Camden: One Month

At his two week check-up he weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz (14%). He'd gained a whole pound since he came home from the hospital. I can't believe how fast he is growing!

He slept 7 hours through the night the first week home, but has since started getting up every 3-4 hours. He is a really mellow baby, and only cries when he's hungry. Nursing has been really tough, but we've stuck it out and things seem to be getting better. Camden is really strong. He could pretty much hold his head up when he was only 2 weeks old. He can also roll onto his side from his back. He almost always sleeps this way and will roll over almost the instant you set him on his back. Everyone comments on his hair, and his big blue eyes. He loves to look at ceiling fans and lights. He is mesmerized by them. He hardly ever looks at anyone's face, he's more fascinated with the ceiling behind them. We caught his smiling and giggling in his sleep last week. It was adorable! People who know Jonathan well say he looks like him, and people who know Mandie well say he looks like her. He's a really good mix of us both.  

 {Camden aka "Candy" and his cousins}

 {First Sunday as a family of three!}

{Sleepy baby smiles}

We had a little bit of a scare two weeks in. Camden was throwing up after eating. And not just a little spit-up, but projectile vomiting up to two feet away! After calling and talking to a nurse, she suggested that we take him to the ER. After a 5 hour ER stay, multiple tests and x-rays and an appointment the next morning at Primary Children's, we determined that he was just over-eating. Poor guy didn't know when to stop!

 {Isn't that just the saddest little face you've ever seen?!}

Our awesome sister-in-law Brittany, took some newborn photos for us 2 weeks ago. Even though Camden was super fussy during the session, she still managed to get some great shots!

Camden's Birth Story

Jonathan was so great and kept a timeline of the delivery on his phone as things were happening. I've added in some of my thoughts along with what he wrote. Enjoy!


7:00am: Our alarm goes off to get up and get ready to go to our last baby class at 9am at the hospital. Mandie convinces Jonathan that we should sleep in a little bit longer because this is one of the last Saturdays that we'll get to sleep in before the baby comes. (Little did we know how true that was!)

7:45am: I decide that if she wants to shower before we go to the class, she should probably get up. As soon as I sit up, I feel a little gush of fluid. It sort-of feels like I peed my pants but brushe it off and figures that I'm getting up to go to the bathroom anyways. As I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up, I feel another gush of fluid, this time more. I say, "Uh-oh" and waddle over to the bathroom. Jonathan asks what's wrong and she says, "I'm not sure, but I think my water just broke." He rushes into the bathroom and we both look at each other with a shocked face. Jonathan is freaking out a little, but almost starstruck, like this can't be happening. We don't really know what to do next. We decide that since we're headed to the hospital anyways, that we can get me checked out and then go from there. At this point I'm convinced that my water has broken (especially since it will continue to gush occasionally when I move) but I am not feeling any type of contractions or anything. I am hopeful that since things seem to not be progressing that they will send us home (or over to the baby class) and see if I start labor on my own in the next several hours.

8:30am: We both showered and are packing up our go bags. Mandie's was ready, and Jonathan's, of course, was not.

9:00am: We are headed to the hospital!

9:20am: We walk in and tell the nurse that I think my water broke. There is no one else in the unit, and it's very quiet. The nurses are super friendly and explain that they are going to admit me to verify if I am leaking amniotic fluid. Mandie is admitted and put in one of the patient rooms. Our nurse is Jen. She has worked with Julie Elton for years. She is VERY sarcastic, which is good.

11:00am: After several tests and quick exams, Jen walks in and tells me that my water has definitely broken. I naively ask if we can go home, or if we have to stay here. She laughs at me, looks at the clock and says, "I'm off at 7:00pm, and you're going to have this baby before my shift is over." I stare at her in utter disbelief. They are starting me on pitocin to get the contractions going. Jonathan went over to our class to tell them we weren't coming today because Mandie's water broke. They came by and saw us as they were taking the tour of the labor and delivery unit. Nurse Jen said we are too quiet when she asks if there are questions.

11:50am: Contractions are going, but not much else is happening. Jonathan is watching Netflix on the computer while Mandie is trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to take a nap. This still seems surreal. We are still trying to process everything. It just doesn't seem real, even though we are sitting in the hospital room.

2:00pm: Contractions are regular and Mandie is getting more uncomfortable as the contractions get more painful. No epidural yet. I'm not feeling much, and Jen comes in and turns up the pitocin regularly since things are aren't progressing. We're now to the point where she will need a doctors order to turn it up anymore. We're hoping things start to progress quicker. Mandie guesses that the baby will weigh 5 lbs 8 ounces. Jonathan thinks he will weigh 7 lbs even.

2:45pm: My contractions pick up quickly and get really painful, so we have the epidural done. I'm feeling much better now, and am a little bit sleepy. Jonathan and the anesthesiologist talk about the Masters, and he hangs out in the room with us to watch some of it on TV.

3:30pm: Brian, Karen and Matt came to see Mandie and bring Jonathan some food. They were happy to see Mandie and that she is doing well. She is dilated to a 4+, almost 5 and 90% effaced. The nurse said that once she hits a 5, things should move a little quicker.

4:30pm: Mandie is taking a nap. Jonathan tells her that, "Epidurals make things better."

6:00pm: Starting to push!

6:45pm: Doctor Pieper asks Mandie to pause while she goes to the OR. Mandie is doing really well at pushing.

7:15pm: The new nurse, Ashley, arrives (Jen wants to wait until the baby is born before she leaves) and says that Dr. Pieper will be at least another 20 minutes. We decide to have the "Doc in the Box", or the on-call doctor in the unit come and finish the delivery, because we don't want to wait any longer. She preps Mandie for the delivery, and right as she starts pushing again, Dr. Pieper shows up!

7:34pm: Camden is born! After not much more work, Camden came out pretty easily. They immediately put him on my chest. He was very cheesy, but super cute. He is a really mellow baby, and hasn't really cried much. Everyone in the room can't believe how much hair he has. He is extremely alert and keeps looking around and everyone and everything. We can't believe that he is here!

8:30pm: Mandie has been doing skin-to-skin for about an hour now has already fed Camden once. He cooled off significantly, so they needed to put him under the warmer to bring his body temp back up. Jonathan still hasn't held him, but we decided it's a good time to have Ross, JoAnn, Karen, Brian and Matt all come into the room to see him.

8:45pm: He is finally warm enough, and Jonathan gets to hold him for the first time! He is adorable! Mandie has lost a lot of blood, and they are closely watching her. She seems really sleepy and tired, but happy. The nurse came in and weighed him and measured him: 6 lbs 13 oz (22%) and 20 inches long (62%).

9:20pm: They are moving us upstairs to the maternity ward where we will all stay, likely, until Monday evening. Mandie and Camden are doing well; though Mandie tore a bit during delivery and bled a lot more than the doctor wanted to see, so they are keeping a close eye on things. The doctor tells Mandie that she practically hemorrhaged and almost had to have a blood transfusion, but they've gotten the bleeding to stop for now and she should be okay.

10:10pm: The nurses in the nursery are tagging Camden (again), measuring his blood sugar and taking his footprints and security photo. They have him on the warmer again because he is having a hard time keeping his body temp in the right zone.

11:30pm: Camden just finished his second feeding and now the CNA is giving his a bath. Camden cried a little bit during the sponge part, but LOVED the hair treatment. He looked so content. It was really funny. His hair is so long! It has to be at least an inch long. He really is a cute baby (not alien looking) and we can see features from both the Bowens and Haskells. We still can't believe he is here, but are excited that he arrived safely!

And now for the pictures. (Taken by my sister-in-law, Brittany. Check her out here!)