Happy Birthday Cayden!

Fist family picture - wow I look like I just went through labor!!!

I honestly thought that Cayden would NEVER come out of me. I was due January 17th, and my doctor graciously said that he would induce me on Monday, January 19th if he had not arrived. I had tried and tried to talk him into inducing me earlier and he always politely said NO. He claimed it isn’t good to do with the first baby – I told him I would not hold him accountable for breaking any hospital rules. J

On Thursday evening, January 15th, 2004, Aaron and I ordered veggie pizza and did our usual of watching TV and watching my belly go nuts as this “alien” inside me did his gymnastics routine. Later in the evening I started to feel kind of weird and was having what I thought to be contractions but they didn’t hurt like I had thought they would. So, I went to bed and hardly slept at all because I was so anxious as to what might be happening to my body. I should have slept more, but I was thinking at any moment he might pop out of me – ha ha – I found out about 15 hours later that they don’t just “pop” out!

So, in the wee hours of the morning I went potty and realized that something had come out of me (later realized it was my mucus plug) and I wasn’t sure what it was, but knew it wasn’t the alien inside of me. So, back to bed I went, only to get up many more times in the night because my panties kept getting wet; I thought I was peeing on myself all night long. I was also having slight menstrual cramps throughout the night (contractions!).

I called the doc in the morning and replayed the events of the night and he said I should come in and get checked out. We packed a bag, just in case!

At the doctor’s office we met with Dr. Draughn who would later deliver me since Dr. Presley was enjoying himself in Hawaii, and he confirmed that YES I was in labor should head next door to the hospital. OH MY GOSH is what we were thinking!!! So, we got in our car and ran through the drive through at Bank of America to make a deposit – I guess we needed money and had to do it then! The lady at the drive through told Aaron he had to come in because he didn’t have the right form, and he told her he couldn’t because his wife was in labor. HA! I wondered if she had ever heard that excuse before.

When we arrived at the hospital, around noon, they tested the fluid and yes my water had barely broken and I had been leaking amniotic fluid all night long. Since I had been leaking for a while now they started me on pitosin to speed up the labor.

I had told Aaron that I wanted to go “natural” as long as possible and no matter what I said to not let me get the epidural until I absolutely needed it. Looking back I now know that was one of the most stupid decisions I have ever made – if you plan on eventually getting it, then just get it as soon as you can! So the pitossin starts kicking in and I’m hurting. The contractions are getting harder and I decide now is the time for the epidural. I tell Aaron and he says that we should wait. WHAT? NO I want it now. He says that I told him earlier that I wanted to wait as long as possible, no matter what I said in the heat of the pain. WHAT? I want it NOW. So, I got it then!

Much better! The rest of the day was fabulous. We had SO many visitors that hung out the whole day and made all the nurses crazy!

Finally it was time to start pushing. This is the part that no body had prepared me for. It was so hard and so exhausting to push. In the room it was Aaron, Dr. Draughn, two nurses, and me. I pushed for TWO hours with him and during that time my epidural wore off and the pain came rushing back. Finally, the doctor told me he was not coming out and he needed to use the suction on his head – GO FOR IT I said. I didn’t care what he used at this point. So, as I was screaming “it’s burning, get him out” he suctioned him out and finally our son Cayden James Ivey arrived at 9:53 pm, weighing in at 9lbs 11 oz and 21.5 inches long.

When Cayden came out it was one of the best moments of my life. Seeing this baby that we had created join us in this world was an experience like none other. He was beautiful and he was ours. They laid him on my chest and it was as if I had loved him forever. Aaron and I both cried, as we loved on our son for the first time ever.


Look at that BIG boy!


Our first view of our new son!


January 16, 2004 was a marvelous day for us.

Cayden is so sweet and is growing into such a little boy. He amazes me at his compassion for his baby brother and the love that he can so easily give out to Aaron and I. He cracks me up daily with his thoughts and he is always ready to have a good time. I am thankful to be his mommy and pray that God will do amazingly wonderful things in his life, more than I could ever imagine possible.

Cayden, I love you!


My big THREE year old little boy!

Click HERE to see Deacon's birth story!