Garrett & Ashlee Nield: Damon Garrett Nield

Our sweet baby boy was born on September 19th, 2012. This date seemed to take forever, especially since I was induced over my due date. Each office visit, I left with tears in my eyes because I had no progression. All I ever wanted was just to see and hold my little boy! Poor Garrett handled me very well with all my pregnancy hormones. After one office visit soon afterwards I went with Garrett out to Rigby to drop him off at work so I could have the car. On the ride I had to spit, so Garrett rolled down the window...and lets just say spitting in a vehicle where you are traveling 65 mph ends with spit in your hair...lets just say it was an emotional day. Finally my mama came into town on the 13th and spoiled Garrett and I (we had a blast). Then the induction day came around. Garrett, my mom and I went into the hospital to be induced at 6:30am.

Induction Day!

This picture is blurry but actually turned out very well for what happened. The picture was snapped right when the elevator door was closing. It was quite funny actually.

Here's a better picture of us right before we went into the Labor & Delivery room.

Since I had Group B Strep (which is very common...it's not like I have a disease or anything) I had to get an antibiotic put in before I could start the pitocin. So here we are waiting. Well here I am waiting.

And here is my sweet husband waiting as well.

The induction begins...my mama was so helpful. This was in the beginning where there were zero contractions. Once the contractions intensified mom made sure to help me put my mind into a different place and she smoothed out the scowl I was making. We even played monopoly deal for a bit.

For some reason I got the chills, the nurse (by the way, I had the best nurse--her name was Toni) put two heated blankets on over me. Eventually the chills went away.

Then contractions got even stronger, here I am trying to focus. I ended up getting an epidural shortly after. My pride was what was keeping me from it. I really did not want to get one but I just wasn't prepared for the pain, especially when I was just sitting, not being able to overly distract myself, waiting for the contraction. In the end I was glad I got it and I was proud of myself for making it as far as I did. I barely made it in time for the epidural. I made it to 7 cm and I'm proud to say that during that whole time before the epidural I didn't scream or yell. I was so afraid of getting a needle stuck into my spine but I was in the middle of a contraction when it was inserted--meaning I didn't feel a thing.
Surprisingly I was very impressed by the powers of an epidural. I never felt loopy and I didn't lose total sensation. I could move my legs and everything, it was just the pain that was dulled.

After the epidural Garrett and I were watching Damon's heart monitor on the screen. It was scary because we found his heartbeat dropping really low, then going normal then dropping again...

The nurse then told me that this usually happens when the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck. Of course I then freaked out! She said they wouldn't know for sure until I started pushing. To top it off they then put an oxygen mask on me because not enough oxygen was going through me for our little guy.
It was then that I was at 10 cm and crowning. And to our surprise we saw hair! Well Garrett did! (Which is not common in the Dekorte family but SO common in the Nield family)

I started pushing without Dr. Evan's there (Love him--he's a Bishop for one of the Married Student wards up here in Rexburg). Garrett was very excited, no where near fainting, I know he's a stud! He made it sound so fun to watch so I said, Hey I wanna see!...they brought me a mirror, I took one look and got grossed out and told them to move the mirror..haha...

Then...

Woohoo!! After 8.5 hours of labor and 20 minutes of pushing, Damon Garrett Nield was born.

He arrived at 4:49pm on September 19th, 2012.

He was 7lbs 12oz and 20in long.

I loved how right after delivering my handsome boy, they plopped him on my chest. What a special moment seeing Damon for the first time then turning to Garrett who had his emotional/I'm having a spiritual moment face on and then told me that he has never loved me more than he did right then.

Having a child has brought Garrett and I closer and I love that.

Also having a child has opened up my eyes to the purpose of our existence.

The plan of salvation, the power of prayer and worthiness makes even more sense.

Garrett gave me a blessing a few weeks after having Damon and in it he mentioned

the comparison to a Mother's Love, how it is nothing anyone will ever understand except for my Heavenly Father. On a whole new level I have been enlightened on how my Heavenly Father loves his children but mostly it hit me how he loves his Only Begotten Son and how He (the Only Begotten Son) loves us. It's hard to me express in words but I know that my Savior loves me. With Damon I feel like he never gets enough love. Even if I hold him every second he still doesn't get enough attention.

I cringe at the thought of him struggling in the future with school, sports, girls, life in general.

It kills me now seeing him struggle even with holding his head up. I just want to do everything for him because I don't want him to get hurt. But at the same time I know he needs to learn

for himself, he needs to progress to be successful. It just hurts me though.

And I know that that is exactly how the Savior feels but magnified by a billion. Expressing this right now is just a splinter of how I truly feel. I just hope that someday when Damon reads this, he will understand that with all my being I am so in love with my him. I would die for my sweet, pure hearted boy. Each day I have a moment where I just feel beyond blessed, it brings me to tears. I can't believe my Heavenly Father entrusted me with such a beautiful blessing as Damon. I would never trade up having Damon with us right here, right now.

School, Work, Play mean nothing. Family means everything.

It might be hard raising a child while trying to finish school for a better job but it can be done! My parents are living proof of that.

But anyways back to the story. Right after Damon was born Garrett first noticed how big Damon's hands are. And they were. Which will be perfect for Basketball! :)

HE'S GOING TO BE A BASKETBALL PLAYER EVERYONE! :)

If not then that is ok, we won't disown him or anything.

While delivering, we found out that Damon did not have the umbilical cord around his neck...thank heavens. It was wrapped around his feet and just really did not like it. But once he did arrive, he would not cry. Instead he just grunted. The nurses were really worried because that usually means that they aren't getting enough air. (But Damon's APGAR score was a 7 then a 9 five mins later...

it was just the not crying that docked him down)

Then put a thing around his foot to check his oxygen level and kept it there for an hour.

His oxygen levels were normal. It just turns out that he is not a crier. Even today he just grunts when he wants something. Sometimes he really cries but thats only when something is wrong.

Hard cries are rare.

But I couldn't believe how alert Damon was for just being born and oh my heck he is so handsome.

During the time he wore the oxygen level indicator, I held and nursed him. Hospirtals seem to be doing this new thing now where the mother holds the baby for the first while (after they clean him and weigh him and such) so I held Damon for about an hour. Then Garrett held him.

Cutest moment ever. Garrett is such a great Daddy.

Our first family photo!

My Buddy Boy and I (look how alert he is just an hour after being delivered)

Then we had my mom and Garrett's mom and dad come in and see him while I face timed my dad. We then gave them all the wood letters (all scrambled up) and had them put the name together. (Since we withheld the name the entire pregnancy)

Our little family showing off Damon's name

Damon meeting his Nana and Papa Nield for the first time.

Meeting Gwama

My mom giving Damon all the loves she could. She was of so much help to Garrett and I. She stayed with us for two and a half weeks

Damon loves this position. (From day 1 he has been so gasy and just always has bubbles in his tummy) he squirms but he never cries over it like any other child would. He is so tough! Tough boy!

Damon getting his first bath. He didn't love it then but he loves his baths now.

During his bath, all of Garrett's family came in and saw Damon.

Handsome, Handsome Boy!

I just am so in love with him...I can't take enough pictures!

Daddy figured out that Damon could have a mohawk :) just like daddy

Love this boy

Doesn't he make your heart melt?

Damon is such a blessing in our lives. He truly is a mellow baby. At night I wake him up to feed him. If I didn't wake him then he would sleep all night long. But I don't want that because he needs his nourishment.

We stayed in the hospital for two days (that's what they recommended for new time parents)