Introducing Dallas Moana Lance Chase

I am proud to finally be introducing all of you to my amazing son!! First, let's start with his name. Yes it is a mouth full, but we felt it was right. Before even being pregnant Dan always said he wanted to name our first son Dallas. Dan served his mission in Dallas, Texas and wanted his children to know how important serving a mission was for him, therefore we would name a son Dallas. Once we were pregnant that name was put on the back burner and we went through a million names. We settled on Landan for awhile, but then at the very end Dallas made a come back.
Here he is, already showing off is muscles... Just like Dad :)


Dan also had always said he wants each child to have a Hawaiian middle name in honor of his up bringing in Hawaii. Moana means ocean and it is the name of the street Dan grew up on. Finally the name Lance. Dallas is the first Chase grandson to be born that will carry on the family name. We are very proud of that and we both felt we really needed to honor Dan's dad who past away. His name was Lance and so we needed to add it to the name. So there you have it, Dallas Moana Lance Chase. We love the name and in fact the day Dallas was born it took us (meaning me) a couple of hours to decided that was the final name, but Dan knew right away and he started singing a little song with his name. It was so sweet and I love how in love Dan is with his son's name.

STATS:

Birthday: August 18th Time: 1:05pm Weight: 7lbs 15oz Length: 19.5 inches

The Birth Story:

Just like my pregnancy, labor and delivery went pretty smoothly. I was due August 16th, but that day came and went. Like I said in my previous blog, that was a blessing. That week was crazy and not having Dallas before Wednesday night was great. Because of insurance I asked to be induced on Thursday morning. My Dr. was ok with that so we scheduled for me to go in Wednesday night. I was freaking out (inside) all day Wednesday knowing I was going in to have my baby. Waiting for labor is much less nerve racking because you don't know when it is going to happen so you don't think to much of it. Knowing there was no turning back, I was going in to deliver was exciting, but such a crazy thought.

Dan came home from work. We ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things. We finished packing our bags and arrived at the hospital at 7pm to check in. As you know Dan and I have spent a LOT of time at that hospital for Dan, but always on the first or third floors. Those rooms are drab and have a cold feeling. The second floor (the maternity ward) is so warm and inviting. It was a wonderful change and helped ease my mind that I was back at the hospital again, even though it was for me this time.


I look HUGE in this picture, but I guess I am suppose to at 40 weeks pregnant. What I love about this picture is Dan's expression. We are headed out the door to go the the hospital and if you look at his eyes he has a deer in the headlights look... a little nervous? :)

By 8pm they started the Cytotec. This is a pill they insert every 4 hours to "ripen" the cervix. Midnight came another pill, then another one at 4am. When the nurse came in at 4am I had started to feel really crampy. I asked if that was normal and she assured me it was. By 5am I started having unmistakable contractions. I woke Dan up around 5:30 and said I needed the lights on. I needed to feel like the day was starting since sleep, for me, wasn't an option at that point.

The contractions obviously continued, they weren't pleasant, but they weren't unbearable either. My sister had told me that standing and walking would help with the pain, so that is what I did and I agree with her! Contracting in bed is far worse then contracting standing. At 6:30am my water broke. I was standing and some fluid leaked out. I informed Dan that either my water broke I just peed on the floor. He looked at me and not knowing what to do he asked if he should get the nurse. I pushed the call button and my nurse came right in. I explained to her what I said to Dan... either I just peed on the floor or my water broke. She said I should get into bed and she would clean things up and determine which had happened.

I look out of it, but I was so excited to be holding my baby!! Please note I have 4 wrist bands on. A little excessive if you ask me :) Also the yellow one said FALL RISK, classic.

As I layed down another gush came and she let me know that for sure it was my water. (What a relief!) She then said the contractions would only get more and more intense from here on out. There was a scheduled c-section at 8am that would tie up the anesthesiologist until 9am so I either needed to get my epidural now or wait until 9am. I have heard that the epidural can slow things down so I hesitated for a few minutes then finally said, have him come now. It probably took him about 25 minutes to come. After about 15 minutes of waiting and my contractions being only 1-2 minutes apart I couldn't wait for the epidural and I can't believe I hesitated at all, there was no way I would have lasted until 9am.

He came and it was in place and working by 7:30. Life was great. He was great for many reasons. One, obviously being that he made the pain go away, and two because when he was working he commented "well, aren't you just a small thing." Ha ha! I don't think since I was 5 I have been referred to as small and I was about to have a baby. He made my day!

Proud Dad!!


I was dilated to a 2 and 1/2 and this is when they started the Pitocin (around 7:30). Dan needed to get a follow up CT scan to see his he could have is drain removed so he walked downstairs to get that done around 8am. I just sat back and relaxed. The nurse came in and said the baby's heart rate was dropping a little so she put me on oxygen. When Dan returned I think this freaked him out a bit, but I assured him everything was ok. Dan and I started playing cards when he got back. We love playing cards and we play them a lot at the hospital. Half way through the game I got REALLY nauseated. I called the nurse and she thought it might have been because I had a drop in blood pressure and gave me something to bring it back up. It didn't work and I started throwing up. She quickly gave me some Zofran which worked like a charm.

I they checked me again around 9:30 or 10 and I was at a 4 or so. Dan and I finished our game and I fell asleep. Just before noon my Dr. arrived to check on me. I was dilated to an 8. I was shocked because I was just at a 4. I think she heard the excitement in my voice and informed me that I still had a couple hours until I reached a 10, and since this was my first probably a couple of hours of pushing. She walked out and I looked at Dan and told him there was no way it was going to take that long... this baby was coming!

Proof he is mine... all mine!!


I originally just wanted Dan in the room with me, but when the Dr. left and I knew this kid was coming I told Dan to call my sister to come down, I needed her too! Luckily she was standing by and was able to come right over. She arrived just as I started to push. Like I said I knew I wasn't hours away. Here is how things went (roughly)

12:00: The Dr. checked me and I was an 8. She left to take her kids to a party. Dan called my sister and asked her to come.
12:20: I told the nurse I felt a LOT of pressure, she checked me and said I was pretty much there, let's try and do a practice push.
12:25: My sister arrived and the nurse said after the practice push I was ready to go and it was time to really push.
12:25: Dan and my sister got into place to help and I started to push. It was great having them both there and I was so excited to know my boy was really on his way.
12:40: The nurse said he is coming, but the Dr. was still about 15 minutes away and we needed to wait. She covered me up and we all chatted as we waited for the Dr. to arrive. This was so true to form with my Dr. I always was waiting for her at every appointment, why would delivery be any different.
12:55: The Dr. arrived and I started to push again. I loved that both the nurse and Dr. commented on how much hair he had. I knew he was going to have a lot and I was so proud that he did!
1:05: Three pushes later Dallas was born! Take that Dr. only one hour later and my son had arrived. We weren't waiting around. I was ready for him and he was ready to come!

First Family Photo... Life is good!

It was such an amazing experience. I truly loved every minute of it. It was perfect having Dan and Mandy in the room to help me and watch after him as they cleaned him up. I don't know why but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to feel my legs after I got the epidural and that scared me. Luckily I could feel them a little and that brought a little comfort. I didn't feel a thing as he was coming, but that was fine be me! It was interesting that both Dan and I looked at the little guy and didn't recognize him. I knew that hair, but that was about it. To us he didn't look like either of us, he has his own look. He is beyond handsome and absolutely perfect.


Dan and Mandy went with him when they bathed him and gave him his shots. He cried during his bath, but not a peep during his shots. Same with the hearing test and billirubin blood draw, he just took it like a man. All the nurses commented how good he was. He screamed when he was circumcised , but I think if he didn't I would be worried.

This bouquet was from my sister. I can't believe I don't have a picture with her, but these are a good representation of how amazing she is. She was a huge support during my entire pregnancy and I am so thankful she was able to be in the deliver room with me. She is the best sister a girl could ask for.

We left the hospital early, Friday night. We could have stayed until Saturday, but he was being so good I wasn't worried. I didn't want to be at that place any longer than necessary. I loved that I could leave when I wanted, unlike when Dan was in, and I wanted to get home and start life as a family.

Dressed and ready to go home! I think his outfit kind of looks like jail stripes and we were breaking him out early to go home with us :)

Dallas is a champ all they way around. He is a fantastic eater and sleeper!! It is so funny to try and wake the kid up to get him to eat. It is nearly impossible, but usually he will wake up just enough to eat then drifts back asleep. He also pulls the FUNNIEST facial expressions. My favorite is when he cracks open one eye, looks around for a minute as if he is trying to see if there is anything waking up for, then closes it again... following it was a smile. It is like he knows a secret about what he saw and is just keeping it to himself. I know he doesn't really know how to smile, but he does it all the time and it warms my heart each time.

Dan ready to take his son home!

Dan and I are such new parents and just stare at him non-stop. Before becoming a parent you hear the phase, "you just don't know until you are a parent" and it is true. I never knew how much a parent loves a child. I never knew getting up at 2am to feed would be so wonderful because it means I get to spend more time with him. I never knew how complete this little bundle of joy could make Dan and I feel.


Dallas we love you more than you will ever know!! You are so amazing and we can't get enough of you!!

I love that his hear already comes down past his ears. Not that I would dream of cutting it, but I think he is one of the few kids who could have gotten a hair cut the day he was born.

He was a little Jaundice which is clearing up now. Doesn't he just melt your heart. Hard to believe, but he is even cuter in person!!