17 a.m. September 20, 2011 we greeted our beautiful baby girl! She weighed in at 6 pounds 10 oz. This time around was so different from Dylan. MUCH better might I add.. but as I looked over as the Dr handed my baby to a nurse I was in awe, I was kinda thinking what the heck.. the techs at McKay Dee told us she had hair, and as I stared at her, this bald as papa baby.. I couldn't help but think.. what, wait, my baby has hair.. she was bald and beautiful!! I can't even put into words the feeling that came over me when I saw her. She was PERFECT!! They say a cleft is a birth defect.. but to us there was nothing "defective" about it. I was relieved she was breathing, and SCREAMING.

Baby girl and Daddy left the operating room and chilled in the NICU for a couple hours while I was rolled into recovery. The ride got the best of me and I spent a good couple moments puking my guts out. NOT FUN!! I'm grateful for good medicine and great nurses that made me feel okay with everything. Soon after I was rolled into recovery I was greeted by my Mom, Dad, and little sister. I was so glad to see them. There is just something comforting about having your mom there. I was glad Matt was able to be with our baby, and I still had someone to hold my hand. :]

Tenna was only in the NICU for a couple hours, we had mentally prepared for a night or a handful in the NICU prepare for the worst, hope for the best right??! Eating was warned as THE big challenge we would face. It hasn't been much of a problem at all. Huge blessing and answer to many prayers. I did have to BEG the nurses to get me the JohnsonMead bottle and pigeon nipple we had learned about at PCMC. They brought me the Pigeon nipple and bottle (not the one I wanted) it worked okay.. NOT great.. I seriously was annoyed they wouldn't just bring me what I asked for. Thankfully my mom kinda pushed for me and got another Nurse (not mine, but Thank you Nikkie Galloway) to get me the Johnson Mead bottle. When my nurse gave it to me she told me that it wouldn't work with the pigeon nipple, that it would just leak. In fact it DOES work and WONDERFULLY!!!! Tenna ate like a champ, and by the time we left the hospital she was able to have 100% my milk and no formula! Goal accomplished! Never mind the fact I have enough milk to feed all the starving babies in Africa. I mean really...

There was a scare the first night, when Tenna was born her blood sugar was 45. Now I don't know much AT ALL about blood sugar, but apparently that is low. Dr. Jorgensen is amazing and kept a great eye on our little one. During the day it leveled out some and stayed above 50. During the night things got a bit scary. They were checking Tenna's blood every 2 hours, and it was staying in the 30's. The Nurses were on the phone with Dr. J every time. We were told everytime they took her blood they were going to take her to the NICU and start an IV because her blood sugars were too low. Dr. Jorgensen came in around 5:30 that morning.. she was out on a nice run, LOVE OUR DR. anyway she said that if Tenna's numbers were below 50 she was going to start the IV. I was worried but I was almost just wanting them to take her because I was so afraid of what the low blood sugar was going to do... when the test came back she was at 70!!!! She did drop back down to 46 but we were able to keep her right around 50 so more prayers answered and averted the NICU once again!

It took us a couple days to find a name for our little princess. I knew her middle name would be Mae after my Grandma, but the first name was a challenge. Everytime the nurses would come into our room and ask us if the Birth Certificate was ready I would get a bit of anxiety. I honestly wasn't sure what her name should be. I think it was the after noon of her 2nd day of life we jointly decided on Tenna.

Tenna (like the number not to be confused with "Tina") is a family name. Matt's Mom had a sister whom passed at a young age of Leukemia. We love the name and hope she can be a fighter like her great Aunt Tenna.

We are so overwhelmed with love and joy! Our family of 4 has sure been fun! I am so grateful to have TWO beautiful healthy children. We love them SO much!

Dylan has been such a trooper. I'm so glad he can play by himself for hours. It has been hard when company comes and walks on his fields he has just planted... ya I guess he is just like his dad in the sense that when he farms, he really farms. Lucky for us he has only had a couple major melt downs. I have just learned that when he is planting/disking/swathing/"franking" (cutting grain with a combine) that I have to ask if it is okay to walk.. he tells me kindly where I can and can't step. It's all about compromise right?