This was a hard pregnancy. I had been having contractions for months, painful ones on and off for days. My mom was leaving town at the end of the week so the baby really needed to come before then, preferably on the 11th which is my mom's birthday. What greater gift could I give, right?
I wanted to go into labor so badly that I doubted myself when it really happened. From about 8:30pm I was having contractions every 10 minutes or so, but wasn't truly convinced until my water broke at 10:15. My mom knows how I play mind games with myself when I'm in labor, so she wisely left for my place before I even asked her to. (I had been updating my mom and midwife on all the labor pains.)
Mom and my sisters Sam and Kaidy got here in plenty of time to see all the action (well my sisters weren't really interested in seeing all the action-filled parts, just the newborn baby) I love how nervous my mom looks in this pic! And those teenage girls are texting of course.
Meanwhile I labor away on my plastic-covered bed- I wish I had gotten a better picture of my midwife, Detrah. She is amazing.
I distinctly remember when it turned midnight and was no longer my mom's birthday- I was super disappointed. And also--I do not remember labor hurting so much, it was AWFUL!!! Have I just forgotten what it's really like??? Or was this one actually worse?
At 12:06 (six minutes too late!!) Calvary Kerry Sears finally made her debut into the world. She is a barrel-chested little thing- we call her our sausage baby. She looks remarkably like Hosanna, but slightly less hairy and blonder. Below is a picture just moments after birth- just before she turned purple.
Detrah had to blow into her mouth to resuscitate her, then Calvary got wrapped in a different towel and her panic-stricken mother got to hold her again.
If I look ridiculously happy in these pics it is because LABOR IS OVER. (and my baby is breathing...)
If I look ridiculously happy in these pics it is because LABOR IS OVER. (and my baby is breathing...)
See what I mean about the sausage comment?
Calvary is quite a bit shorter and stubbier than my other babies so although she looks plenty chubby she is my smallest one yet- weighing in at 8lbs 4oz. The clothes and diapers I got for her are all a bit loose. I am used to 10-pounders.
My mom, aka Nana, got to give baby girl her first sponge-down. Its the tradition now- she was the one to give Jude his first "bath" too.
One of the many perks of home-birth is that the other kids sleep through the whole thing in the other room and when they wake up in the morning you get to show them this wonderful surprise!
The kiddos all fight over whose turn it is to hold the baby. Even Jude.
Maybe 8 hours old or so...
And getting her first manicure. (mommy tip-the best way to get the nails short without bleeding is to cut the edge with clippers and then rip off the nails)
Maybe 8 hours old or so...
And getting her first manicure. (mommy tip-the best way to get the nails short without bleeding is to cut the edge with clippers and then rip off the nails)
11 comments:
Congratulations. I am so happy for you. She is darling.
I see YOU in Calvary. You looked lots like her as a newborn, only skinnier and longer.
Love the morning after pics. What precious memories these will be.
We want to come see for ourselves next week if that's okay, but we'll call you first.
PS I'm surprised you even noticed the time 6 minutes before she was born!
Yay!! Congratulations, Carly! I'm glad everything went well. And I do think that it is so cool that your family got to be around for the birth of your little girl.
Also, your pictures look great!
Congratulations again!
I can't even tell you how much I enjoyed reading this, although you used caps to emphasize the pain, it all seems like, "oh and then there was a baby". When I have kids, I'll try and emulate your calm manner. Congrats to you and Enoch!
oh wow wow wow to all of it! You are so amazing! First of all how do you look so good through it all? Really, I know you said it was hard and so painful but reading this just made me REALLY excited to have one! ahhh! Second of all, I agree that she looks like hosanna did when she was new born. Also she is barrel chested. And SO cute. Ugh. I wanna snuggle her. Third of all love the pic of hosanna and rivka holding her in the morning (its like magic, you wake up and there's a baby). Fourth of all, this is becoming really long so i'll stop. Congrats cant wait to meet her!
Congratulations, Carly!! She is SO beautiful! (I saw a link to your blog on FB and it so great to catch up on how you are doing.)
Also, I just had to say that the word verification for this comment was "pursh." So funny. Very fitting for what you just did. :-)
Congratulations! She's beautiful!! You look great!Not like you just went through labor!
Glad everything went well!
Beautiful baby. Congratulations to the whole family!
=)
PS. Great name, too!
Wow! Thank you so much for posting this story and all the great pictures. I can't wait to meet the newest addition to your family--Calvary looks beautiful. Carly, you are such an inspiration.
Also, those are the most attractive post-birth photos I have ever seen of a mom.
I LOVE getting visits and showing off my baby- Aunt Jill, please come by any time, you have my number, I look forward to it!
And yes I was a bit obsessed with the clock during labor. I checked the time between every contraction- counting down, so to speak, to when I thought it would be over.
And Jasmine- its even better than you think. :)
Congrats! She is beautiful!
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