Trip to Bend.

A year ago Jeff's Grandpa Bob was in a horse accident and paralyzed from the neck down. He now lives in a home in Bend just 2 hours away from us. When Balen was 6 days old we made the trip to Bend to meet his Great Grandpa and Grandma.

Grandma Bill

While we were there we met some of Jeff's family at Olive Garden for lunch.

Grandma Jeannie & Grandma Tina

Grandma Carol

Aunt Baylee

Aunt Jamie and Cousin Abbie sticking their tongs out like Balen :]

It was a long but fun day!

Balen Daniel Cary

Jeff came down with a really bad case of the flu and a virus that was very similar to strep throat the day before Balen was born. Perfect Timing! He was a trooper though! The hospital moved a recliner into my hospital room for him to sit in while I was in labor for 18 hours. He was able to come into the operating room and sit right next to me until they got Balen out. The next few days he laid in the hospital bed next to me until he got better. The only time he got up was to eat, change Balen's diaper or hand him to me because I couldn't walk. It will always be a memory!

I don't know what I would have done without My Mom! She never left my side through labor and trying to deliver. When they wheeled me away to the operating room I think I was more worried about leaving my mom then I was about having a c-section...

Luckily her best friend Christy Sanders (middle) was one of my nurses! It made me feel so much better knowing she was in there with me.

Jeff leaving the operating room getting ready to show Balen off to our families.

Balen's Grandmas.

Aunt Jamie

Aunt Shey

Aunt Sayge and Shaylee

Grandma Root

So excited to go home!!

Getting Balen here...

I was due on June 8th. 8 days later still no baby and I SNAPED! Called my doctor Thursday morning (June 16th) and told him I could not be pregnant any longer!! He had me come in for my last OB appointment and said he would induce me in the morning (Friday, June 17^th) After my appointment my doctor sent me over to the hospital for my 3^rd stress test of the week. Turns out I was in labor and had no idea! They admitted me around noon on the 16^th. Hooked me up to pitosin right away to speed things up and make my contractions stronger because I couldn’t feel a thing.

My labor was a walk in the park! I was never in serious pain, but decided to get an epidural when I was dilated to a 5 because I knew I would want it later. Around 11 o’clock that night I was fully dilated and ready to have our baby! If only it were that easy…

As soon as I started pushing my epidural wore off. I could feel EVERYTHING and it was the most painful experience of my life. I was determined to get our baby out though! I pushed for over 3 hours and his head was almost all the way out. My last 3 contractions instead of coming out he decided to go back up the birth canal and turn. After 18 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing I was rushed in for an emergency c-section.

I don’t remember much of the c-section. I was so exhausted by this point I slept through most of it. I remember them giving me a spinal and feeling so relieved that I could no longer feel anything. I remember them shoving the baby back up the birth canal. I remember his first cry. I remember Jeff showing him to me and telling me he had black hair. And I remember throwing up all over myself. Really Special! An hour and a half later I was out of surgery. They wheeled me to my room where Jeff and our baby boy were waiting for me.

We spent the next 4 days in the hospital. I thought I was going to die the first few days, but things slowly got better. I had to learn how to eat, get out of bed, walk, pee, shower, you name it all over again!

Balen Daniel Cary was born at 4 o’clock in the morning on June 17^th. He weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and was 20 inches long. Balen is named after Jeff’s Dad Daniel that passed away from cancer when Jeff was 8 years old. Balen’s middle name fits him perfectly because he looks just like Jeff’s Dad did when he was a baby.

Even though getting Balen here was a NIGHTMARE we wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world. He is a healthy baby boy and that is all that matters!

And then there were 3...