Gramma Gaye and Magnificent Marly

On Sunday afternoon, just a few hours after Marly was born, Gaye was able to hold her new granddaughter for the first time. She had been too sick to come into the hospital with the rest of Erin and Shawn's family early that morning to be there for Marly's birth.
Because of the medical condition that ultimately caused Gaye to need a heart/lung transplant, she was never able to have kids of her own. She was lucky enough to have several brothers and sisters who provided her with plenty of nieces and nephews. But somehow that's just not the same as having one of your own.
When she married Kim way back in 1987, she inherited an instant family in the form of little 9 year old Erin Nicole. Relationships between step-parents and step-children aren't always as smooth as you might like them to be, but Gaye and Erin actually did remarkably well together. Of course Erin went through that typical phase that so many kids go through where they're pretty sure they've got all the answers to life's questions and their parents are hopelessly decrepit mindless idiots. This started for Erin at about 13 years old (and we're hoping it will end sometime soon...) But in spite of this Gaye and Erin developed a bond that has kept them close through the good times as well as the not-so-good.
A few months before Shawn and Erin got married, Gaye's body suddenly began to "reject" the transplanted heart and lungs that she had received 15 years earlier. In spite of every treatment or therapy her doctors could think of, she continued to grow weaker and more ill as the months went by. She was so proud of herself that she was able to walk down the isle at the wedding (with Gramma Kathy's help) without her portable oxygen tank that she had become tied to whenever she left home.
Weeks later when Erin broke the news that she and Shawn were expecting a baby in January, of course Gaye was ecstatic. She vowed to survive long enough to hold that grandchild when she arrived. This would be a baby that she would love as her own as she prayed she'd get the chance to be a part of her granddaughter's life. When Shawn and Erin decided to name their baby Marly as a tribute to Erin's step-mom (Gaye's maiden name was Marley) Gaye was moved to tears.
Gaye's health has continued to deteriorate in the last few months, but she is so proud to have passed on her family's name to her darling granddaughter. And last Sunday, when she held little Marly for the first time, she realized that she had won the battle she had vowed to fight those many months ago. She said she just wasn't ready to give up and not be a part of this little girl's life. In the picture below, if you look closely, you can see the tears of joy in Gaye's eyes. Tears of love for a granddaughter so precious...

Shawn, Erin and Marley relax after a very busy morning.

Here's a shot of little Marly Amanda on her birthday. Marly was named after her Gramma Gaye, who's maiden name is Marley. Amanda is a name that was chosen by both Shawn and Erin, who have always loved the name. It's also the name of Erin's cousin Amanda Davis. The name Davis she was pretty much stuck with, since everybody on both sides of the family are named Davis. Historical Note: Erin and Shawn Met at a party in Portland when they were introduced by their uncle...

Welcome to the world, Marly Amanda Davis!

Yesterday morning (Sunday, January 21st) at 5:00 we welcomed to the world the newest addition to the Davis family, little Marly Amanda. She was born at Sacred Heart Medical Center weighing 8 lbs, 7 oz and measuring 19 1/2 inches. She had a full head of black curly hair as well as 10 beautiful fingers and 10 lovely toes.

After visiting the doctor last Friday afternoon, Erin & Shawn were instructed to head for the hospital that evening around 8 pm, so that Erin could be admitted and the birthing process initiated. They spent a fairly restless night in the hospital after Erin received the first dose of pitossin, to induce labor. Shawn slept a couple of hours on the sofa in the corner of the spacious delivery room. The next day, (Saturday) visitors filtered in and out trying to distract Erin from the many hours of uncomfortable boredom punctuated by the periodic contractions she was experiencing. Shawn stood by the whole time, long after any mortal man would have thrown up his hands in desperation and headed across the street to the tavern for a beer.
By evening the doctors had given Erin an epidural injection to ease the discomfort of the contractions, but still things were not really moving along very quickly. Finally around 8 pm she was officially declared to be in labor. Whooppee!! Now the fun begins, right??? Well, not quite yet. With Shawn and Gramma Kathy at her side, Erin waited as the doctor monitored her condition. Finally around 1 am Sunday morning she had dilated to the point where it looked as if she might actually have a baby sometime in the near future. So the troops were called in!
Grampa Kim arrived around 1:30. Next came Grampa Jerry and Gramma Linda. Then Aunt Cheryl and Lucy. Just as they were rolling in the portable bleachers, we realized that somebody was missing... the doctor!! Eventually they located her. She had gone across the street to the tavern for a beer. (Not really... the bar had closed by then)
At 2:30 the order came down that Erin was to begin pushing. So after pushing the 2 grampas out the door and down to the "Extremely Boring Waiting Area" the real battle began. It was a long and difficult birth, complicated somewhat by the fact that the doctor (Midwife, actually) got tied up with another delivery in another room (might have just been pizza) and at one point, as Marly's poor little head was being squashed in the birth canal, Erin was told to stop pushing and wait until the doctor could get there.
By 4:30 the doctor had arrived and things really got moving along. With Shawn stratigically positioned at the foot of the bed with catchers mit in hand, the pushing began again in earnest. At 4:58 am Marly entered the world. There was no crying at first, so the doctor was forced to slap Erin a couple of times. This so amused Marly that she began to squirm with glee.
Shawn cut the cord and only moments later with minimal effort, Gramma Linda was able to revive him to conciousness.
Sister Jenna (Erin's sister, not the nun) arrived just as Shawn came down to the "Extremely Boring Waiting Area" to tell the Grampas that everything had gone OK and that we'd be able to go see mom & kid shortly. When we finally got back to the delivery room and as we all crowded around the beautiful new baby girl, we were all struck by the same amazing thought... It's sure lucky this room is so spacious, cause we all never would have fit in a regular sized hospital room. No, actually we were thankful that everything had been OK. That Erin and Marly were both safe and healthy.
As we all pulled out our digital cameras and posed for the multiple photo-ops, it was like the papparazzi on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. Kodak moments all around!
With things calming down, the entourage began to disipate as folks headed for home on that cold January morning. It was time to let Shawn and Erin and their new baby girl Marly get some rest after their very stressful adventure. All 3 are to be commended for a job well done!
Now the real work begins...