Dear Makenna

Although it doesn't feel like the odds have been entirely in our favor (you're one in 6 billion baby!) we feel like we are the luckiest people on earth.  Your Dad and I are so lucky to have such a sweet, funny, silly little baby and all three of us are so lucky for such amazing family and friends. In addition to the wild and wacky (and loving too) Salcidos and Mohnackys, you've been born into an even larger extended 801 family of some of the coolest people around, who just happen to love you very much. As we waited in our room while you were in surgery just 28 hours after being born, a stream of funny, loving silly photos kept us entertained and our spirits up while we waited anxiously to see you.  Someday I hope you'll enjoy looking at all of this lovin' that came your way just hours after you made your appearance in this world.

We can't wait to introduce you to this crazy cast of characters that have been such a major part of our lives for many years (yep, we're getting old). You'll find out they are a pretty amazing group of friends and I'm sure you'll love them all a lot. 

We do.

Cousin Dom and the Salcidos

The Garber Family

Auntie Stace!

Blake and Abaal - the party powerhouse

The 'Smurrillos'

The Johnsons from Idaho!

Robert 'Gerard' - Washington

Connor and Drew - Montana

B3 to be - Montana

Team Chaump - Pennsylvania

Lu and Addison - Washington by way of Montana

Bob aka 'Maverick' and Kenai - Washington

Papa Wheeler - Montana!

The Bussieres - Colorado

Team Greenwod

The Murphy Crew

The Pittmans

Papa Hartman - Texas

Uncle Scooby and a random fish

Team Kachmarik - Montana

Katie and Vince

Auntie Kelli

Kendal representing the Fahey Family

Sarah from Florida!

Doc Brian - Oregon

Grady round 2 - Idaho!

Mama to 'Mama Lish' - Montana

Leiko Murphy

Auntie Becko (and future Uncle JT Snow)

The Watts beauties

Nestors from Illinois!

Boes Family representing Arizona!

Makenna Unplugged

Eleven days after the two of us checked in to Hotel UCSD Med Center the THREE of us finally checked out! After spending many hours in the NICU at her bedside we were so happy to finally be taking our little goose home and finally get to show her the room that's been waiting for her and to hold and snuggle her minus the plethora of cords we had to be mindful of since she was born. We are so thankful for the exceptional care we received while we were there and the countless number of nurses and doctors we got to know very well throughout this time. By the end of the week they were all rooting for her to gain weight and promising to fill her diaper with rocks before weigh in so we could  get the thumbs up for discharge. Throughout our entire experience we were so amazed at the kindness we were shown by everyone there. The only information we gave when we checked in was that our name was 'Mohnacky', from there on out we never had to explain ourselves or give more information, it was never 'who are you?' but 'we've been waiting for you' which made a difficult experience much more bearable. 

Makenna Rose

Proud Daddy

The going home suit

Not sure about this place

Thanks 801!

Life in the NICU

Makenna must have known she was having her Uncle Scooby and Auntie Tara come in for round two, and honorary Aunties Stacy and Lish fly in from San Jose and Montana (yup - MONTANA!) to see her because when we showed up in the NICU on Friday morning we were surprised to see that her arch nemesis, a suction tube down her throat, had been removed between the time we had left the night before and that morning. When we asked the doctor when they took it out, she responded 'we didn't - she did!' Pretty proud of our girl for taking things into her own small hands, we really felt like we had turned a corner and were so happy to see her awake and alert again.

Godparents!

Stacy Greenwood Photography in the flesh

Sneaking in Nonna AND Lish - shhh!

And perfect timing too. Our amazing friend Stace who was down for the shower and took our maternity pics, flew in for a 24 hour visit with our little one and to document this time in her life. Although being in the hospital was the most trying 11 days of our lives, we did experience many of our 'firsts' with our little girl there and met many people who took care of her and have had such a profound impact on us. We are so grateful to Stace (once again!) for this gift of documenting this time for us.

UCSD Medical Center

We are so grateful for such great friends and family who were by our side throughout these crazy days and for all of the effort it took for them to be here with us. We love you guys!

Oh the Places You'll Go!

Makenna's first day of life consisted of a bunch of tests with as many visits as we could sneak in (Mark and I could only escort people in one at a time) to meet her throughout the day. In addition to the grandparents, Michael and Tara drove down for the night and got a little meet and greet of their own.  The following morning we learned that her surgery would take place that day at 12:30 which we were very excited about so we could get the healing process moving. At only 28 hours old we watched our little girl get poked and prodded as they prepared her for surgery and followed her little caravan down the hall to the OR.

We spent an anxious 2.5 hours up in our room with our family awaiting the news of when it was over and we could come see her.  We finally got the call and raced downstairs (I use this term loosely as I was a pretty slow-moving being for the first couple days) to be by her side. They said the surgery had actually gone better than planned as they did not have to do much manipulation of her digestive tract which meant that recovery could potentially be much quicker than they had anticipated and that she had a new designer beach-ready belly button beneath all of the bandages.

It is crazy to think that in just one day all of the things that had happened and how much she had already been through in her short little life. We spent the better part of the next two days sitting by her bedside stroking her face and telling her about all of the people who love her. To see our baby girl lying there unconscious with a machine doing the breathing for her is something I will never forget - and that's ok, because that image will always remind me of how brave she is and what an amazing gift she has been to us already.  We know this little person is special and that this and her new found challenges are only minor speed bumps in what is going to be a pretty incredible life. That night we sat by her bedside, and with tears in my eyes read her the first of many bedtime stories, Dr. Seuss's 'Oh the Places You'll Go!' to let her know just how much there is to look forward to, despite the situation we were in at that very moment. We're going to use this as her special book and have people sign it throughout her life, starting with the gifted surgeon, Dr. Bickler, who we can never thank enough for what he did for her.