I've always heard that being a parent means that your life is crazy and joyful all in one. Melissa and I have come to understand that meaning and ran with it. I'm sure many other people can identify with what we've been through.
It all started on Thursday the 13th. We had our routine weekly appointment with our OBGYN. We sat in the check-up room for a little bit longer than what we were use to. Surprisingly we found out why, my wife had a high protein count in her urine. So our doctor, Rosemary Lesser was nervous that she might have pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) also called toxemia or preeclampsia. The only cure for this condition is having the baby. Wide eyed and shocked we walked over to labor and delivery for further tests and worrying about not having anything ready to have a baby today. They hooked Melissa up to machines for his heart rate, took blood samples and we waited for 2 and half hours. The tests came back and everything looked okay. So they sent us home with a 24 hours urine collection bin and told us to bring it back tomorrow so they can see if the protein levels increase or if it is just a fluke.
Friday the 14th: Dr. Lesser worried about Melissa and called her in the morning to see how she was doing. Melissa felt fine but the Dr. wanted her to come up to her office for another blood pressure test after we dropped of the 24 hr urine test at the hospital lab. This time we came more prepared with our and Jr.'s bags, just incase. I mainly wanted the camera. They had her pee in a cup again and hooked her up to the same machines as the day before. This time things had became worse, her blood pressure was higher and she still had the same high count of protein in her urine. Five words were then said that changed our lives, "you need to be induced." At this exact moment Melissa's parents and sister were taking off from the SLC airport on their way to Jeff Walton's graduation in Colorado.
With every emotion imaginable we made our way back to labor and delivery and
got checked in to have our baby. It was a very strange feeling having Missy walk into her delivery room, not in pain, not screaming for drugs but more shocked holding my hand and smiling. We entered the delivery room at 3 p.m. Around 3:30 Dr. Lesser came in a broke her water and simply said, "you're not leaving now". They had to hook Melissa up with a whole bunch of medicine through and IV. Melissa did wonderfully with her contractions.
She was dilated to a 4 by the time they gave her epidural. In her own words, "I love modern medicine". While calming Melissa, I was also talking to Melissa's family who were trying to find a flight back for her Mom so she could be there for Melissa when Logan was born. However, five hours after Melissa was induced Logan Henry Ellis was born and her mother was in mid air when he was born.
Logan was born at 9:12 P.M. on Dec 14th 2007. This was the first time mother and son saw each other. I had just cut the cord before this was taken.
He weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and 19.5" long. I was the first person able to hold little Logan minutes after he was born. At this moment I couldn't help but notice how much he looked like his mother, but in a manly way.
Mom getting to hold her boy for the first time. Don't they both look beautiful.
Here an hour after his birth Logan is in the nursery for his first bath and mug shot while Melissa is being rolled into her recovery room. He loved those hot lamps. His temperature was a little lower than normal so they had him under the lamps for a few extra minutes. Plus chicks dig tans.
He loves his right hand in front of his face. I had to trim his nails to stop him from scratching himself cause that hand is there too much.
Our first picture together as a family. Logan was only 3 hours old. We couldn't sleep very much that night. Grandma Cairns took this picture after her crazy flight. Her plane landed here in Utah little over an hour after he was born.
I love this picture of mother and son. Logan already has great neck muscles and loves to lay on peoples chest more than any other position. Without fail he will look at you when he is on your chest.
It took us two days to finally decide on Logan's official name. We were asked by every nurse. For the longest time we couldn't decide between Logan or Andrew. So the nurses thought they would help us out by giving us their favorite. We had some great nurses.
Finally, two days later Grandpa Cairns and Melissa's sister Rachel were able to make it to Utah. While they were in Colorado for Rachel's husband Jeff's graduation, Grandpa bought this hat for his grandson.
The Ellis family getting ready to leave the hospital to go home all together. We were very lucky to have everyone healthy that day.
Paradise our cat has never seen a newborn before. So when we brought Logan home she was so curious as to what he was. Right after this picture Logan made a small coo noise Paradise ran for the hills.
To finish up the story I wanted to mention one experience that scared me. The next morning after Logan was born. Melissa was looking good from the toxemia and was taken off medication and monitors. The Dr. said she could take a shower and boy she was eager. I was in there helping her making sure she was okay. After the shower she began to feel light headed and quickly sat down on the toilet. Two seconds after she sat down her body went limp and her head fell forward. When you have toxemia one of the worst things that can occur is you can have a seizure. When she collapsed on me I thought she might be having one. She shook a little and was making haunting noises. While holding her up I hit the emergency button they had in the bathroom yelling at a microphone for help. The nurses and a doctor came running in. At this same time as the Dr. and nurses came running in my mother-in-law was outside. She saw the red light on top of our door go off and the commotion of people running in and out of our room. She was scared. Luckily my wife only fainted from the hot water and combination of toxemia, and giving birth. She is fine today but she gave me the biggest scare in my life, yet I've never loved her more.
Ben created this birth announcement for our little boy. I think they turned out so nice. I am very lucky to have such a talented husband who helps me capture all these moments.
lights for a business and his parent's house could be seen the instant you turned the corner because of all the lights. We have never put up lights at our first house, but this year over his Thanksgiving Break, Ben spent the weekend decorating our home. Here is a picture of what it looks like at night. I think it turned out very classy. In case you can't tell, we have two clear lights and then one red light on the house. Then we have some lighted garland with red bows hanging from our porch and two big red bows on our front porch columns. There are also four small lighted pine trees lining the path up to our door. Best of all, all of these lights are on timers to automatically come on when it gets dark! This ensures that we always have our lights on to show our cheer during the holidays! So I guess we are a little early with our lights and might be causing a few premature "Hark! Yon House!" comments.
Ben and I were married in 2004 and met through a friend at the University of Utah.
Taylor
Cayman
