Introducing Conor Christopher Drennan

 

So the newest and littlest member of our family, Conor Christopher Drennan decided to join us this past Saturday night, April 14th, at 8:35 PM, at 28 weeks and 4 days, weighing in at 1 lb 10 oz. 

You're probably thinking what?? Malia had her baby? How did this happen? 

Welp it's true, Drennan Baby no 3 is officially outside of the womb, and I am no longer pregnant. And if I'm honest, every part of me is still in shock and it just feels so incredibly surreal. I can't even believe he's not inside me anymore. I never ever would have written this story for him or for our family, nor would I have ever dreamed I'd have a baby at 28 weeks and 4 days. But things don't always go as we had planned, that's for sure. 

I'll write so much more about his birth story later, but for now, let's just say what began as a routine ultrasound at 1 PM at Northwest Hospital on Saturday, soon led to an ambulance ride to UW and an emergency c-section only hours later. He weighed in at 1 lb 10 ounces, and I don't even know if they measured his length! I thought Jack was small weighing in at 4 lbs 2 ounces, and even Ryan seemed tiny at 5 lbs 11 ounces, but Conor is definitely the tiniest human I have ever laid my eyes and hands on. 

After Ryan's birth story, I dreamed my preemie days were over, and I just figured Jack would be my only, but little did I know just what and who awaited us. My Dr. and I had even talked about the possibility of carrying Conor to my due date or even past my due date, and I remember thinking, I have no idea what that's like! 

But let's just say I have no idea what this is like, to have a baby so early, to have a micropreemie. Yes, I am a preemie mom, and I have had a baby in this very same NICU but a baby born at 33 weeks and 6 days like Jack and one born at 28 weeks and 4 days like Conor is so incredibly different. And I'm only beginning to scratch the surface of that difference. 

And I'm on day 6 in the hospital myself, but I officially signed my discharge forms today (Thursday), and I will be going home in a few hours. However, Conor's road to home will be a longer one than mine. 

He's so tiny and I'm not able to hold him yet, and as the nurse showed me how to place my hands on his head and on his feet, I just talked to him. Told him how much we loved him and how proud I was of him! Just poured out my heart and fully leaned in to the emotions.

And as I stood there touching him, my NICU memories came flooding back. I remembered just how long the days felt, just how hard it was to drive home in my car without a baby in my arms or in my home. And I remembered my heavy heart, but I also remembered the milestones, the countless things we celebrated each and every step of the way on Jack's road to coming home, and we're already doing the exact same thing with Conor. And I remember the beautiful way our people, our community, our family celebrated those milestones with us, the way they held us up when we were weak, the way they filled our empty arms with hugs and food and so much love.  

So I stand here now, looking over this 1 lb baby, thanking God for this time, for the time that we'll have together just the two of us, for the milestones that he's already surpassed, and for the ones that will come. And I'm just so proud of him, of how much he's already overcome. My heart swells with pride for him now, and he's only been outside of the womb a week, imagine how I'll feel when I finally hold him, or in two weeks time when he's that much older gestationally, or when I come in and see that he weighed in at 2 lbs, or that he passed his brain scan meaning there's no brain damage, or when I'm able to bottle feed him or try breastfeeding him fully knowing he's working so hard to do both of those things! This kid is fighting for his life. And what an honor it is to be right there with him in the journey.

Needless to say, Conor's journey will be a long one, but the nurses and Drs say he is feisty and fierce! And we are in the really early days yet. I can't even wait to witness how his story unfolds, to see how God uses this story to reveal his character and his strength, to see how the Lord molds and shapes all of us through Conor and his life as we watch him grow. May He be glorified through it all!

Thank you Jesus for this baby, for his unique birth story. May he grow to be big and strong and in a few months time, may we look back on his early days in awe at how far this teeny tiny human has come as we're reminded of just how miraculous of a Creator you truly are!