Camryn turned one year old today. Unbelievable. She was born at 1:08 in the morning on June 1st, so by this time last year I already had her in my arms. Labor started around 6:00pm on the 31st. I remember Jon and I taking bets as to whether or not we would have a May baby. (Everyone in his family has a May birthday, it's crazy!) I had braxton hicks for weeks leading up to the labor, so when I spent the day 'contracting' on the 31st I didn't think much of it. The day was spent in the pool with my mom and the kids. It was sunny and hot and I was getting tired of being pregnant! My mom left here about 5:00. Soon after she left I started paying more attention to the contractions as they seemed to be getting a little stronger than my normal braxton hicks. At 6:00 I called Mom to come back to our house. She was a little surprised since she had just left; "I really think I'm in labor" I told her. Funny how after three previous babies, I still wasn't so sure it was happening. Jon was home by now. We finished dinner and got the kids ready for bed. By 7:00 I was sure this was the real thing. Katie asked me to sing to her, like I do every night when I put her to bed. I had to stop during each contraction. At that point we told the kids that the baby would most likely be here by the time they woke up. Kate says "Mommy, can you bring the baby up to my room after you have her?" Sure Kate, no problem. (Kids. Life is so simple to them, I just love it!) I called my doula, Christine, around 8:00 to see what her plans were for the night. She got here around 9pm. We walked up and down the street for a while to help move things along and to distract me a little. We ran into my neighbor, who I don't know that well. She didn't know I was in labor and chatted us up for a while. That was quite annoying. (Christine is not only a friend and doula, she is also a midwife and a RN. I had toyed with the idea of delivering at home, but Jon was against it all along. I knew with Christine here if things did progress too fast to make it to the hospital that we would all be in good hands, literally). We headed to the hospital around 10:00, by this time I was about 7 centimeters. (Having Christine was wonderful, not only for the emotional support, but to know how things were progressing physically. She was awesome all around!) I was dreading the ride to the hospital fearing it would be the worst 20 minutes of my life. It wasn't so bad, except for slowing down labor a little. So we get to the hospital and get hooked up with a wonderful nurse who Christine used to work with when she was a labor/delivery nurse at CMC. It couldn't have been any more perfect. I labored in the tub until I couldn't stand it any longer. (I get to a point in my labors that I become sensory sensitive and when I've had enough of something, I've had enough!) I think I was about 9 centimeters when I got out of the tub. The doctor came in to check me and asked me to push a few times since I was almost complete. I tried one push. It was excruciating. He's lucky I didn't kick him in the face. I wasn't ready. He left and said he would check back in 30 minutes. Labor intensified. Transition! Christine caught my puke in a bucket ~ if that's not a true friend I don't know what is! Camryn was ready, she wanted out. I, on the other hand, wanted to stop. I remember telling Jon and Christine "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to be done. I can't do this anymore!" I believe I was whining and crying at this point (maybe that's where my kids get it from). Jon kept saying "Look at Christine! Just look at Christine!" I guess he was done at this point too. Christine kept saying "You are almost done. You can do this. You ARE doing this." The doctor came back in, I was standing leaning on the bed (keep in mind I was naked the ENTIRE time ... when you're having your fourth child, you really have no humility left in you!). The doctor made me get on the bed, he really didn't feel like 'catching' a baby I guess. I got in the bed, pushed through a few contractions and Camryn arrived, all 8 lbs of her. The doctor, his name escapes me at the moment, delivered her with no gloves, no scrubs ~ wearing a white shirt. Sorry doc, but really, it was my fourth child, how long did you think I was going to have to push??? That's the story of Camryn's birth. It was empowering. I won't say it was painless or 'easy' but I was glad I was able to have another drug free labor and delivery. Thank you to Christine who was more than awesome through out the whole thing, I really couldn't have done it with out you. How do I ever thank some one for helping bring my baby into this world in such a wonderful way?
Here I am in labor on the evening of May 31st, 2008. This was between contractions.
Camryn Grace ~ the hairy little monkey. Thank God all that back hair is gone! 
The kids come to meet their new baby sister.
Sweet newborn snuggles. 
Kisses from Daddy.And now, it's a year later. Camryn is walking and talking. She still looks a lot like Kate and Will ~ as she did a birth. She has grown so much in 365 days, it's simply amazing. Happy Birthday, my sweet, sweet baby girl!
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