Madelyn Grace Mohagen

We are so happy to announce the arrival of our daughter - Madelyn Grace Mohagen. She joined the world in a rush - arriving at 4:50 am on May 25th, 2010. 7lbs and 12 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long.

The story:

I woke up 12:30am on the 25th with contractions that were 3 1/2 minutes apart. I spent an hour wondering if this was the real deal and decided it definitely was as they were getting closer and more intense! I woke up Tristan at 1:30 and we called our midwife - she said to call back in an hour and update her on what was progressing - I told Tristan to go back to sleep - thinking we had lots more time. I woke him up again at 2 telling him I needed him - the pain was getting really intense! So after timing them and having the contractions coming every 2 1/2 minutes and lasting over a minute each time, we called back our midwife and she told us to pack up and go over there so she could check me and then we'd see. We got to Leonie's at 3:30am - she checked at found me dialated to at least a 6 with the head almost in position. We called the DR and climbed into the truck for the 30 minute drive to the hospital. I was on my knees the entire labor - including the drive down the mountain road - finding it much more comfortable than laying or sitting. Tristan drove like a maniac - through really bad fog and just missing the 2 cows that were in the road. About 5 minutes away from the hospital I could feel her head and knew I was ready to push - (Leonie (midwife) told me after that she thought she might be delivering our daughter in the backseat of the truck. ) We pulled up to the wrong door - our DR was at the other door waiting for us. Leonie grabbed a wheelchair and took me upstairs while Tristan parked. The DR found me at 10cm and the head coming out - we headed for the delivery room. Unfortunately the nurses told Tristan he had to go register downstairs so the DR is telling me not to push and I'm yelling for them to get Tristan up here because I can't NOT push and I'm not about to have Tristan miss this... Finally Tristan comes flying into the room - still putting on the scrubs with the face mask all askew and his shirt on backwards. Next contraction I pushed - about 3 pushes and 1 minute later Madelyn arrived! The labor was short but SO intense! (although I'm sure anyone that has had a baby and no matter how long the labor was would call it intense). Dialating from a 3 to a 10 in 4 hours is pretty fast. Within 30 minutes of being at the hospital Madelyn was born.

Madelyn came out completely healthy and we spent the day in our hospital room - with very few interruptions- just enjoying getting to know each other. It was so nice! Tristan is a pro-Dad already - changed his first diapers and she loves it when he holds and talks to her. Shanon (Nana) flew in that morning - Tristan met her at the airport with the great news and brought her over to meet her granddaughter. Apparently we were the talk of the nurses station - they couldn't believe that we didn't want her in the nursery and that we were taking care of her - then they raved about how great she looked compared to the other babies because of the time she had with us. We were discharged by 6pm and headed home - Just 13 1/2 hours after we arrived at the hospital.
We got home and had a photo shoot (the opposite of what I had the energy for - but when an opportunity comes - you can't miss it!) We had a professional photographer from the states visiting our ministry and making a promotional video about the ministry - and she offered to come and take pics. So we had an hour of pictures, and a few Skype video calls to family before the day was over. (Then she kept me up all night so the day wasn't really over :) ). And that was day one of parenthood.