Happy Birthday, Ryan!

I was browsing through my journal from the year Ryan was born, and wanted to share some memories from that happy occasion.

After suffering through some difficult pregnancies, I wasn't convinced my body was designed to handle pregnancy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was another baby waiting to come to our family. I prayed continually to know what we should do. I attended a Women's Conference with my sisters in November of 1978, and the message spoke directly to my heart. In my mind I saw a little boy's face, and a little voice clearly said, "Mom, don't forget about me." With tears streaming down my face, I knew I had received my answer. Lee and I went to see Dr. Romney, an OB-GYN, who had been our bishop when we were first married, who was well-known for helping women with difficult pregnancies. He tested me and determined that a hormone imbalance caused me to threaten to miscarry. He said he could give me some treatments that would possibly help my situation, and I was filled with hope! Here are a few random journal entries from the year that followed!

Sat 7 April 1979:

We just settled on names for our baby. If it is a boy, we will name him Thomas Ryan and call him Ryan (as it turns out, we switched the order to Ryan Thomas).

Fri, May 25:

Lee and I went golfing today and I shot a 37! we both had a good laugh. The more pregnant I get, the better my golf score is... I think it's because I pick up the ball and carry it when I get too tired to hit again!

Sun, 28 July:

I still feel like I'll have this baby the end of August, but the doctor is of a different opinion, so I may be wrong. He said I will set myself up for disappointment if I continue to focus on that time frame. Brent and Joyce came to visit and asked when I was due, and I told them the end of Sep. Brent said, "You look like you were due in July." Lee and I were having a debate as to whether or not I am bigger now than with the other pregnancies. I said I thought I looked bigger other times and he said he didn't think it was possible to get bigger than I am right now! I looked at a few pictures and decided he was right.

Sun Sep 16:

I am having lots of sleepless nights, counting contractions all night long. I am not getting a wink of sleep. (the doctor prescribed paragoric and that helped)

Fri Sep 21:

We very nearly skipped our Anniversary yesterday, because we've been so focused on getting this baby here. Lee said our motto needs to be: "We do not deliver!"

Thur Sep 27:

Sharon and I wandered around the Mall today to try and shake this baby down. Lee took me for a ride to Antelope Island. The theory being that the bumpy road might do the trick!

Sat Sep 29:

This is a big day in our lives! Our first son was born this morning at 5:26 a.m.He weighed 8 lb 9 oz and was 21 inches long. He has black hair and blue eyes and is really a beautiful baby. We will name him Ryan Thomas Boam. Lee was so happy it brought tears to his eyes. I've never seen anyone so tickled! He has loved each of his girls in a special way, and has been cute with them, but there is something about this reaction that is hard to describe.

I should go over the nitty-gritty details of this delivery while I still remember what happened. Dr. Romney asked me to come up to his office Friday at 5:00 p.m. where he stripped the membranes to see if he could get something started. He told me I ought to walk up to the hospital to see what the exercise could get started. Lee and I decided to walk over to Trolley Square instead. We walked around from 5:30 to 6:30 and the contractions got going every 15 minutes. Just as we got back to the car they quit. We drove up Emigration Canyon to "This is the Place" monument and around to Parley's Canyon. The contractions started again and got to 10 min apart, then 8, then 5. By the time we got to the hospital, they were at 3 min. but in the prep room they quit. The nurse said she didn't want to admit me at that stage but Dr. Romney came and said to get me going. They gave me an IV and at about 3 1/2 cm, they gave me an epidural block. It was a little too soon, perhaps, and the contractions went way down to every 11 min. Dr. Romney broke my water, but the baby really took his time moving down. They found that he was posterior and didn't want to cooperate. Around 3:00 a.m. the nurse worked with him and got him to turn. He may have been born soon after that, but Dr. Romney had another patient who zipped right ahead of me and seemed more ready, so he went to deliver her -- he told me to pant! It was very frustrating because he had complications with the other patient and it took much longer than he had planned.I waited in the delivery room for 45 minutes, just when the contractions were really doing the job! Then when Dr Romney arrived, the baby decided not to cooperate and they used forceps to help him along. But all turned out well in the end and it is a boy!!! We are so glad to have him here safe and sound, and I'm exhausted!

Tue Oct 2:

All the nurses say Ryan is the cutest baby in the nursery. One of them said, "I've seen lots of babies go through the nursery, but he is the cutest I've ever seen." We totally agree.