Okay, so there we were in the delivery room, I had just cut the cord. They then placed her on Sharon’s chest and we both cried again, all three as a family at last. The moment was perfect. But as with all moment they are fleeting, but the memory of a great one gets burned into your mind forever.
It was time to call friends and family, even though most already knew through Facebook, and tell them the wonderful news first hand. As I exited the room, our good friend Bryan was standing out there, he had gotten there right when we were delivering and heard everything throught he door. He was smiling ear to ear. It was really great to see him.
As I made each call the mood was the same, Sharon’s family were all giddy with excitement. My mom was also on cloud nine. I sat in the same room as I sat when I called them all about Noah just slightly over a year ago making it all that much more emotional. But I was alright, I was elated, and I knew Noah was as well. I made my calls brief as I was dying to get back to my baby girl.
I entered the room and saw more nurses and people than were there before, the all seemed to be sharing in the joy. The nurse Dawn who had helped us that day to deliver Nora, was there during Noah’s delivery. As a matter of fact, when she first saw us she immediately remembered us and that made us feel good, we remembered her and had liked her back then as well. And when we first checked into the maturnity ward to be induced, the two nurses there also remembered us as Noah’s parents. They said they had thought about us a lot after that tragic night. I remembered the youngest nurse for sure. Something about those large blue doe-like eyes that made us feel good last time. I remember how gently and caring she was with Sharon. She made sure Sharon would not tear during the pushing by applying oil and massaging for hours. It was really nice and felt comforting to know that the people who were going to be with us to deliver Nora, knew our sweet Noah’s story.
Speaking of eyes. When I held Nora for the first time she had opened her eyes for maybe the first time outside the womb. They were filled with wonder and amazement and then they looked in on me and opened more. She stared, and I felt like she was saying “I know you, you’re my daddy.” There was something very familiar in those eyes, it really took me back. I felt Noah and Nora both there. I continued to watch her eyes squint in the bright light, trying to take in where she was. It was really amazing for me, I could have held and stared at her and that little button nose all night, but it was mommy’s turn. I handed her off and went back to finish making the calls.
When I walked outside I was amazed to see our other friends Tami and Annie Marie also out there. They had been following on Facebook and decided they had to come see Nora right away. It was really cool to have them come down. I made some quick calls and then took them and Bryan in to see little Nora. She was already being passed around the room while wrapped up like a little burrito. It was then that I experienced my first germaphobe moment EVER and made everyone germicide their hands before holding her :)
Now, being the storyteller I am, I had been thinking all day, “How am I going to find a shoe to go with this story so I have an ending for Volume 3?” I just tried to have faith that one would find me. They have always seemed to in the past, hopefully it will happen again. Well of course it did, and it was a great one!
Just before leaving, Tami and Annie Marie were dying to show me something. They told me either that day they had taken a photo of a shoe just down the street a bit. They pulled out the phone to show me the pic and I was speechless. I could not believe what I was looking at. It was an image of a little girl’s pink Croc!!! “They found a $#^@& pink CROC” I yelled in my head. That was it! I got my storybook ending. How could it ever end any better. A hollywood ending that I can only assume I owe to Noah. Him and his damn Crocs!!
Many of you may be reading my blog for the first time and do not know the story behind the Crocs. I invite you to read the entry where it all began with the crocs here. Since Noah’s passing they have become synonymous with his presence. A wonderful thing for me and a source of strength and faith. I feel so blessed to have my One Shoe Diaries, because without it, I would not have had those Crocs. Although I believe he would have found another way to get through to me, he is quite the manipulator.
Wow! I was overwhelmed and could not wait to go out the next day and photograph the shoe myself. Thank you so much Tami and Annie Marie for being in tune to me as a friend and sharing in my passion for lost soles. Tami has been a great friend for some time now and someone who I have utmost respect for, a true class act. And Annie Marie we have known for a few years now, but has endeared herself to us with her sweet personality. She will always be a friend to us.
That night when we checked into the recovery room, the nurse that checked us in, was also part of that night with Noah. She remembered us vividly she said. That she could not get the tragedy of Noah out of her head last year and still sticks with her today. That it hit her really hard. She was the nurse who had to handle his little body. She was there when Angela, the photographer from NILMDTS, took those beautiful images of Noah. When she saw Nora she told us that it immediately reminded her of Noah, that she could be his twin. She was really sweet in the words she said to us about Noah. It made us cry. It seemed little Noah touched so many lives that day and left indelible impressions on them. So many people with always know the story of Noah and Nora, our little rock star-like celebrities.
When Dr. Maher came back to examine Sharon the next day, he was delighted to see her and Nora doing so well. I had saw him examining the placenta pretty thoroughly and showing it to our midwife friend Vicky after the delivery. I asked him if he saw something wrong, as it was the placenta last time that was Noah’s demise. He explained that it had not formed properly and caused the cord to be weak and fragile like Noah’s was last time. He said it was a good thing we got her out, that it was really fortunate we did not have a cord issue again. It made my heart sink to think we could have lost Nora. It made us feel so much better about the decision to induce her early. He then joked to us about seeing us again in a year. But there is no way! We are too old for this crap *LOL*
Nora and mommy were both released from the hospital quicker than we thought. Sharon was doing incredible. She was not sore at all. She walked out of the hospital. And although being swallowed up by it, little Nora rode in her car seat like a big girl, no crying at all. We left the hospital this time overjoyed. We had gotten this one into the boat as I like to say. And lord I hope we live happily ever after! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)