Introducing Claire Elaine Allen!
We are so happy to share these photos of our new baby with our family and friends. Please come back soon for the latest update.
Claire Elaine Allen was born at 4:08PM on June 19, 2006, nine days before her due date. She weighed in at a whopping 6lbs 13oz and 19" long. She has dark blond hair and until her first bath, she smelled like a wet puppy. Thank you for all your prayers!
Photos
Movies
- June 23, 2006—Please wait while the movies loads.
- June 25, 2006
- July 2, 2006
- July 24, 2006
- August 14, 2006—Running time: Approx. 7 minutes (6MB)
- September 5, 2006—Not for the mildly interested (10 min.)
- September 27, 2006
- December 11, 2006
- December 14, 2006
The Birth Story
At 4:30am on Monday, June 19, Christy began to wonder if her water had broken. Since it was a trickle and not a gush, she was not sure, so we stayed in bed and tried to rest. Christy had to get up about every ten minutes or so and go to the bathroom and change pads. We decided to wait until 8:30 to call the doctors office because that's when they opened. After explaining the situation thoroughly to the nurse, the nurse said, “Yep, you need to come on in to the office to be checked. And bring your suitcase.”
We began packing frantically. On Friday, Christy and I left work and went to a Marriott Hotel north of DFW Airport, compliments of Stacy, a girl in Christy’s Bible study who got a really good deal for us. Claire’s C-section was not scheduled until June 27, so we thought we had another week of work and preparations ahead of us. But since our 3rd year anniversary was on Wednesday the 21, we decided to have one final fling before the baby arrived. It’s a good thing we did because it enabled us to get very rested and spend some quality time together before the birth.
Sunday, we left the Marriott and went to Sunday School. After SS we went home and from 12:30 in the afternoon until midnight, we worked on house. Christy and I were cleaning and nesting so much. We had no idea Claire would come the next day.
So Monday morning, after packing our suitcases and doing some last minute cleaning to the apartment, we left for the doctor’s office at about 9:30. I was thrilled because I didn’t think I could wait much longer, but Christy kept saying, “I’m not ready!” I was dancing around the house—so excited. On our way to the doctor’s office we made some quick calls to our family. At the office, which was right around the corner from where we live, they sent us right in for a sonogram. The sonographer confirmed that Christy’s water had broken. She said, “Yep, you’re having this baby today.”
We met Dr. Ehmer briefly since Dr. Harris was already at the hospital performing surgeries. He sent us over to Baylor for Labor and Delivery. It was a busy day for births that day. Thanks to our classes, I knew right where to park. We signed in and they got us in a room. Christy changed into the gown. The nurses had tons of questions for us to answer, and they hooked up some monitors so they could keep and eye on the baby’s pulse. Dr. Steven Harris, our [wonderful] doctor, came to our room and met with us briefly. He explained that since there were other C-sections already scheduled, and Christy was not in an emergency, we were on the back burner until the afternoon. This gave us time to make more calls and process and get emotionally ready for the delivery.
Meredith Towns stopped by and so did Ben and Judith Graham. We waited for a long time in the room. Ben left to show his dad around Dallas, but Judith stayed. It was so nice that Judith stayed because she held Christy’s hand during the epidural. Around 3:15pm or so, the anesthesiologist came in and began to prepare Christy for the epidural. Around 3:40, they had me change into scrubs. Finally, they wheeled Christy on the bed into the Operating Room. I waited outside for about 5-10 minutes until they said it was ok for me to come in. I sat by Christy’s head, which was blocked off by a blue curtain. Christy was laying on her back with her arms stretched out and some doctors, including Dr. Harris, and some nurses standing around her. The anesthesiologist nurse was near me on the head side of Christy’s body.
After only about 10-15 minutes, Christy and I heard Claire’s first little wimper. It was the most adorable little cry we’d ever heard. Claire was delivered at 4:08pm. Soon after, we heard more crying and they brought the baby over to the heater where a hoard of nurses scurried about suctioning her nose and mouth and doing a variety of tests. Meanwhile, the doctors worked on stitching Christy back together. I tried to comfort Claire, but they had to more her around a lot. It was obvious she was kind of scared. During the C-section, a scalpel nicked her butt. It bled quite a bit, but it wasn’t deep or serious and didn’t require stitches or anything. I put her first diaper on.
Claire had dark blond hair that was kind of kinky looking (until her first bath 6-7 hours later after which it looked soft). Her hair was definitely darker than I expected. She scored an 8 on the APGAR test at first, and then 9 a little later. She weighed 6 pounds 13 ounces. She measured 19 inches. Her hands and feet were blue grey at first, but were more normal looking several hours later. I would take photos of Claire and then bring them over the Christy so she could see her daughter. One of the nurses brought Claire over to Christy and laid her on her chest. After about an hour in the O. R., they wheeled Christy into the recovery room. Pretty soon thereafter, Christy put Claire to breast. They both knew just what to do. Claire fed well. At about 5:30, Christy was ready for Judith to come back into the curtained-off room. Eventually, Ben came and so did Julie and Jason Bakker.
At about 8:00, they moved us up to the postpartum room. Claire fed pretty well about every 2 hours and had her first poop of meconium at 11:25. The nurses, Jordan, Pam, and Gwen, were really good and caring.
A bunch of people visited Tuesday. Mrs. Tebow arrived at about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. It was a blessing to have Grandma here. Jason Bakker was so kind to pick her up from the airport. Dr. Harris stopped by to check on mom and baby in the morning and in the evening. A bunch more visitors came on Wednesday, our anniversary. Claire had to get a sonogram on her hips to check her for laxity as a result of being breech. Her left hip was a little loose, but her right one seemed fine. At about 5:30pm on Wednesday, Christy realized that her milk was coming in. Claire was feeding very well by this point.
Claire loves being swaddled. She is very sweet and content, and only cries when her diaper is dirty, being changed, or when she is cold or needs to burp. She was too small to fill out even the preemie onesie I put on her.
During this process, we held onto Psalm 131.
"A Song of Ascents, of David. O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever."
