Newborn Photo Shoot

We did a newborn photo shoot with Cambry when she was 1 week old. Greg took these photos. He did such a wonderful job - I am so proud of his photography skills. And of course I think the subject matter is the cutest thing ever.

These photos did not come easy though. Getting a peacefully-sleeping perfectly posed newborn is no small task. I will have to do another post with some behind-the-scenes pictures and some of the outtakes. It took 4 different attempts over 2 days to get these, but I love how they turned out.

Cambry's Birth Story

I better write this down before I forget it. I still can't believe what a smooth, quick, and easy (relatively speaking) labor and delivery I had. God had a perfect plan for Cambry's arrival and I am so thankful for how it happened. I'll start with the day before her birth...

Greg had taken Thursday afternoon off work since he had some vacation days he needed to use by the end of the year. I was 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I was really hoping Cambry would come on her own and I would not have to wait until 42 weeks to be induced. When Greg got home from work around lunch time we decided to go for a long walk. We joked that we would not come back from the walk until I was in labor. We walked to the disc golf course and Greg played through the course while I walked along beside him. By the time we were done we tracked that we had gone 3.9 miles. I was exhausted by the end and barely shuffling along. That evening we rented a DVD and then went to bed around 11pm.

At 2am on Friday morning my water broke. It woke me up and I immediately jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I somehow managed not to get it on the bed, but my clothes were soaked when I got to the bathroom. Even though I was almost positive it was my water that broke, I wanted to make sure I hadn't just peed everywhere - ha! After determining that it was definitely not pee, I called out - "Greg...my water broke." I got no response so I repeated it a little louder. About half a second later he was in the bathroom wide-eyed and excited. I hopped in the shower and we both began getting ready to go and gathering last minute things for our hospital bags.

I started having contractions right away but I didn't realize they were real contractions at first because they just felt like Braxton Hicks and weren't painful. I was excited knowing that it was the day we would finally get to meet our baby girl, but my excitement was overshadowed with fear at first. I was so nervous anticipating the pain and the whole labor process that I was shaking the whole time in the shower.

I told Greg as I was getting ready that I didn't want them to give me pitocin right away in the hospital to bring on labor, I wanted to wait for it to start on its own. Little did I know it had already started and would go very quickly!

We called our parents to let them know we were leaving for the hospital soon. By the time we were ready to leave my contractions were coming regularly and were getting pretty uncomfortable. I had to stop what I was doing to get through them.

We arrived at the hospital at 3:40am. I'm sure I was a site to see as I was shuffling along in pain and holding a huge towel because my water was continuing to leak out everywhere. I could not believe how that much water could have been inside me as it continued to come out in gushes for the next couple of hours.

After signing a few papers they wheeled me to a room right away. I was in pain now and all I could think as I was signing the forms was "Seriously?? Now??"

We got in our room and this is where I started to get a little cranky. A nurse handed me the most confusing hospital gown ever and then left us alone for what seemed like forever. Neither of us could figure out the ridiculous gown that was just a flat piece of fabric with snaps everywhere and you have to make the sleeves yourself. The contractions were getting really painful and I started pleading with Greg to go get a nurse. She finally came and started to do all the normal stuff- IV, hooked me up to monitors, blood work, etc. She checked me and I was 4 cm dilated. Contractions were very intense and painful, and I was ready for the epidural. I felt like a baby wanting it so soon but I just wanted the pain to stop. It didn't take very long for the anesthesiologist to arrive and by 5:15am the epidural was in. It wasn't bad at all, and once it was in it was the best thing ever! I am so thankful for epidurals! They checked me again at that point and I was 6 cm.

They told me my doctor would arrive at 7:30am to come in and check on me. So for the next 2 hours I just relaxed and chatted with Greg and my parents. During that time Greg's parents arrived at the hospital - they had left Waco in the middle of the night. It was a good thing they got there when they did because Cambry came shortly after that.

Around 7:40am my doctor arrived. She checked me and calmly said - "Alright you are ready to push, her head is right there". What?? I could not believe it. I was prepared for an all day labor and was completely shocked I was already 10 cm.

The doctor and nurses got ready and I started pushing a few minutes before 8am. Greg and my mom were in the room with me, as well as my doctor and 2 nurses. I pushed for 30 minutes and then the doctor said "On this next push she will be out." It was so surreal. She was right though - on the next push Cambry was out. She was born at 8:24am. And the best part was I couldn't feel anything! They laid her on me as soon as she was born and they began cleaning her up. Greg got to cut the cord. After several minutes of her laying on me and just being in awe of her, they weighed her quickly and cleaned her off a little more. She was a healthy 8 lbs. 10 oz.

Greg held her briefly and then they laid her on me again for about an hour. I tried to nurse her but she wasn't too interested. Towards the end of our hour with her our parents got to come in and see her. Then they took her to the nursery for the next few hours. They wheeled me up to the recovery room where I spent the next two days.

I was in complete shock. None of it seemed real. I couldn't believe God's goodness in blessing us with such a sweet baby girl. She was perfect in every way. She was beautiful. She was ours.

Throughout the labor Greg was so wonderful. He was a great encourager and comforter during the painful contractions and was great at cheering me on as I pushed. It was such a special thing to experience together. I loved seeing him hold his daughter for the first time. And the next 2 days in the hospital with him were so special. They didn't even seem real.

Our stay at the hospital was so nice. All of the nurses were so friendly and helpful and are ready to get you anything you need. We had family and friends that came by to see us and meet our precious baby girl.

We are overwhelmed with thankfulness for God's sweet gift to us.

First Few Days

Time for some more pictures! I don't know why the picture in the last post was so huge - I posted in from my phone while still in the hospital so I couldn't control the settings. Here are some of my favorites from the past few days.

I love this one of Greg - proud new Daddy.

Baby Girl Is Here!

Introducing Cambry Paige Mattern...

She was born Friday December 16 at 8:24AM, 8 lbs. 10oz. and 21 in. long. We are praising God for our beautiful baby girl!

Baby Bump - 41 Weeks

I am officially 41 weeks.

Let's do another purple shirt side by side comparison, shall we?

Check out the 4 week difference. I was unsure if my belly was growing still but I think the pictures are pretty clear. Still growing. WOW. I am glad this is the last or second-to-last belly shot because I just don't see how it can get any bigger.

Greg thinks it would be funny if I tried to go on the tv show I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant.

I promise, I just had no idea...

Any Day Now Cambry...

Well, still no baby.

Tomorrow will be 41 weeks - WHOA.

I had a doctor appointment yesterday and an ultrasound. Everything looked good - plenty of fluid and baby seemed to be doing well. She was so still at first, must have been sleeping. I couldn't believe it because usually she is so active at my appointments and she was even very active in the waiting room. Then when it was time for the ultrasound she decided to be super still. The doctor kept trying to wake her up because she wanted to observe her movement. Finally she used the beeping vibrating thing that startled her and she started to wake up. Then she got the hiccups. She gets them often but it was funny to actually see it on the ultrasound.

Estimated weight is 8lbs 8oz but the doctor said she thought she was smaller and the estimates aren't very accurate at this point. When the head is so low they can't get a good measurement of it and that is one of the factors in the weight calculation.

I had not made any progress at this appointment - still 2 cm.

So now we just wait.

If she doesn't come out by next Wednesday the 21st (42 weeks) they will induce.

I had been feeling really great until this week. Maybe it is just mentally knowing that I am overdue, but I am starting to feel pretty uncomfortable. My belly feels enormous, and it seems to be causing some back pain / pressure. Just standing and walking now are no longer very pleasant. I am not trying to complain (I am extremely thankful to have had such a wonderful pregnancy), I just want to keep record of how I feel throughout pregnancy so I can look back and remember. Also, I am wondering if she has dropped even lower because my bathroom trips have really increased in frequency.

Well, that is all I have for now. Come on baby!

Baby Bump - 40 Weeks

Here is the 40 week bump. I probably should have taken the picture in a fitted tee or tank to really see the largeness of the belly but didn't have time to change for the picture before bible study. Will this be my last weekly picture?? Who knows. Maybe there will be a 41 week picture. Let's hope there is not a 42.

What can I say at this point?

I am 40 weeks 1 day pregnant. I am not feeling terribly impatient, but I am of course eager for her to come. At my appointment on Monday I was at 2cm. My next appointment is this coming Monday and I will get an ultrasound.

I am feeling pretty good overall, but I think I have a little cold, which kind of scares me. I hope it does not get worse to where I am super sick when I go into labor. I am just praying to feel better and that I would be able to trust in God's perfect plan for Cambry's arrival.

Cambry is still a major wiggle worm. Sometimes at night she just goes crazy and it makes it a little difficult to fall asleep.

I haven't had any crazy spurts of energy like I read about people having at the end. If anything, I feel like I am slowing down. She is pretty heavy these days.

It is so strange that our lives are about to change in ways we can't imagine. It doesn't seem real that we will have a baby of our own to take home very soon. So excited! It is fun to meditate on these verses at this time and think how they apply to Cambry.

Psalm 139

³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Due Date

Dear Cambry,

Oh, did you not hear? Today is your due date. That means you are supposed to come out now. I understand that you are warm and cozy in there and you may want to stay a little longer. However, do not even think about trying to steal my birthday. If you try to come on the 11th, I will not let you out ;) XOXO

Love,

Mom

Waiting

While we wait for Cambry to make her debut, we are partying it up.

Some Christmas parties require dressing up nice.

And then some parties require just a little more.

Baby Bump - 39 Weeks

Today is December 1st - WOW! I am 39 weeks and 1 day. I can't believe we are so close to her due date. I can't really tell if my belly is still growing. I feel like it has been at size enormous for a while now and it is getting hard to notice weekly changes. Either way, it won't be growing for much longer.

I am feeling really good. I always hear how miserable the end is, but it isn't really bad at all for me - which has been a huge blessing. I don't have any new/weird symptoms. I feel pretty comfortable most of the time even though people look at me and ask - "Are you as uncomfortable as you look??" Ha. Um, yes, I realize my stomach is defying gravity and sticking straight out 3 feet but it's really not that bad, I promise :)

I feel like I have done most of the things I wanted to do before baby comes. Of course there is always more to do - especially around Christmas time, but most of the important stuff is done.

I went to the doctor on Monday and had not made any progress. Still only 1.5 cm. Cambry seems to be comfy and cozy in there. I will get another ultrasound if I go past my due date. I am eager to see what they estimate her weight at that ultrasound.

She is still quite wiggly. I can feel so many body parts moving across my belly, but I still can't tell what they are. I think mostly knees and feet.

It seems strange that at any moment the whole labor process could begin. I feel so normal (relatively speaking), that it doesn't seem possible that I could feel this way one day and be in labor the next. But I know it could be any day now and that makes each day exciting. I feel bad every time we call a family member because they are always hoping it is "the call" - haha.

Well, that is all for now. Can't wait to meet you Cambry!