Olive Lynne Campbell

Our content bundle of joy came 10 days early on Sunday, May 1st at 11:03 pm. It started out I think on the previous Friday and Saturday. I was feeling strange and was wondering if labor was really coming on, or if it was false. Sunday morning came and it was undeniable. I was having regular contractions throughout the day and my dear Mom came up to help us out that day and the two weeks following. We walked and walked to keep the labor going and even ventured to wal*mart for the hundreds of laps that would semi-progress the labor. Finally, around 4:30 pm the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. We went to the hospital to learn that I was fully effaced but 5 cm dilated. So, Cody and I walked some more and some more, I guess like pioneer children... But we weren't singing, that's for sure. After a couple more hours of this, I was checked again and I was a 6. Very disappointing. (I was planning and did carry out an unmedicated birth, so that might explain the long way of doing things.) around 9 pm or so my doc (Laurie Hansen!) came in to check on me. The labor was going longer than it should. As she checked me my water broke an that kicked everything into high gear. I automatically went into transition labor and it got hard. I dilated quickly after that but Olive's head wasn't quite turned in the right direction, so we had to try some different positions to get her the right way. As soon as she turned, it was one pushing contraction after another. I was so tired and done with it all. She started to crown and I tore inside in two places. My body didn't have the proper time to prepare, so a lot of damage was done. A few hard pushes later she was out but not without another major tear. She was placed on me and was a welcome distraction while Laurie and a surgeon proceeded to quickly sew me back together. After everything was said and done, we were able to rest around 3 am. It was a long, long day with a beautiful result.

We spent a good part of the first week still at the hospital for me to heal and because Olive's bilirubin levels were closely being watched. She ended up having to have a lot of UV light treatment to get her levels down and everything broken up. It was a long, hard week on many levels.

Despite it all, Olive is such a sweet, calm baby. This is especially good with me trying to heal these last two weeks and just getting used to the new life. It's hard work, but worth it and rewarding in it's own ways. There are no raises, no keeping track of hours worked, and no boss to answer to. It's just me and O most of the time, trying to learn how/what to do with eachother. I know I'll get better with it over time. She is now 2 weeks old and it feels like more than that, in a good way. Cody and I can't imagine life without her now.

Now, for what you really came for:

One day old


Under the lights


Still brand new


At home with Daddy


Gas... and the best-timed picture ever


One week old


Cody's graduation, first real family picture.



Not to have Olive overshadow everything, but we are really proud of Cody for graduating from SUU. It's been a long time coming, and the big day came. He's now a somewhat free bird and can spend more of his time working and playing with his little girl :)

We will see what the coming hours, days and weeks bring for us.