Calvin Duke Christensen
9lbs 15.1oz 21.5" long
November 9, 2019 8:30pm
Hey there my little Calvin Duke. You are 2 today! The last 2 years have flown by and now I'm sitting down on your birthday to tell you the story of your birthday. It was an exciting day! And so were the days leading up to your birth.
Your due date was October 31. Halloween! I so enjoyed carrying you all the way to your due date and then for 9 extra days. We were both getting so big! I felt really fine letting you take your time and coming on your own and our doctor went out of town so I think we fell through the cracks a little. I decided to call the doctor that was filling in for Dr. Alexander to let him know I was over a week late and just to check if there was anything I needed to do. He said I should come in to check on you so I did. While this was happening you big brother Ollie wasn't feeling good and ended up having to go to the hospital. While there everyone thought I was there to deliver you...but I wasn't! Our doctor decided that I needed to be induced asap. I let him know that I had to get Ollie situated and that I would come in Saturday morning bright and early to start labor. You were perfectly happy to stay inside me as long as possible.
Saturday morning we dropped off all your big brothers to our friends house Amy Simpson and Erica Locke. I knew everyone would be safe and happy so that I could focus all my energy on you. After arriving, checking in, getting in a room, and settling in the doctor broke my water. Then I napped! It was the first time I had to relax and nap after a few very busy days. The contractions were mild and it felt great to rest. At around noon I decided it was time to start moving things along so I got out of bed and started working on moving you down. Turned out that was going to be quite the task! I had no medication for your labor and birth and just knew that was the right choice even though medication sounded great. I spent a few hours laboring in the shower. I had one of the most special experiences while laboring with you. I felt your Great Grandmother with me so vividly. Like she was holding your hand and helping me get you into this world. Baby boy I was laser focused on you. After a few hours of laboring in the shower I started feeling a lot of pressure building and I didn't want to get stuck in the shower so I dried off and started laboring back by the bed on a birthing ball.
When a nurse checked me I wasn't very dilated. Maybe a 4. I let her know that I was going through transition...no one believed me accept for you daddy. The thing is when I deliver babies I go from a 4 to pushing very quickly. I knew you were close! I let the nurse know the she should call the doctor and she said that, "no...you actually could just be doing this all at home still". It wasn't great and I felt so scared. And so was your daddy. Then about 10 minutes later I started screaming that you were coming and finally the nursing staff started to believe me. They called the doctor that was on duty and everyone rushed in frantically. I was still screaming because I had to push and I was scared that no one was ready. The doctor told me to stop screaming and moving so much because they couldn't find your heartbeat. And so I pushed. I pushed 4 times sweet boy and all 10lbs (9lbs 15.1oz, and 21.5'' long to be exact) of you came rushing into the world. They needed to check on your breathing because you were such a big boy and my body longed for you. I got the shivers so bad! It didn't go away till you were securely resting on my chest breathing sweetly. 16 hours of labor and delivery and a very traumatic experience with the hospital staff was a million times worth it to have you in my arms. My recovery nurse was wonderful and told me if I had chosen an epidural that you would have been a c-section. It makes sense to me. I knew that. We worked together in your delivery and that is something I will never forget.
We were deciding between two names for you but as soon as I saw you I knew you were Calvin. And our bond was fast and strong. You were my first baby born with no hair! And your eyes were already light. I didn't want to share you with anyone but holy smokes, were your big brothers excited to meet you. We left the hospital just after a day and your brothers were so ready for you. They loved holding you and giving you kisses.
You were born at a really interesting time little Calvinator. Just 4 months after you were born the whole world shut down because of a world wide pandemic, Covid-19. We went into quarantine which didn't feel much different then how we stay home with a new baby except your brothers and daddy were also home. You didn't really start meeting new people till you were a year old and went to church for the first time at 15 months.
It took so long to write all this down because I had to emotionally heal from labor and delivery. But you are the most perfect ending to a hard day bringing you here and I will always be grateful for the experience of you labor and delivery.
