MONROE - Nikole Schaitel can't wait to hold her baby, Kaylee Faye Rodebaugh.
Kaylee was born at 9:38 a.m. Thursday at Monroe Clinic hospital. She was Green County's first baby of 2009.
But Schaitel wasn't able to hold her - and she doesn't remember even seeing her.
Kaylee was born two months early. She wasn't expected until March 3.
"I woke up at about 2 a.m. (Thursday) and felt labor pains," Schaitel said. "By 5 a.m. I knew I needed to get to the hospital."
Kaylee was born by Caesarean section, but Nikole was too groggy to remember seeing the baby or touching her foot. Kaylee was immediately transported by helicopter to Saint Mary's Hospital in Madison. She's expected to be in the Madison hospital for about six weeks.
"It's very difficult not to see her," Schaitel said. "When my other children were born I didn't want the nurses to take them out of my room."
Kaylee weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces and was 16 inches long when she was born, Schaitel said.
Schaitel and Kaylee's father, Cory Rodebaugh, both live in Brodhead. Kaylee's grandparents are Dick and Doreen Wieler, Monroe, and Scott and Frieda Douglas, Brodhead. Kaylee has five sisters, Makayla, 11, Asia, 7, Makenzie, 4, Karlee, 2 and Trinity, 11 months; and a brother, Trevor, 6.
The girls wanted a little brother, but they'll be just as happy with another sister, Schaitel smiled.
"As long as she's healthy, that's the main thing," she said.
Kaylee's health already began to improve by Friday. She already was off the ventilator.
"That's pretty good. She's doing excellent," Schaitel smiled.
Family members will have to bring Schaitel pictures and video of her baby over the next few days. Schaitel expects to be out of the hospital by Monday.
As soon as she's out of the hospital, she plans to go to Madison to see and hold her new baby and tell her how much she's loved.
Kaylee was born at 9:38 a.m. Thursday at Monroe Clinic hospital. She was Green County's first baby of 2009.
But Schaitel wasn't able to hold her - and she doesn't remember even seeing her.
Kaylee was born two months early. She wasn't expected until March 3.
"I woke up at about 2 a.m. (Thursday) and felt labor pains," Schaitel said. "By 5 a.m. I knew I needed to get to the hospital."
Kaylee was born by Caesarean section, but Nikole was too groggy to remember seeing the baby or touching her foot. Kaylee was immediately transported by helicopter to Saint Mary's Hospital in Madison. She's expected to be in the Madison hospital for about six weeks.
"It's very difficult not to see her," Schaitel said. "When my other children were born I didn't want the nurses to take them out of my room."
Kaylee weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces and was 16 inches long when she was born, Schaitel said.
Schaitel and Kaylee's father, Cory Rodebaugh, both live in Brodhead. Kaylee's grandparents are Dick and Doreen Wieler, Monroe, and Scott and Frieda Douglas, Brodhead. Kaylee has five sisters, Makayla, 11, Asia, 7, Makenzie, 4, Karlee, 2 and Trinity, 11 months; and a brother, Trevor, 6.
The girls wanted a little brother, but they'll be just as happy with another sister, Schaitel smiled.
"As long as she's healthy, that's the main thing," she said.
Kaylee's health already began to improve by Friday. She already was off the ventilator.
"That's pretty good. She's doing excellent," Schaitel smiled.
Family members will have to bring Schaitel pictures and video of her baby over the next few days. Schaitel expects to be out of the hospital by Monday.
As soon as she's out of the hospital, she plans to go to Madison to see and hold her new baby and tell her how much she's loved.