Dear Baby: January 2015

January 16, 2015
3 years, 2 months
3 weeks, 6 days

Welcome, Aspen Rose!

My precious baby girl, Aspen Rose Malcolm, was born on December 20, 2014 at 9:18pm. 21 inches long (LONG!) and 7lb 10 oz (Colter was 21 inches, 7lb 6oz). She was the biggest and best surprise we have ever had - since I had convinced both myself and CJ that "she" was really a "he". I am finally, almost a month later, not referring to dear sweet Aspen as a boy.

Driving into town after my water broke.

As a mother, I feel the need to document Aspen's labor (before it all fades away)...

On Friday evening, December 19 I started having pretty regular contractions. Because of the history of a fast 5.5 hour labor with Colter, after an hour or so of this shenanigans, we decided it would be best to drive into town. By the time we got there around 1 am, the contractions had petered off to nothing (naturally!). We spent the night down in town and drove back up the Canyon Saturday morning (the 20th).

I had a nice day with my boy - we walked to the post office and I even managed a 2 hour nap while Colter slept (greatest gift ever). As I was lying on the couch & waking up from my nap at 4pm, my water broke. Awesome. Considering only 12% of women start their labors with the water breaking, I find it rather remarkable that both of my labors started with a large gush of "water". Dah well. At least it was a sign that I needed to call CJ and get to town.

We were on the road within 30 minutes and headed into town. Our dear friends, Silas and Bianca, literally live about 5 minutes from the hospital. They were kind enough to offer up their home for me to labor at - and, I must say, it was a fabulous labor (as far as labors go...). We drove into town and watched a beautiful sunset and the alpine glow on the San Francisco mountains. At their house, we took a stroll around the neighborhood with Owen (he spent a cold night in the truck after Aspen's birth). I labored on the medicine ball for awhile in front of a crackling fire...and then migrated to the floor...

Around 8:45, I informed CJ I thought it was time to go. My next contraction was a pushing contraction...so it was definitely time to go. For those of you who have never experienced a pushing contraction: the urge to push is so uncontrollable that you have no option but to push. Which can be rather annoying when you're attempting to walk 20 feet to the truck. I guess that's what I get for waiting until the last minute to get to the hospital...

Laboring by a crackling fire...

A pushing contraction as I was walking to the truck to leave for the hospital...

I timed my last contraction at 8:50pm before I started to head for the truck. By 9pm, I was hanging out of the truck (quite literally), desperately waiting for CJ to return with a wheelchair. The nurse whisked me into the unbelievably slow service elevator and our dear sweet girl was born at 9:18pm, after 3 more pushing contractions. The doctor didn't make it. As a nurse, I am proud to say the nurses delivered my baby splendidly. The doc did show up to stitch me up. But we won't go into that...

Aspen soon after delivery...

Me and baby girl

First selfie with mama and dada

The umbilical cord was blocking her "junk" and no one bothered to say, "It's a girl!" as she popped out - assuming we already knew. My dear husband decided to take the official peak and was, needless to say, SHOCKED. He looked at me with a look I will remember for eternity - complete and utter happiness. And then he said, "It's a shocker! A complete shocker!" It took me a moment to process what exactly was going on, but by the look in his eyes I knew it could only be one thing. In that moment, I started crying and laughing. A baby girl.

About the time I found out it was an "Aspen".

CJ, the artist.

Grandpa visiting.

As the say, the rest is history. The past 3 weeks and change have been a whirlwind. Christmas came and went. The New Year passed. We've gone cross country skiing multiple times as a family, hiked up to the top of a local mountain and had the most splendid "Family Days". We are so complete. And so in love.