Our Baby Story

I think that it is about time that I sit down and finally write this out. I feel like I have told this story about a million times, but I love it even more each time I tell it. So here is the story of how Miss Caroline Grace Tryon made her joyful entrance into this world.

On December 29th I went in for my 1st weekly check and I was 2cm and 50% effaced. On Wednesday, January 6th I went in and I was still 2cm and 50% effaced. The first week everyone flipped out and thought we were going to be having that baby really soon. When I was still the same a week later people started cooling their jets and thought that I had stalled out. That whole week I had been waking up really early in the morning and was not able to fall back asleep. Tuesday and Wednesday I woke up at 5AM and Thursday morning I woke up at 4AM. They say that is a sign of oncoming labor. I was really hoping so, because I was starting to get really tired. The following night (Thursday) D and I went to bed early like 8:30PM. I figured if I was going to be up at 4AM on Friday that I might as well go to bed early. Little did I know what was really in store for me.

Thursday, Jan 7 11:30 PM- I woke up with a lot of pressure in the downward direction. I was having problems getting comfortable in bed, because I felt like I had a head between my legs, which of course I did kind of. Went back to sleep eventually.

Friday, Jan 8 2:30 AM- Woke up feeling a little wet, went to the bathroom. Water gushed, contractions were starting. Went back to bed.

Friday, Jan 8 3:30 AM-Went to the bathroom again, water gushed, still having contractions. Went back to bed. At this point, I didn't think that my water had broken, but it had. My contractions were regular, just like they had been in the past. They weren't terribly strong, but were uncomfortable.

Friday, Jan 9 4 AM- Dusten finally decides there is no point in trying to sleep with a moaning wife. He gets up and starts doing things around the house. Packs last minute hospital stuff, takes a shower, eats breakfast, starts moving baby furniture (for carpet being laid on monday). I am timing contractions between 2 and 4 minutes apart. They are very steady, but not really getting stronger. I'm still thinking they will go away like they always did before. I started feeling guilty about keeping D up all night, because I am still thinking that we will both be going to work.

Friday, Jan 9 6:45 AM-We start making phone calls. I told Dusten to call the birthing center at the hospital to see if we should call the doctor. They say we should call. We call Dr Blake, he says meet me at the hospital. We call my mom and put her on standby. She starts pacing the house.

Friday, Jan 9 7:20 AM- Arrive at the hospital. Dusten drops me off at the front door and starts bringing in the suitcase and pillows. I told him to leave it in the car, we didn't even know if we would be staying at the hospital. I thought they would probably send us home. We get to the testing room and they hook me up to the monitors and check me. 5cm 95% effaced and she verified that my water had broken. She yelled out the door "We need a room....now!" They wheel me down to the open room and Dusten tries to wrangle the suitcase and other necessities. At the same time the doc comes up the elevator and rolls my suitcase into the room. "What service!" My mom had planned a baby shower for me on Sunday the 10th and I was planning to go to Terre Haute on Sunday morning. Dusten told the doc this on their way down the hall and so he comes in and says, "I hear you were going to sneak off to Terre Haute this weekend." Yep I sure was. I don't know for sure the timing in between here and her being born, but I know that the entire time I was in labor I kept having to go to the bathroom, which makes sense given that everything in your body is pushing down and out. I got to 6 or 7 cm and went to the bathroom and then I started having really bad contractions. I did it for about 20 minutes and then finally screamed for the epidural. Tammy, our wonderful nurse, checked me to see if I had enough time to get it and I was 7-8, so she called for the epidural. I had a couple more contractions and then had to go to the bathroom again. While I was in there I felt like I had to push. Dusten was sitting there with me and was bug eyed and was telling me not to push of course. When we came out the anethesiologist was there and said, "If you feel like you have to push, then she better check you again, because I cannot let you have this baby while I'm giving you an epidural." So she comes to check me again. (Mind you this is like the 3rd time in less than an hour) and she yells "call the doctor!" So Tammy and Dusten start pushing the call buttons to get the doctor (it's probably around 9:15AM now. Then things started falling out of the ceiling. Lights and tables and plastic and baby warmers started coming out from everywhere. A couple minutes later the doc arrives, gives me a local, and we pushed for about 10 minutes and she was here! The first push I didn't give much effort, because I thought it might hurt, and I didn't know what to expect. I asked Dr Blake if I was a wimpy pusher, and he said, "yea, kind of", so then I got down to business and 3 or 4 contractions later she was here!

Now let me just say that when people tell you about how painful it is to have a baby they usually just tell you about the labor part. No one really tells you how painful it is for the 3 days after you have a baby. It hurt to move. It hurt to walk, roll over in bed, sit or anything else that requires movement. It wasn't too bad as long as I stayed in one place. I found out later that it was likely she had bruised my tailbone coming out and that was likely part of the reason.

But I am amazed at how easy it was to create a person! I was miserable for a majority of my pregnancy, but add it all together, and I would do it a thousand times over. It was so amazing.

I went into the labor really hoping that I would be able to do it drug free. The closer and closer I got to having her, the less confident I was that I would actually be able to do it. I had been reading a book about the Bradley method but hadn't been able to finish it before she was born. The book also is just introductory for the 12 weeks of classes and additional exercises that were supposed to be done. I was hoping that the labor would go just as it did. Fast enough that I wouldn't have time for the epidural when I finally decided I wanted it. And it did. I was glad, because once he left the room, I really didn't feel any pain and that was before Dr Blake gave me the local. At that point I could hardly even feel the contractions, so I didn't even really know when to push. But it went beautifully. Dusten started crying before she was even all the way out. But you can listen to his whimpers on the video he posted.

She has been a really good baby. She eats every 3-4 hours and sleeps most of the time. So far she hasn't been awake in the middle of the night. The days seem to go by so fast. I feel like all I do is feed her, but I enjoy it. I think she is so pretty when she is nursing. We had her newborn pictures taken when she was 1 week old (her umbilical cord came off during the shoot) and we got a couple pictures of her nursing. They are all really good pictures, I don't know how we will decide which ones to get.

I meant to take one last belly picture, because I think my last one was like 34 weeks, but that didn't even cross my mind. So this is the closest thing I have. This is D and I 2 days before delivery:

I probably left a ton of details out, but I want to get this post up!! I have been working on it for a week!

Caroline (Day 1)

After much anticipation, Caroline Grace arrived into this world at 9:55am on January 8, 2010. Her weight was 6 lbs. 3 oz and she was 19 inches long. She is the most adorable, precious little girl I have ever laid eyes on. Second to her mother, I have never loved another person as much as her.

As you may have already picked up, it is me (Dusten) writing this blog... the first blog entry in my life, but probably the only reason I've ever had a desire to write one. Caroline has already wrapped me around her fingers, and for the first time, I really understand what that cliche means. She is the sweetest little baby I've ever laid eyes on. We are truly blessed to have been entrusted with such a precious gift.

Amanda and I are excited about this new chapter in our life and are humbled by the opportunity to have a hand in raising her in a community of friends and family that are focused on love and bringing the kingdom of God about on earth. Praise God for the miracle of life and the blessings He has so richly poured out on His children!

38 weeks

How your baby's growing:Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

37 weeks

How your baby's growing:Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Baby Bedroom remodel

It's all done except for the carpet and making it look all pretty.

2009 baby?

I have measured perfectly my entire pregnancy. That is until 35 weeks. The Friday before my 35 week appointment my belly dropped. And everyone was so kind to tell me. I noticed too, but didn't think anything about it, since that is pretty normal. I was measuring 32cm at 35 weeks. I was measuring 33cm at 33 weeks, so the doctor said let's do another ultrasound just to be sure her growth was on track. He told me this after he spent 5 minutes telling me it completely normal because I am tall and have a long torso that I can easily hide this baby. But we'll still do the ultrasound just to be sure. So we did. Here are a couple of the pictures. So far she hasn't been completely cooperative. She won't let us see her face. She kept putting her hands in front of her face. But they did confirm that it was a she, so that's good.

Here is a pic of me at 34 weeks. I actually look a lot smaller than this now. This was me at my biggest. I'll try to get dressed sometime today and maybe I will get the motivation to take another pic.

I have been off work since 12PM Christmas Eve. I thought that I would go back to work on Jan 6 and work until the baby comes. And I still probably will. But tomorrow I will be 37 weeks. Monday night Dusten put me into labor and I started having contractions at about 2:30AM. They were really close together when they first started-about 2 to 3 minutes apart. They continued throughout the day Tuesday, but became weaker and farther apart. I was never really concerned about it because they never got stronger. I had a doctor's appointment Tuesday anyway. He measured me, and I'm still measuring small for 37 weeks--I'm thinking this is going to be a small baby which I am pretty happy about. He also checked me and said I am a good 2cm and 50% effaced. He said he wouldn't be surprised if I had this baby within the week. I am not really ready for that kind of speed--like I said, I was planning on going back to work on Monday. I have a baby shower at AU on Wednesday and am supposed to have another baby shower on Sunday in Terre Haute. The doctor has already said he doesn't want me more than an hour away from the hospital, but I am currently in Terre Haute on Wednesday afternoon and haven't had any contractions that I can really feel since last night. So now we're just playing the waiting game.
If anything I would really like to have her today, because today is Dec. 30 the day Dusten and I first kissed and that would be kewl. But I won't be holding my breath..

Caroline's First Letter from Santa

Dusten and I still aren't sure how we received this..but it is really cool.

36 weeks--Christmas Eve

How your baby's growing:Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

35 weeks

How your baby's growing:Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

34 weeks

How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

33 weeks

How your baby's growing:This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Baby Room Remodel Continued

As of today 11/29/09

32 weeks

How your baby's growing:By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Baby Room Remodel

As of today

31 weeks

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Sweet Life by Paul Davis

She's got your eyes
She's got my nose
Oh, and I get high just watching her grow
We always dreamed we'd live in a castle, oh but
We're in the same old shack
Sometimes we get into a hassle
But we always take each other back
Oh, Oh you know
This old world seems to be in a hurry
But darlin' we'll just keep on taking our time

'Cause we're living such a sweet life, oh what a neat life
Sharing my love with you
( Always love such a )
Sweet life, oh what a neat life
making our dreams come true
we're makin our dreams come true

You are my love
You are my life
Oh, and I get high just holding you tight
we always dreamed we'd make a lot of money,
oh but I don't mind being poor
'Cause when you make love to me, honey
I couldn't ask for anymore
Oh, Oh you know, all our friends seem to be in a hurry
But darlin' we'll just keep on taking our time

We're living such a sweet life, oh what a neat life
Sharing my love with you
( always love such a)
Sweet life, oh what a neat life
Making our dreams come true
We're making our dreams come true
Oh, oh We're living such a sweet life, oh what a neat life
Sharing my love with you (We're makin our dreams)
We're living such a sweet life, oh what a neat life
Making our dreams come true ( Nothing but lovin' oooo)
We're making our dreams come true.

Warning! Long update ahead!

Will you survive?

It has nearly been a month since my last real update. Part of it is that I don’t have time anymore and the other half is that when I do have time I usually fall asleep on the couch. Oh well.
Dusten’s mom threw me a great baby shower the day after Halloween for all his family. We got some really neat stuff, cute clothes, and the essentials. My mom came up and my boss came down. It was a great time. Unfortunately all the fun stuff I got is still at her house, because we don’t have anywhere to put it with the house being under construction(see below) so it will be like getting presents all over again when I finally get to bring it all home.

The Baby Room is currently under construction. If you didn’t know, Dusten has been finishing the basement so that we could make another bedroom down there. He had to do that first so we could move our now office/guestroom to the basement. This week he finished it and we moved everything down. He started working on the baby room today. He pulled out all the trim and the closet organization system and this morning we went and bought most of the supplies for the room. I have been taking pictures of the progress.

The Before--11.15.09

We also received a wonderful gift that allowed us to buy all of our baby furniture. We had some coupons and bought most of it on clearance (other people returned it because they didn’t like the color) and so I think in total we got it at about 40% off. We still had to pay a nice chunk, but the furniture is very nice and isn’t really babyish at all…except the crib of course.

After the baby shower Dusten ended up ordering the baby bedding—Winnie the Pooh, which I thought was funny, because he said from the beginning there was no way we were going to do Winnie the Pooh. But he wanted neutral, and animals, and that’s what it was. It was a very nice Classic Winnie the Pooh collection, and I think he is happy with it.

Last night when we were at Lowes (yea, we go like everyday) we looked at carpet, and I found the one I wanted pretty quick. We brought home a sample and it matches really well with the bedding and the type of colors we are looking to paint in the baby room. I say type of colors because we can’t agree. I went through all the paint samples with him today after church and he wants to go way lighter than I do. Then he says let’s just paint it light and if we don’t like it we can add another coat of the darker. Yea, right. You and I both know there is not going to be time for that. That’s just what he does so he can get his way.

I’m starting to look like I am carrying a basketball. It’s ok with me. It just makes it harder to constantly get up and down. I don’t have any problems except my feet hurt at the end of the day. I don’t have any problems sleeping as long as I have my Snoogle pillow. I asked the doctor about my size, because everyone keeps telling me how small I am and he said I was completely normal based on being 30 weeks preggers. I have now gained a total of 16 pounds. I gained of that in the last 4 weeks which scared me a little. I don’t want to gain that much for each of the next four weeks or I will fall over! I was surprised to say for sure when she told me how much I weighed, but I like to think I had a few more layers on than normal.

Dusten has been slightly more interested in playing with my belly. At least when she is moving a lot. Last night he saw her about jump out of my stomach. And then he said, “What was that.” Well, duh, what do you think it was? The baby. I guess maybe it could have been my dinner =). We have officially decided on a name. First and Middle. We’re still debating the last name though =). We may change our minds when she actually gets here, but we’ll see. Only 10 weeks left! I am ready to get this stink pot out! If I ever cross my arms on my now shelf of a stomach she will kick. Or when I lean against the sink in the morning she will kick. Basically any time I invade her space she kicks. I can see this becoming a problem when she becomes a teenager.
This is a warning that the following comments will likely make you think TMI! So if that’s you, beware. I need to find the on/off switch for these new and improved milk machines I have. Luckily the problem is mostly at night around bedtime. I guess it’s reassuring to know that things are working in that area like they are supposed to.

If you made it to the end, please leave a comment. I feel like I'm talking to the wall.

30 weeks

How your baby's growing:Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

29 weeks

How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

28 weeks- begin 3rd trimester

How your baby's growing:By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.