Ayanna Priscilla

Beleaguered with requests for photos, and having made promises to one or two people to blog on her - ie, Nick Holley and Jay Lauser, here is my promise fulfilled. I started on her birthday - November 10th, 2010, at 8:15pm. :P I finish today, the 22cd, at 1:00pm

Smiling a little, I leaned down, tucking the quilt around my mother and kissing her cheek goodnight. Even as I silently moved across the room to tug off the lightswitch, she was still talking; drowsy, mumbling her words, but still talking.

I've not seen Mom so verbal in ages. Although she was lacking 36 hours sleep, as soon as she had eaten her day-old homemade, reheated soup and drunk a cup of steaming, fragrant coffee, she sat there for ten minutes describing in vivid detail the birth of her latest grandchild - her first granddaughter.

More amazing for me, I was sitting there with an inane grin spread over my face, highly excited over the recital, instead of landing in a heap on the floor! (I am useless with blood and guts and gore). Mom was amazed, because she had never seen a baby born before, (she was too busy on the other end with her four :P) and she definitely hadn't looked forward to it. But she'd really enjoyed it!


Nine months seemed such a long wait for this little one. I remember the first morning we knew, when Mom was on the phone to Sammie as she ran a pregnancy test. They were just chatting away, when Sam said suddenly, "Mom, I'm pregnant." Mom was shocked, and she checked again, but the reading was definite.

This is an amazing miracle in itself. Why? Because my sister not only has epilepsy and is on AEDs (anti-epileptic drugs) to control it, but she also has polycystic ovaries and was told that the chances of her getting pregnant, let alone give birth to a live baby, were extremely small.

The first three months were very concerning. Sam had to watch everything she ate, due to her conditions mentioned above. That time period was the highest risk of losing the baby - but God brought her through.

During the following five months, Sam held down two hard jobs - managing wages at a market research company during the day and cleaning offices in the evening, as well as running her house with no help from her husband. She also coped with his drunken spells (approx. every weekend) and abusive language - which for a very emotionally broken woman is a remarkable thing. God is clearly keeping her with His mighty hand.

Several weeks ago, as the time drew near, she stopped her work and started to stick more around home. She was expecting the little one to arrive fairly early, but in fact, the baby was only six days earlier than her due date. Sammie had wanted to know the baby's gender, but Dennis didn't and Mom advised against, so she was patient and waited. Dennis was hoping for a boy, but due to some comments he passed, (and it wasn't us being mean, believe me!) the rest of us were praying frantically for a girl. I had a double purpose, and perhaps Mom did as well - with two boys, wonderful as they are, as nephews/grandchildren, I was about ready for a niece. (I'd wanted one since my brother's eldest was born. I confess. :P)



Sam came around on Monday night - November 8th - and for once in a long while, we had the whole family together - my brother, his wife and two sons were also visiting. Sam stopped to have tea with us.

At 6 am the next morning, her water broke and she began having proper contractions. (She'd already been going through tiny ones for a week or two.)

I will let some of my tweets tell the story from now as they will be able to express the excitement as it was then. :D

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010~

7:57 am

MYSISTER'SWATER'SBROKENANDSHE'SINLABOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!! *SHRIEK* *RUNNING ROUND IN CIRCLES* JOIN ME!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOP! DOTTY'S ON HER/HIS WAY!

PLEASE PRAY FOR A SAFE DELIVERY FOR MOMMY & BABY! & that her husband is a man instead of a cow to her for once. HALLELUJAH!!!! WAITING OVER!


At half past one, Mom began to prepare to go down the hospital. Sammie had picked Mom and Dennis to be her birthing partners. One was a good choice, the other one wasn't. But there.

1:36pm

Don't have time to stop, peeps, off to drop Mom at the hospital with my sis! Poor Mom, think she'd rather be anywhere else. XD

Dennis is with my sis right now - and STILL having a go at her. He is such a...non-human animal. Please PRAY for him to STOP THIS!

Mom is reckoning on a 6-7 pm delivery, but may be later. I think the contractions won't be strong enough to warrant that yet....but who am I to judge! Atmosphere over here pretty tense. Am SO EXCITED! And Lord...I do want a niece. :P

5:47 pm

Contractions coming every 5 mins and she's in the labour ward! WHOOP! Erm...poor Sam...and poor Mom. But LOVELY BABY!!!!!!!! ME LOVE BABY!

6:00 pm

3 cm, five minutes apart, estimated time of arrival, midnight!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHEESH! I HAVEN'T BEEN THIS EXCITED IN AGES!!!!!!


I even took my phone with me to cadets, and rang Mom and Sam during the break. Sam sounded tired and the phone call was short, but things were still moving. There had been a point where they considered sending her home, as they thought she wasn't ready enough! Thank God, they didn't and she moved into the labour ward.

Later that evening, she was put on gas and air to help her cope with the pain. According to Mom, she went "as high as a kite".

My sister on gas and air. Definitely high as a kite! ;)




Wednesday, November 10th, 2010~

9:40 am

My sister has been in labour for eighteen hours and things aren't going well, is the latest report. PLEASE pray for a safe delivery and my sister to be all right!!!


At this point, we were beginning to worry a lot as she had been in labour technically over 24 hours - counting from her water breaking. Mom's phone battery had died, so we were only able to glean little bits of information whenever she had time to borrow Dennis's. Dad and I started on the prayer networks - Dad texting several people, me texting the rest, tweeting info, Skyping, emailing and IMing people to pray.

Apparently the baby was what they call "face to pubes", meaning she was facing up rather than down. As Sam wasn't getting any wider than 5 cm, the baby's head was getting squeezed as she would insist on pushing in spite of being told not to.


10:36 am

Sam now had an Epidural to induce baby, is on a drip. Baby wrong way round, swelling on head. Midwife friend suggests should be caesarian.

10:38 am

Another phone call from Mom says that they're definitely considering a caesarian. PLEASE pray!


2:28 pm

They're about to start an hour of trying to push the baby out! Pray to God that it works and there doesn't have to be a cesarean!


And before I got the last message out to all of the people, there was the welcome news...


3:57 pm

Welcome to Ayanna Priscilla Safari, born at 15:11 on November 10, 2010. :D HALLELUJAH AND PRAISE THE LORD! I HAVE A NIECE SAFE AND SOUND!

Ayanna Priscilla, moments after arrival with her weary, beautiful Mommy.



Mom said that as soon as Ayanna came out, the cameras were popping like she was a celebrity! (Which she is! ;) ) And that they were so busy photographing her that they forgot to ask what gender she was! XD
As soon as Mom knew the baby was a girl, she raced down to the restaurant to tell her ex-husband, Sam's dad, Trevor - in Mom's words, "I was running across the restaurant shrieking,'Trevor! Trevor! It's a girl! It's a girl!'" And they were even dancing a jig together in the middle of the restaurant! :D

Apparently, the midwife was extremely nice to them and allowed Trevor to come up and see both their daughter and granddaughter. And what was even more a blessing - the midwife had come up from London that day. She wasn't going to come, and then felt that she ought to - and she was a born again Christian! What a blessing for both Mom and Sam!

So now! I present to you all the photographs of Her Royal Highness, Princess Ayanna Priscilla Safari! :)

Ayanna and her Mommy:


Their Majesties - exhausted and lovely:



Mommy talks to headless Daddy:



Yanneke learns the use of lungs (and yes, Auntie's already nicknamed her):



The Lovely Deliverer:



Mom's already doing what she's so well famed for! ;)


Grandma peeks over Daddy's shoulder:


The first famed photo to those I was chatting to - Miss Ayanna Priscilla:


Ayanna practises the one noise her mother and I have grown VERY used to - a wail:


I THINK the midwife's cleaning her nose...?



Doesn't she look just BEAUTIFUL! *coo*


So there we are! Introductions are made to the first tiny female in the Safari-Jones-Coley-Cunningham connections in 18 years - yours truly last holding the title. ;) (I said the CONNECTION, not the varying branches. :P Oh all right, I'm neither a Coley or a Safari by any stretch. :P)
As can be expected, we're all on our knees - and at her beck and call.

Talking from a present point of view, I have just spent five days - Monday to Saturday morning (and a good two hours in the afternoon too!) - being there to provide emotional support for Sam - as Dennis is very skilled at doing the opposite - and to housekeep. I was expecting the occasional cuddle as payment, but instead, I get to rock, hold, cuddle, help change...and of course, the wonderful nights of 12-4 am. ;) (Including battling a cold, that can be challenging!)

I'm also going back later today for another week at it. :) To be honest - while it's challenging, draining, and completely strange, I wouldn't miss it for anything. Of course, lack of emails and blogs - and chatting to those who need it - is kinda annoying, but it's such a blessing to be able to be there to help my sister. :)

Please pray for Sam and Ayanna. And - Dennis too. Things aren't looking good on that aspect. I will post more piccies of 'Yanna later. ;)

Isn't. She. Gorgeous. :D