Meet Mr. Brylen Daely!

He's here and is now 12 days old...Yes time flies!

My baby boy was born Saturday April 21, 2012 at 10:20am. Weighing 8 lbs, 5 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches and we love every last bit of him!

We spent 3 long nights in the hospital, mainly for my recovery and I have to give a HUGE shout out to Clayton and my mom! They took shifts, helping so much as I was unable to get out of bed quickly or sometimes at all. Clayton took on the daddy role like a pro, changing diapers and learning to swaddle our little toad perfectly ( I actually didn't change my first diaper until he was 5 days old). For this I am grateful and it makes me love him that much more, he is such a wonderful daddy and Brylen loves when they get to snuggle after he gets home from a long day at work.

We got to leave the hospital when he was 4 days old, it was a Tuesday and for April, it was HOT! The drive home was short, but I still sat in the backseat watching that little bundle the entire way.

Our first week went great. Yes we were tired and all of this was so new, but everything just fell into place and I don't know how we ever lived without those coos and cries. My mom and Dad both stayed with us and helped out around the house & Clayton's Mom, Dad, Sisters and Brother in Law's came to visit daily and fell in love a little more each time.

Brylen is now 8 lbs 12 ounces and 23 inches long and growing. He eats and sleeps like a rock star (knock on wood) and really is the perfect baby. He is always so content and only fusses if he's hungry, needs a diaper change or a burp. He loves his swing and his bassinet and his puppy. He makes the cutest faces and noises and each day we see small changes in the way he looks and acts.

Mommies hand and Brylen's large foot!

Clayton and I are settling into this new life as parents, the best job in the world and to quote my favourite song (see side note at the bottom) "We'll make mistakes there's no doubt, but loves one thing you wont live without...cause you own a place in our hearts now".

Side Note: When I was first pregnant with B and before most people even knew, I was lucky enough to see the CMT Tour live at the Esplanade where I work. Deric Ruttan, Dean Brody and Aaron Lines. At one point, during a very intimate part of the show, Aaron Lines dedicates the next song "to anyone out there who may be expecting right now" and OH MY GOODNESS, I felt like he was talking directly to me and that the entire theatre now knew my secret. As I sat at the back of the theatre, I listened to him sing that song for the first time ever and it took everything in me not to start crying. That moment will be with me for life and that song is Brylen's song, I sang it to him daily throughout my pregnancy and to this day. If you haven't heard it, go to itunes and check it out! I'll warn you in advance though, have a Kleenex handy! Aaron Lines "Haven't Even Heard You Cry"

The Journey to meet you-Part 2

This post comes to you from the comfort of my own home....ahhhh! What a difference a week and a half makes. As you can probably tell by the tone of the last post, I was not yet in active labor. Let me tell you, a few hours later things were a lot different.

I spent that afternoon watching tv and walking, or trying to at least. At 4:30, Clayton returned to the hospital with Subway, yum... (little did I know, I never would eat that sandwich). I was feeling the contractions, but still not to bad. We settled in for the night and I got up to use the washroom before dinner and BOOM....my water breaks! I actually found it slightly funny but Clayton turned white as a ghost and started pacing around freaking out while I stood there laughing....and so it began, the journey to meet you part 2.

From 5pm until close to 11, we sat in that room and dealt with the contractions as they started to come stronger and stronger. Clayton tried to stay distracted by watching hockey, while I made my way to the shower 3 different times, the only thing that seemed to give me any sort of relief.

At 11pm the nurse decided it was time to move us into the "birthing room"...dun dun dun! We must be getting close if were moving to the room where it all goes down! By the time we switched rooms and got settled, I decided it was time for shower #4....and when I came out the nurse asked again if I wanted to take something for the pain. I guess the anesthesiologist was there and if I was thinking of an epidural, now was the time. We discussed it and I decided to go for it. It had been 12 hours and I was getting tired. By the time he came in and finished, it was after 1 and although it didn't take 100%, the relief of the pain was wonderful and I drifted in and out of sleep every 5-6 minutes. During this time, the drip was started to try and get those contractions back on track. By 5am, I was starting to feel the pain again and asked for a top up. Lucky for me he was back and in no time I was 100% pain free, finally sleep, a solid 1.5 hours. I woke up and found my doctor back and the sun rising...back to reality! I still had no pain and had to ask if I was still having contractions. I thought for sure after all this time we must have progressed enough to start pushing and I knew I could do it, after all I couldn't feel anything!

I was checked again at 8am and was told not much had changed and that the babies head was still not engaged. That is when the first mention of a c-section came up....a c-section? really? I never expected to hear those words. I had spent the past 6 months working out 2 times a week and prepping for this birth and now they wanted to do a c-section? She decided to wait 1 more hour, check again and if nothing had progress to move forward with the surgery. That was the longest hour of my life and as the pain slowly started coming back, I was on board with this c-section idea...get this baby out of me!

Was I scared? beyond! But not as scared as I was at the thought of those contractions coming back!

Before I knew it, it was 9am and she was back. She checked and nothing had changed, so off we were. Wheeled into the operating room and prepped, which included more epidural! Ohhh how I loved the feeling of....nothing! Clayton came in, all done up in scrubs and looking about as scared as I felt. We sat there together for 10 minutes before they announced "You are about to become parents". The next sound we heard was pure joy, our little boys soft soft cries, and with tears in our eyes, there he was.

I never expected to go overdue, to be induced, to have an epidural or a c-section. My entire birth plan was turned upside down....but in the end, everything that happened lead me to you and you are worth all of that and so much more.

Mommy and Daddy love you more then words can say Mr. Brylen Daely. Welcome to the world!