A few days before the big day my parents Deb and Dave and my little brother flew out for the big day. They brought with them a beautiful grandpa hand-crafted wood cradle for our sweet new baby. The night before the surgery I had my mom french braid my hair and then I could eat or drink anything after midnight. The morning of the big day Nathan and I drove to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and checked in at 6am. There ended up being some mix-up with the doctors and we were postponed and had to sit around a wait in a skimpy hospital gown until just before 10 when the anesthesiologist arrived to give me the worst epidural ever. It was horrible and painful. They prepped me and wheeled me in to the operation room. My parents and Dano had arrived by then and were waiting to meet the new baby. Once in the operating room they began right away. About half way through the surgery, I let out a scream because I could feel them cutting. I was quickly and completely knocked out. Nathan admitted later that he thought that I had died, but then the anesthesiologist announced that he had just injected my IV with "Angel Dust" and that I was ok. Things got a little weird then because I could hear everything that was going but could feel nothing and couldn't move or speak. I heard them all talking as they brought Hannah into the world. Hannah Mae Clark was born 10:10am weighing 8lbs. 4oz. and 21 inches long. They cleaned her up and she cried right away. That is all I remember until I was in the recovery room. In the recovery room I could hear my parents and Nathan all talking but I couldn't move or speak. I felt like I was out of my body. I started to come to and was congratulated on the sweet little girl I had just given birth to. Eventually I was moved to the Mother/Baby wing and was allowed to wake up. I remember when the nurse brought Hannah to me, it felt surreal to hold her. I felt like I might drop her, it was unreal to think that she was mine!
Within the day we were informed about a birth defect that the nurse found in her hips. We were scared, we didn't know what to expect. Nathan and our best man from our wedding, Jonathan Bird, gave Hannah a priesthood blessing. (In our church, anointing of the sick and other sacramental rites are preformed by lay members of the church who have been given the holy priesthood.) In the blessing Hannah was promised that she would walk and run and play like other children and that the doctors would be guided to heal her little body. As young new parents we were scared for our little girl but found comfort in the promises of the blessing. Within a few days we were home from the hospital. My mom stayed to help take care of us as we cared for our new little lady. Nathan's mom NanEtte came to stay with us once my mom needed to head home. We had many doctor appointments for both Hannah and me the first days home. Hannah was seeing an Ortho Surgeon that first day home the hospital. He put her in a "frog leg" brace. Within in a week she was up at Primary Children's Hospital to see a pediatric ortho surgeon. After a few tests and an exam we found out that within a month Hannah would be having a surgery to correct her hips. She went on to have 3 different hip/body casts in the first 9 months of her life. She was the sweetest new baby even with all of the garbage she had to go through. We love her so much. She is growing up to be an amazing person.
1. Hannah is super bright and loves to read.
2. She is kind and loving and a great big sister.
3. She loves to dance and sing in her room when she thinks no one is watching.
4. She has been in 12 plays.
5. She loves sweets and ice cream.
6. She loves her big giant cat Dojo.
7. She is a really great artist.
8. She loves to garden, go for walks, and ride bike.
9. She skipped up a grade this year.
10. She is the most beautiful and amazing firstborn a mother could wish for!
Happy Birthday Hannah Mae! We love you!
