Aaron's Birth Story in T13 Style

In honor of my youngest's 4th birthday on Saturday, I thought I would do my T13 on Aaron. It really is an interesting story just because he had so many quirks for so long, and it is amazing that after spending his first two years of his life worried about lasting repercussions, he is now a perfect, albeit a little crazy, little boy.

1. Aaron was due on October 23rd, he came on the 25th. I went to the doctor on the morning of the 25th. It was decided to induce me the next morning.

2. This is how the cell phone conversations with Steve went that morning..

9:00 AM "Hi, Honey, Dr. is going to induce tomorrow morning. Tell Fred (his boss) that you won't be in the rest of the week"

11:30 AM "Hi Honey, Noah and I just left the library and I think my water just broke. I'm not sure, so I think we'll go home and have some lunch

12:00 PM "Hi Honey, I think I am going to head to the hospital, so why don't you meet me there when you get off of work. " I walk Noah over to the neighbor's house and drive to the hospital. Freaked out the neighbor but I knew I had a few hours before anything actually started.

12:30PM "Hi Honey, Dr. says I am already dilated to four and things are going fast so why don't you head over as soon as you can

1:30 PM "Steve...come now!"

He was born at 7:01 PM

3. We called both sets of parents to let them know things are in the works. Nancy my stepmom says, "I'll call your dad..he's out on the course"

4. Although it was never discussed, Dad and Nancy came in about an hour later while active labor had started. I don't know if I was ever more thankful to see two people in my life. Having Steve on one side of me with his big, bony hand and my dad on the other with his warm fleshy hand was great...especially since I am quite sure I caused them both quite a bit of pain.

5. Nancy did things that I didn't know were nice while you are in labor, such as cold wash cloths for my forehead. According to Steve, she stood in the bathroom "whipping" wet washcloths at him. The image still makes me giggle...I don't really know if that happened or not, I was a little busy at the time. When things started going wrong (see below), she was the one in my ear whispering to me to pray for Aaron, and she was the one holding my hand (and probably in a lot of pain) while I was there for what seemed like forever being stitched up after a lot of rippage and large episiotomy. No epidural...I was too scared of the needle.

6. Aaron was born with the cord so tight around his neck, that he wasn't breathing for several minutes when he was born. His first APGAR was a 2, the second was a 7. It was the scariest few minutes of my entire life. I will never forget the SILENCE in that room for the rest of my life. In the picture you can see how purple he still was five minutes after his birth.




7. Aaron broke his collar bone on his way through the birth canal. The doctors didn't notice it because they were busy trying to get him to breathe. I, on the other side of the room, brought it to their attention.

8. Aaron as VERY stiff as a baby. I spent much time worried that it was a lasting effect from #6.

9. Both of my boys were extremely jaundiced at birth. With Aaron, I never got the bili blanket that I was supposed to. (I had been through that with Noah) I knew that if he kept nursing and pooping, It would work out. After a week and a half of trips to the hospital for blood tests, he was pronounced fine. Here is the only picture we have where you can truly see how yellow he still was three days after he came home, of course being kissed by big brother two year old Noah.




10. Aaron failed almost every hearing test as an infant and young child. Again, I thought it was because of #2.

11. After a string of constant (they never healed) ear infections and strep throat, we got his tonsils and adenoids out an tubes put in at two years old. He never had another infection again.

12. Aaron didn't talk until after his ear and throat surgery. He healed almost instantly from the surgeries. We think it was because he was so shocked at the ability to hear.

13. Aaron has an UNUSUALLY small head. For the first year of his life, we had a string of CT scans, MRI's and head xrays to rule out severe problems. His head was so far below the chart that they had two or three different nurses come measure it at each well child visit to make sure they were doing it right.


Once those few things were taken care of, e ended up with a wonderful, beautiful, goofy, happy little boy who is healthy and adventurous. Have a wonderful Birthday my Special Boy. We love you.