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Tanner Kailua Millard

December 19, 2008
A successful c-section ending with a new beginning.

Madison dropped Mommy off at the hospital and then headed off to her Friday daycare knowing that when she was to return, at the end of her day, she would be a big sister.

A spinal block was administered at 8:00am. Operating room very calm, music playing, coworkers chatting around the patient laying on the operating table in the middle of the room, a night and day difference from the frantic emergency c-section experience. Shane was invited into the sterile room after all of the operating staff were in place and the spinal block had taken effect.

"Do you want me to tell you when they make the incision?" he asks me as I lay vulnerably, arms out and unable to see over the curtain placed between my chest and my abdomen. "Sure," I respond with my surgical cap covering my head. He says, "Well, they already have." Minutes later, 8:28am, shouts of "ITS A GIRL" ring through the operating room. My doctor and pediatrician look at me with mile wide smiles on their faces and I was soon greeted by Dr. Reis, our pediatrician, and Shane down by my head, with my new little daughter.

It was amazing.

Shane and the beautiful baby girl and Dr. Reis wisked off to the nursery for complete inspection of the new life. Meanwhile, back in the operating room, the surgery continues for quite some time as the remaining staff work to gather and replace all of my organs. This was interesting. Often times I find myself in conversations with Dr. Sakuda while working on our patients in the dental office. You know, chit-chat, while you are working. Now, I was on the other side. Chit chat between docs over my opened body! Oh well, at least they were just having another day at the office. Routine c-section. A true blessing.

Madison returned from daycare asking to meet her new baby sister. What a day. We became more of a family for each other to love.

Six more days...

I made it through my last days of work before taking my leave, YAY! Fortunately, my last full day of work consisted of attending a dental conference in Waikiki for INVISALIGN. Yes, now our office has been credentialed to offer invisalign to our patients. You too can have straight teeth, wire-free for $6000. Just come on out and make your appointments today and I will gladly take your impressions, photographs, x-rays, and send them off to the impressive high tech- state of the art factory in Mexico!



It was a well catered event at a beautiful ocean front waikiki hotel. Too bad the entire conference was in a ballroom with no windows. Wierd, huh. Oh well, the lunch was served with panoramic views of Waikiki's famous surf spot with Diamondhead crater off in the distance. Good food and I did win a Starbucks gift card for being an active participant in the breakout session. I guess its about time I win something for being in this profession for ten years.



Anyway, six days and counting....Shane had a great question for his friends of couples with 2+ kids and I would like to now pose it for all. Any recomendations on how to spend the last weekend as parents of one child?

The ZOO-Lites was a success! Illuminated animals, cookie decorating, animals up close and touchable...if so desired- and bruddah santa, who was haole to my surprise this year, you never know around here. After all, Charlie Brown was a much deeper shade of tan than any Charlie Brown that I have ever seen in this year's church production.

Each day that I take Madison on an activity outside the house is a victory for me as a pregnant mom. Today was another victory! Who could pass up story time at the Kailua library from Famous Amos himself! Yep, THE famous Amos, who makes the cookies! There has been much published about the successful entrepreneur around here, but the best part, is that he decided to go back to the basics after selling out his recipe years ago. He now runs a little cookie shop here in Kailua called Chip & Cookie where he has a storytime for kids to come and enjoy on Saturdays. He is known around here as Uncle Wally. After Uncle Wally animatedly reads his story, he brings out freshed baked warm cookies to all the kids and parents! Today, Uncle Wally read at the library and even brought cookies. Madison was so happy. We have tried on several occasions to take a photo with Madison and Uncle Wally, but Madison always screams. I don't know, I guess there aren't enough tall african americans donning watermelon hats in Kailua.

Nine more days...

a special countdown before Christmas...

Twelve days until our family of three is due to become a family of four. Life is already different. I mean we picked out our Christmas tree on Tuesday night and it is still not completely decorated! Oh well, I guess that is what happens when you are nine months pregnant and the valiant decorating efforts of the family consist of a team where one two foot person wants to hang every ornament on the top of the tree and the only person able to lift her up high enough to reach has about five lifts of the thirty eight pounder in him for the night before he calls it a day! We do not own a scale, but the little two foot tornado gets a turn on the one at my OB's office every week.

So the Christmas tree is coming along and the house is looking very merry and bright. We have had a busy week of festive family traditions. To begin with, we attended New Hope's Youth Christmas Production of Charlie Brown Christmas. It was a hit for the whole family, especially for Madison. Every time her favorite actor, Lauren-her beloved babysitter, took the stage, Madison shouted in her loudest voice throughout the auditorium, "I SEE LAUREN! HI LAUREN!," insistingly waving her hands until being acknowledged. Then there was the annual Christmas tree lighting at Castle Hospital in Kailua. First we hopped on the complimentary trolley ride in downtown Kailua and rode up to the hospital where we laid out our blankets in front of the hospital, kicked off our slippers, enjoyed the christmas music from the armed forces band and Honolulu Boys' choir as Madison sipped on her first cup of hot chocolate. As usual, the lighting of the tree was a success and a glorious vision for all of the gathered Kailua families to enjoy.

Tonight, we continue with our traditions as we are preparing to attend the annual Christmas "member's only" party- ZOO Lites at the Honolulu Zoo! We are looking forward to the music, lights, ono food, bruddah santa, and possibly a glimpse of the baby sumatran tigers not yet on display. This is a much anticipated Millard family event as the zoo puts on a wonderful celebration for Christmas with crafts and games for the keiki and hawaiian Christmas music and prizes. Mahalo to our small group bible study ohana for renewing our annual flamingo family membership to the Honolulu Zoo for Madison's birthday.

While most people are counting down the days until Christmas, we are counting down the days until the birth of the newest Millard. The Christmas tree at the hospital looks beautiful every time we pass by it on our drive down the Pali into Kailua but we pray that we will not have to stop there until the twelve days from now...when we expect to receive our highly anticipated special gift. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next two weeks.

I can't seem to think about anything accept for the Tea Fires that have ravaged Montecitio, California displacing many of our dear friends and leaving some homeless. Apparently, fires continue to burn in parts of California including Santa Barbara. I spoke with dear friends late in the night on Thursday as they huddled in the smoky gymnasium at Westmont college. Residence Directors had a big job on their hands that night as they managed to ensure everyone's safety. The entire college was evacuated to the gym due to road closures, as fire swept through the campus. My friend, a spouse of Westmont staff who took refuge in the gym along with hundreds of students, stayed low on the floor trying to keep her six week old baby clear of the smoke. As the gymnasium doors swung open letting students in and out to use the restrooms, flames were visibly surrounding the structure. Some buildings were spared while others were not. Unfortunately, one of the buildings that was completely destroyed happens to be the home of our dear friends and mentors, Mark and Nora McCormick. Mark and Nora have lived in the cottage on Westmont's campus for over fifteen years. They have served the students and us personally by introducing Shane and I to one another and marrying us. Nora, who is a flight attendant was out of state during the fire and will be returning soon. Please lift them up in your prayers as well as all of those who have and continue to be victims of the fires in California. For photos of Westmont after the fire visit http://www.westmont.edu/teafire/pictures.html.
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Madison is asleep. I can finally write a little blog. If I sit at the computer while she is awake, she is suddenly in the mood to visit her favorite website, sesamestreet.org where all of her friends live. I think that she truly thinks they are really interacting with her as she converses with them and they crack her up. I must admit, it is rather entertaining to watch her-once I move beyond the frustration that I cannot do what I want to do on the computer. She is a savvy computer whiz for a two year old. If she can get her hands on the computer, she knows how to go to the tool bar and scroll down to the elmo icon and get to her desired website destination. She loves to "click" on things she says. I look forward to the day where she will be blogging for me on the family blog and teaching me about all of the tools on the blog that I do not utilize.

A wonderful visit from Grandma and Grandpa included a lifetime of memories including this one of playing catch at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki at sunset. Thanks for coming and spending so much time with Madison!