Caden's birth

On November 11, 2008, Veteran's Day, at 5:59 a.m., I was lying in bed next to my sweet husband when I felt a contraction rip through my body. "Whew! That felt like the real thing," I thought to myself as I began to breathe again. I decided to wake Scott if I had just one more such contraction...three minutes later, the second contraction rocked my body. "Honey, it's time." Through a bleary eyed haze, Scott got up and mumbled something about calling Debbie, our babysitter. He slowly but decisively got all our things together as I brushed my hair and teeth, steeling myself against the every three minutes of intense pain. I would wait til one passed and then run around like a crazy woman thinking, "I only have three minutes to..." I found my way to the already running Volvo in the cool of the morning and sat with my hand familiarly on the handle of the window staring at the digital clock. My dad drove up in between contractions and I said, "Hey dad, I can talk to ya for the next one and a half minutes!" I felt happy and calm and excited and anxious all at once.

We arrived at the hospital at about 7:00 AM. I had one contraction in the parking lot, one in the elevator, and one in the hospital room while changing into my gown. They were coming faster now and I reminded Scott that I needed the rail up on the bed so I could assume my "usual" position on my right side, breathing "hee hee hoo hoo shoooooo shoooooo" while holding onto my little stuffed animal, this time a small fluffy ducky. A nurse came in to check me and get my vitals. After doing so, she quickly said, "Don't push!"

Dr. Ynostroza arrived shortly after (that guy is amazing!) although my sense of time had slowly faded into the blackness of my focused breathing and searing pain. I vaguely heard a nurse say, "She is very controlled." Little did she know that a mere ten minutes later (I think) I would be screaming in agony as my 10 lb. 2 oz. baby lodged himself in my pelvis facing sideways (babies are supposed to come out facing down with the smallest portion of their head coming through the birth canal first). Caden was coming with the fullest width of his little head first and he was stuck and it HURT!!!!

Dr. Y was patient though and eventually with one of my screaming pushes, used the vacuum to suck his head right out...but now his shoulders...oh those shoulders...broad and strong like his daddy. They were stuck too and they wanted to me to push AGAIN! "I CAN'T!" I wanted to say, but I dutifully pushed and screamed a few more times and out he came. Dr. Y smirked when they put Caden on the scale and it registered 10 lbs 2 oz. "He would have been 10 lbs 4 oz. if he hadn't pee'd on me," Dr. Y said.

And so arrived our little linebacker at 8:05 AM after two hours and five minutes of labor. He spent two full days and nights in the hospital due to low blood sugar and battled weight loss for the first ten days of his life (mama couldn't quite keep up the supply for such a big baby's food demands.) But now he is well and gaining weight. He is exceptionally mild mannered and seldom cries. He sleeps soundly and wakes only to eat and be changed and look around a little now and then. He even smiles occasionally, so far exhibiting at least one of the Haner-McQuerrey dimples. :) He is quickly outgrowing his 0-3 month clothes and newborn diapers as I try to soak in these fleeting moments of newborn-ness.

Motherhood is grand. I am beyond thankful for my husband who has watched and cared for our other two little ones during this time of constant breastfeeding and attention I must give Caden. Scott Haner, I am one lucky woman to have you as my husband, friend and father of our kiddos. Thank you for giving me these amazing little blessings who have changed my character for the better.