Trey Marten

I need to record the birth story.  My births have all been fast.  When I arrived at the hospital with Silas I was 6 cm, with Jewel I was 8 cm, I knew this one would be the fastest yet, I even told my doctor I was a little worried I wouldn't make it to the hospital on time.  Well, barely...

I woke up at 3:30 Thursday morning with some contractions.  They were sporadic and ranging on the pain scale from 2 through 7...some painful but some just noticeable.  After a little over an hour I was discouraged and thinking that it wouldn't turn into anything and that when the kids woke up in the morning I would be regretful of not just going back to bed.  So, I did.

Jordan's alarm went off at 5 for him to go to the gym, but with his recent sore back and a doctor appointment coming up, he decided to skip the work out and get a little extra sleep.  At 5:10, 5:20, and 5:30 I had three really hard contractions in a row.  They were still 10 minutes apart, but I thought it would be best to call Everett and at least get the ball rolling.  I heard Jordan talking to him and as he was hanging up I was having another one, this was closer and just as hard.  All of a sudden they were coming one right after the other with barely a chance to catch my breath in between.  Jordan helped me into the suburban and we waited...

Meanwhile, Everett lives 20 minutes from us, and was without transportation to the house.  He went into super uncle mode, called a cab company, and when the extended van pulled up to his house he told them to step on it.  We waited as long as we could, but with Silas and Jewel sleeping soundly in bed, and me starting to feel like I wanted to push, we left the house as Everett was taking our exit on the freeway (just a mile from the house). 

Jordan's tactical driving training came in handy as we hit the road.  We live about 10 minutes from the hospital, but by the time we were on the freeway I could not stop myself from pushing through my contractions.  We pulled up to the labor and delivery entrance, and left the suburban in the drive through.  Jordan helped me get out and ran to get me a wheelchair.  As I stood bracing myself on the hood of the suburban, waiting for him, I could feel the baby crowning.  So I sat sideways on the wheelchair and clung on for dear life as Jordan flew through the hospital.

We burst through the doors of labor and delivery and there were several nurses chatting in the hallway.  I looked at the closest one and said 'The baby is coming out RIGHT NOW'.  She looked back and me and said ' I believe you'.  They turned me around into the triage room and the nurse instructed me to stand up enough so she could slide my pajama pants off, then to sit back down on the edge of the wheelchair and we could push the baby out right here.  I insisted on laying on the bed, so as I stood, she removed my pants and as I leaned forward to put my weight on the bed I had another contraction and he started coming out.  Just then I hear the doctor come through the door.  She instructs me to stand still and then I push once more and out he came with her there just in time to literally catch him.  It was 6:23 am.

The nurse helped me onto the bed and they put him on my chest.  Jordan stood next to me, white faced, tears and smiles, 'It's a boy!'

As soon as we were secure on the bed, the wheeled us into a delivery room (ironic, after the delivery).  They did all the normal things; blood pressure, checking vitals, asking questions.  But they never took him off of my chest.  We were all wrapped up in warm blankets, things just whirling around us, but somehow still very quiet and reverent. 

Jordan was next to me, and all of a sudden his cell phone beeps a text message.  It's Everett.  He is at the house, the kids are still sleeping, everything is good, he wants a text when the baby comes.

We spent the next hour trying to mentally catch up with all that had happened.  Once we were settled into our room and had made the necessary phone calls and announcements, we just started at him together.  Now, to think of a name.  We had a girl name picked out, and although we had thrown around some boy name ideas, nothing had stuck.  So Jordan went and got the baby name books from the suburban and we started thumbing through, calling out suggestions, writing down possibilities, and trying to patiently await just the right one.  It finally did.  So with God's blessing we introduced our incredible, handsome, already adventurous, Trey Marten Bury.

Everett brought the kids later, friends popped in to check him out, nurses oohed and ahhed at his seeming perfection.  I felt like I better understood what was said about Mary after Jesus was born, "but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."  Each compliment, observation, guess at who he looks like, admiration of his tiny little body and the unstoppable smile that spread on an onlookers lips reminded me of the incredible blessing of a baby.  This healthy little boy, snuggled up to me, is the most amazing gift.

Everett brought the kids just a few hours after Trey had been born.  They were overwhelmed and excited.  Silas just kept saying, "I can't believe it, Mom!  I just can't believe it!"  And Jewel chimed in with "baby, baby, baby" as she examined each little body part.

Uncle Everett Marten...the super hero of the day, getting his first look at T.

Jewel, learning how to share Mom's lap, and totally falling in love with her little brother.

Mr. T.  Oh man am I smitten by this kid!

Snuggles from Dad

This could be one of my favorite all time pictures.  Jordan (almost 30 in this picture), is more amazing to me than ever before.  Trey (almost 30 hours in this picture), already so handsome and so precious in my heart.  Ahhhhh.  So, so blessed.