Welcome to the world, Camden

Camden Richard

September 15, 2012

10:38 pm

8 pounds 10.75 ounces

20.5 inches

My estimated due date was Thursday, September 13. I assumed I would go over since I was a full week overdue with Hudson.  I was right. We did not mind. I wanted to finish out the work week and go apple picking on Saturday. I was not uncomfortable at all. I started losing my mucous plug on Wednesday evening. I went to work the rest of the week. At 2 am on Saturday morning, I started having some contractions. They were kind of painful and 10 minutes apart but not so severe that I had to stand up. They were strong enough that they would not let me sleep. I read a book during them and it helped me take my mind off them. The contractions seemed to fizzle out around 6am.   

We went apple picking in the late morning and walked around.  Hudson walked around the pumpkin area, looked at all the animals, and ate some cookies. I was contracting on and off and told Rich I wanted to leave.  We left and ordered pizza as my last meal.

I tried to nap around 3. I started timing my contractions and they were between 6 and 7 minutes apart. They stayed that distance for a while but were getting more painful.  I took a shower to see if that would help the pain but it didn’t really help. I finally called my midwives and Elise was on call. I was glad because she had delivered Hudson.  She told me to lay down again, drink some juice, and do kick counts because the baby wasn’t moving a bunch. After about a half hour, I got up and the contractions were between 4 and 5 minutes apart and much more painful.  She told me to come in and that she would see me in the triage area before determining to admit me.

We had already called my inlaws who were at our house. Hudson started watching A Bugs Life and we left.  We got to the hospital a little after 9pm and Rich gave the car to the valet.  We got checked into triage at 9:27. I was 5cm dilated. My water broke at the next contraction. They ordered the antibiotic for me since I was Group Strep B positive.  The contractions came very close together and it was quite painful. I had wanted the room with the labor tub, but someone was using it. Yale only has one. We were going to wait it out. Rich was told to run to get our stuff from the car since our camera was in it. I thought they were being silly since it was 10 hours before Hudson was born when I was 5 cm.  

Rich got back to the triage area and we walked over to a room because Elise did not think I would make it long enough for the tub room.  They did some counterpressure on my hips during contractions which helped. I was only there a short time before I felt like I needed to poo. Elise said it was the baby and I was seriously doubting her since it was so quick. I painfully got on the bed on my side and she checked me.  At the next contraction, I was fully dilated.  Elise walked toward the door to turn on the light and I panicked and yelled “Where are you going?” For some reason, I thought she was leaving and I was going to shoot out a baby.

I pushed 13 minutes. He crowned on the first push but she had me stop pushing a little to help me not have another 4^th degree tear. I felt a burning sensation but not really pain. I couldn’t tell when I was contracting anymore. I was just hot and tired. He came out and there was a bunch of fluid that gushed out. He spun around in Elise’s hands and she put him on me.  They suctioned his mouth and he started to cry.  I had a very small 1^st degree. Rich had called my mother when we were in the triage area and they got there while I was being stitched up. I started bleeding too much but I thought I was just incontinent. I hadn’t said anything but when they checked me, they noticed. Elise took out some clots behind my cervix which had lowered.I finally went up to postpartum and they weighed and measured him. My mother and stepfather came up with us. My tailbone felt bruised but I was feeling fairly good, just tired.

I can’t compare which labor was more painful since Hudson was all back labor and took forever.  Camden’s was rapid and really intense.  Both of the boys stats were similar but Camden was in the correct position and so much easier to push out.

Hudson loves his brother and is very protective of him. He gets very upset whenever Camden is crying. It’s cute. 

Happy 2 1/2 birthday!

July 6, 2012

You are TWO AND A HALF! I can’t believe it. It’s crazy. It went by so fast.

You crack me up all the time. You are so funny and so full of life. You can be so intense and so gentle. You are going to be a big brother in a couple months. You talk about the baby. You ask if it’s “popped yet.” I am not sure what that means though.  You kiss the belly. It is really cute. You do not like to talk about sharing with the baby (or anyone else), though. 

In the past six months, you have grown so much. You talk well, you count, you recognize your colors (most of them) and letters. You love to do arts and crafts. You went to the recreation center and took a preschool type class and came home with a craft for me every Tuesday. It was great. You love to color, cut, glue, and play with playdough. You still love being outside and “riding” (more like us pushing you) on your bikes and toy truck. You are great with puzzles. You are getting so good at entertaining yourself. You will go to your books and pull them out and start reading them. 

You love your tools. You always want to help Daddy fix things around the house. He is working on making a big boy room for you and working on the baby’s room. You love to look in there and tell him to finish the rooms and want to “help.” You like to “fix” your toys when they “break.”

You still love the water. You were nervous when the first time you went in the pool this season because you weren’t sitting in your floaty. You now wear something that goes around your chest and arms. You didn’t want us to let go, but after 2 pool trips, you were okay with it.  You had a great time at the beach right before you turned 2 ½. You did not want to walk in the water by yourself though. You had a great time making sandcastles and digging in the sand with Daddy.

You still love fireworks. The loud noise does not bother you at all. You love when Poppie and Uncle Anthony set off small fireworks at Poppie’s house. You had a good time at the town’s fireworks display too, but you paid more attention to all the other kids than the fireworks.

Here are just some of the cute things you have said in the past few months:

In May, you woke up two days in a row asking for snow or wanting to build a snowman. You were not thrilled when I explained that there is no snow out in May (at least where we live).

You try to feed Elmo your food. Some days, he sits on the table and has pieces of food in his mouth.

You say, “I do MYSELF; I big boy!”  You say this about so many things.

You told me a story about your Vovo. You said he stuck tool in his eye; went to the doctor. Now he is blind. I cracked up. Turns out you had been told a story a while before that, when your vovo was young, he did get a tool or a stick in his eye and went to the doctor. He did not go blind. We think you picked that up because you’ve been told not to put things in your eyes or else you could go blind.

You made a stage and started singing into your microphone…VERY LOUDLY. If you are outside, you like to sing loudly too so our neighbors can hear how well you sing the “ABCs” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

When we tell you to do something you do not want to do (pick up toys or come to the table to eat supper), you tell us, “I can’t; I busy.”

You make us laugh. You make us smile. Mommy and Daddy love you!

Happy 24 Months Birthday!

Happy 24 Month Birthday
January 6, 2012

You are TWO! Where did the time go? You talk all the time now. You speak in sentences. It is so cute. You repeat, you understand, you can count to 10 (although, sometimes you go directly from 9 to 13, but it’s cute), you sort of say your ABCs. You are such a smarty.

One day, we had read some books. I was sitting in the glider and you sat on the floor and started reading 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed to yourself. It was amazingly adorable. You would say Mama, boom ouch, Doctor “no, no, no” and then turn the page. I can barely handle the sweetness!

In October, we had really big snowstorm right before Halloween. Trees were down everyone and many people throughout the state were without power. We didn’t lose power. We did get to play in the snow. We went sledding in the backyard and made a couple snowmen in the front yard. It was lots of fun. You “helped” daddy shovel. You have your own special shovel and you walked around getting snow. We had Pop and Anita’s wedding in November. You looked so incredibly handsome all dressed up in your little suit vest. You refused to nap though. I don’t blame you. There were fun, interesting things to see and do at the wedding.

Thanksgiving was fun. We went to Poppie and Nana’s house first, and then we went to Vovo and Vavo’s house. On Saturday, we cut down a Christmas tree. You had fun holding the saw for a very short period of time. In December, we went to see the tree lighting in our town. It was really cold outside, but you liked watching all the people. There was singing, and the Mayor read The Night Before Christmas. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were fun and BUSY. We had lots of people to see and houses to go to. Once again, you were spoiled with toys and love.

On your birthday, we went to eat at Rainforest Café. You enjoyed it. You loved the noises all the animals made and ate ice cream for dessert. It was fun. Mommy and Daddy took the day off from work and we spent all day together having fun. The next day was your party and all your friends came. We decorated with Cailou, your favorite cartoon character. You had a great time at your party.

You are at such a fun age. I love it!

Happy 21 Month Birthday

Happy 21 Month Birthday
October 6, 2011

In three months, you have developed so much. At 18 months, you went from saying a few words, to having MANY words. It almost happened overnight. Around 19 months, I thought it was absolutely amazing that you could point and say what things are. You amaze me with how much you know now.

Summer was fun. We took a trip to Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It was a short mini-vacation. We went to the beach in Rhode Island and you loved it. You played in the sand so much. You were afraid of the ocean at first, but eventually, you got over your slight fear and wanted to run in and stay in. We stayed in a hotel that night and you went in the hotel pool. You liked that too. You didn’t want to get out!

We went to the Roger Williams Zoo the next day and you enjoyed yourself. The Cappettas came too. You fell asleep before we saw the monkeys, so you didn’t make your monkey sounds (which are so adorable too). There is a carousel there near the zoo. We took you on twice. When it was time to leave, you had a meltdown. You loved it so much you did NOT want to leave. I believe everyone there heard you. After we left the zoo, we went to the Cappetta’s house in Massachusetts and spent the evening with them. We ate dinner and took a walk to the lake near them. It was wonderful.

You went to your cousin Logan’s birthday party at this huge bouncy/gymnastics place. You were kind of intimidated by all the older kids, but you played, and ate your pizza like a big boy. We went to Mystic for Mommy and Daddy’s wedding anniversary. We only went to the aquarium there and then came home. You weren’t all that impressed. Maybe next year, you will like it more.

We took a trip to Pennsylvania in August to go to Lake Adventure day and see the fireworks. You played on the little beach there and then it started raining. We all played some games in the clubhouse and then ate supper. They canceled the fireworks and we went home. You were getting antsy.

Also in August, we all went to a picnic for Grandma and Poppy’s work (Nucor). You played in the baseball field, on the basketball court, the tennis court, and ate some food. It was fun, but you ran and fell and scraped your knees. You constantly mentioned your boo-boos on your knees for weeks and weeks. It was cute.

For Labor Day, we did a couple picnics. One was at Vavo and Vovo’s and one was at Pop and Nana’s. You had fun. You went swimming. You love the water. You love running around in the grass. You just LOVE being outside. We went to KidCity in Middletown one day and you LOVED that place too. You had a lot more fun than I thought you would have. It was great for a rainy day. We went with a group of kids and you made friends.

We went to the Big E in September also. It was a long day, but you were really well behaved. You liked looking at the animals. You mostly just hung out in the stroller, though.

You started a “gymnastics” class that you love. The first class you were nervous, but you finally joined in and ran around. It is more of an open gym type of class, but you do a summersault at the end of it.

We went to Celebrate Wallingford the first week in October. You got to go inside a firetruck and a police car and you absolutely LOVED it. You made sounds like you were driving; you wore a plastic hat. You smiled. You were just so stinking cute. 

You make me so happy. I love you.
Mommy

Happy 18th Months!

Happy 18 Month Birthday
July 6, 2011

You are growing up way to quickly. Some days I look at you and see my little baby with your sweet, round face. Other times I look at you and it seems like you are not a baby but a boy looking right at me with love and understanding. I love watching you grow, but selfishly, I want you to stay this age forever. You are so adorable and so much fun. Time is going by way to quickly!

The past few months were fun. We had Easter in April. We went to your Vavo and Vovo’s house for a dinner with family. We went to the library for Mother Goose a few times and you watched the other children for a while. Now you’re starting to participate.

We had a picnic on Poppie’s boat. You LOVED it. We went out on the water in the smaller/faster boat and you loved the wind. You played with some crabs, fish, and snails. You were not afraid of picking them up at all.

We both went to a baby shower at one of mommy’s friend’s houses. She has other children and you played with them and all their toys. I think you enjoyed yourself.

We went to the Wallingford fireworks on July 2. You loved them. Some of our friends came too and you played with them and then clapped and squealed with delight when the fireworks started. You kept saying “boom, boom.” It was adorable. We went to a picnic at Vavo and Vovo’s house on the fourth of July. Your friends Christian, Logan, and Andrew came over too. You went swimming in the pool, played baseball, fed the fish, and ran around. You had a great day.

You try jumping a lot now. It’s incredibly adorable to watch you try. You haven’t quite figured out that both your feet need to leave the floor. It’s so cute I just want to squeeze you.

Love you.

Happy 15 Month Birthday

April 6, 2011

The past three months, you have become such a cute, little man. We had a busy time.

We went SLEDDING again! On Martin Luther King Day, we went sledding in Wolcott with some friends. We pulled you around on your little sled and you had a great time. YOu don't mind the cold: you don't mind the snow. You are such a chill baby. You love being outside. You still like going for walks in the stroller or in your tricycle. We just bundle you up and you lay back and relax.

For your birthday, you got a JETS football outfit. Whenever the JETS were playing, we would put you in it. Daddy had a football party with the JETS and Patriots played. The JETS won. You looked cute.

In February, we had Daddy's birthday and a few people came over. You walked around and ate food. We went to the Hunting and Fishing Expo, too. We pushed you around on your tricycle and you were thrilled. People thought you were adorable.

We went to some groups at the library. You LOVE going to Mother Goose. You watch the other children and "participate." We sing songs and march and read books. You really seem to enjoy yourself. You LOVE books. YOu ask all of us to read to you all the time. You will point to your shelves, do the sign for book (you sign a bunch of words now and try to say them too), pick up books, and sometimes read them to yourself and us. I love when you "read" to me. It's so sweet to hear you "talking" about what's on the pages.

Your eating habits are good. You still nurse quite a bit. I love getting to spend that time with you, though. You love any food that has tomato sauce on it. You LOVE yogurt too. You still seem to enjoy throwing your food on the floor and I cannot seem to break you of that bad habit. You love balloons. You got a frog balloon for Valentines Day and an Elmo balloon from Grandma and Poppie just because they love you. You played with them whenever you saw them.

The other day (the end of March), you decided that you had been in the house long enough. Even though we had gone grocery shopping the day before, you decided one evening around 6pm that you needed to get out and go for a drive. You were only wearing your diaper and a shirt because Daddy had taken of your overalls. You got me your pants so I could put them on you. Then, you got your shoes and motioned and grunted for me to put them on your feet by lifting up a foot. Once I did that, you went and got sneakers for me to put on (even though they were Daddy's). I asked you if you wanted me to put them on and you said yes. I got ready and put you in the carseat. You were so happy that we were going out. We went to Grandma and Poppie's house for a little while and you were happy. You "played" with Jasper. You love that dog.

You started giving kisses too. It is SO ADORABLE! You make the mmmmm sound and pucker up. Many times, we read a book with pictures of babies. One of the pictures is of two little babies kissing. When you see that picture, you turn to me, go mmmmm, adn give me a kiss. My heart just about melted the first time you did that. You are such a sweet boy who brings so much happiness and love to our home.

I love you so much.

Happy 12 Month Birthday

YOU ARE A YEAR OLD! Where did the time go? One year ago, you were just a little newborn (okay, you weren’t really all that little); and now, you are walking, “talking,” playing, smiling, joking, and giving so much love. This past year of my life has been the best year. You are such a gift and blessing to our family, Hudson.

We had a surprise birthday party for Poppie at our house. His birthday is Christmas Eve, but we did it a week early so he wouldn’t know!

You did NOT like sitting on Santa's lap. We tried 2 different times. You just CRIED...a LOT!

This month, you celebrated your first holiday season. You got SPOILED by your family members. We had lots of family gatherings for Christmas. We went to Aunt Lynette and Uncle Dave’s house on Christmas Eve first for dinner. We opened presents and you got this cool car toy that you love to play with as well as other things. We went to Titi Fatima’s house after that and you got MORE toys. You didn’t want to go to sleep even though it was really late. You knew there was fun stuff going on. It was around 12:30 when we left there and you fell asleep in the car.

Christmas Day, you woke up and opened Christmas presents that Mommy and Daddy got you. You were so cute with the wrapping paper. You peeled it so carefully and would hand it to me. You were so adorable I just wanted to eat you up!

We went to Vavo and Vovo’s house after that and ate dinner. You got sick later on and screamed (A LOT). We didn’t realize that you were coming down with a cold, but when you finally woke up from your nap, you were all congested. Poor little one. You got lots of presents. Too many. All of you grandparents spoiled you. The day after New Years, we went to Grandma and Poppie’s house for another party with some cousins and aunts and uncles. You got MORE gifts there.

You went SLEDDING for the first time. We went in the backyard. You got this great sled for Christmas. You LOVED it. We took lots of pictures. You definitely are on outdoorsy kind of child. In the spring, summer, and fall, you loved every time you were outside. You don't mind the cold weather. You looked so cute all bundled up for the snow in your snowsuit and boots.

On your birthday, Mommy and Daddy spent the day with you. We went to the mall and ate at the Rainforest Café. We sat in the gorilla section. YOU LOVED IT! When they would make noise, you pointed at them and looked at us, as if to say, “Hey, do you see what I’M seeing! This is awesome!” You had your first taste of ice cream too!

We had you birthday party that weekend, and once again, you got more gifts. You loved your Rubber Ducky themed party with your family and friends. You were SO STINKING CUTE!

I love you. Even though you are a year old, and will keep getting bigger; you will ALWAYS be my baby.

Mommy