Introducing....

Cameron Shaw Mullins

DOB: August 12, 2010

Time: 1:08 am

8 lbs. 1.1 oz

21.5 inches

I started having contractions about a week before I actually went into labor. I kept going to work because they weren't steady and consistent and I still had a few things to finish up. By Friday, I had everything ready at work in case I didn't make it through the weekend. I went to work on Monday and then on Tuesday, I thought for sure I was going to have him. Well, I stayed home and as the day progressed, my contractions slowed down. I wasn't thrilled, but we were waiting on God's time. I was going to go into work on Wednesday, but again I woke up with contractions. We were supposed to wait until they were 3-5 minutes apart for an hour before we went to the hospital, but we waited 2 hours because they would be consistent and then I would have a random 14 minute break. Rob called the doctor and they said to bring me in. So, after making sure we had everything, off we went! We get to the hospital, they put me in triage, and my contractions STOPPED! UGH! They let me lay there for a little while and they contractions started back up. My doctor just happened to be on the floor because she helped with a C-section that morning. She came and examined me and said that I was in labor, but wasn't quite ready. She asked if I wanted to go home for a few hours and come back later or if I wanted to be admitted. We opted to go ahead and be admitted. After an hour or so of being there, she came in and broke my water to help things get going. After another hour of things not progressing, she decided to put me on Pitocin. I didn't want this, but she had to do something. It didn't take things long after that to start progressing. The contractions picked up in time and intensity. We were headed to having our sweet baby boy!

At this point in time, I had not had any pain meds and was thinking that this wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be! HAHA! I was sooo excited that my baby boy was on the way!

We were soo excited to welcome our son! Again, things weren't quite so bad yet....

And then things started to HURT! We didn't know if I would be able to have an epidural due to all the scar tissue built up on my spine from all the lumbar punctures during chemo. So, we told ourselves that I was going to do this strictly with pain meds. That way, if for some reason they couldn't get it in, it wouldn't be such a huge shock to me. So, we started with the pain meds. I wasn't dilated enough for the epidural anyways. The first dose didn't help too much, but the second dose did! It helped sooo much! I didn't want to have too much pain meds because it does pass on to the baby and makes them sleepy when they are born, but it hurt soooo bad! So, when it began to hurt again, I asked for the epidural. I didn't want to give any more pain meds to Cameron. I wasn't far enough along yet, so we had to do more meds. FINALLY, it was time for me to get the epidural. The anesthesiologist from the day had no problem trying to give it to me. He thought he could get through the scar tissue easily. Well, by the time I was dilated enough, he had gone home and the on-call anesthesiologist came in to see me. His concern wasn't really the scar tissue but more of the fact that I currently have cancer. Even though my blood work is normal, I was considered "immuno-compromised" and he decided he didn't want to take the chance I would get an infection from the epidural. WHAT?!?!?! I know we had "tried" to convince ourselves I would do it with no epidural, but truth is, I always knew I would get one. Ummm.....bring on the pain meds!!! The contractions got worse and the meds didn't help as much. BUT, I did it!


Cameron was so loved that he had the waiting room FULL! He had family and friends come from here in town and from out of town! Above is his big sister Natalie and his Aunt Kay! Below is his "Aunt" Ashley, Tim, "Aunt" Randee, and his Nana. Also there were his Papa, MawMaw, PawPaw, Uncle Casey, big sister Emilee, and of course, his Momma and Daddy!

He was sooo precious! I pushed for about 30-45 minutes (I wasn't really paying attention to the clock!) I was ready to push before my doctor got there and the nurse kept telling me to breathe through the contraction. Are you crazy!?!? He was READY! FINALLY, my doctor made it. She called once she was downstairs and they let me start pushing. She showed up, caught my sweet baby boy and placed him on me. I was in love IMMEDIATELY! I couldn't believe that I had just given birth to that sweet face!

He is truly our little miracle! I am so head over heels for this little boy. He had me wrapped around his finger from the moment I found out I was pregnant! Isn't he precious?!?

My very awesome doctor- Dr. Lieb! She wanted to deliver Cameron so bad. She was on vacation the week before and she told me to hold off until she got back. She wasn't even on call the night that I had him. She came up to the hospital just so she could be the one to deliver him!

We were told he would be around 7 lbs max when born...oops! He came out at 8 lbs., 1.1 oz. He was so content and quiet. They had to keep poking him to make him cry so he could get his lungs working. There was nothing wrong with him, he's just quiet.

This was our first picture with our little man! We took some time just the three of us, and then the girls came in and we took some time for just the five of us before we let the rest of the friends and family come in.

Proud Big Sister Natalie

Proud Big Sister Emilee

I'm one proud Momma with my three kiddos!

It was after 3 am before everyone was able to come in. Above is Tim and "Aunt" Ashley. They drove back to Shreveport after they saw him and went to work in the morning! Thank you so much for coming to see him! He had to sit under the lights for about 30 minutes so nobody could hold him, but at least they could come see him!

Aunt Kay and Uncle Casey also drove back to Shreveport that morning! We love them soo much too! So glad they were there to meet their nephew!

Nana fell in love immediately!

So did Papa....

and PawPaw...

and MawMaw!!!

His very awesome wreath that Nana had made for him! I am not really into the whole baby blue stuff, so we had to get something original! We had people stop at our door and take pictures, nurses come in and say how much they loved it, and just random people telling us how much they loved the idea! We had a few people (like the social worker, doctor, etc. tell us it was the wrong color...haha! For some reason, there are a lot of Texas (yuck!) fans in Texas!)

Cameron and Dr. Lieb

Sleepin' on his Daddy! One of his favorite past times!

LOVE!!!- my two men!

Aunt Kay came back the next day, or was it the same day?? She also brought his cousins Walker and Wyatt to meet Cameron. They were thrilled for a little bit, but then they needed something else to do...hehe! Aunt Kay was content holding him!

Cameron and Daddy in their LSU outfits!

"Aunt" Randee trying to corrupt my son already! She knows she's wasting her time, but she still keeps trying! She started when he was still in the womb! HAHA!

Sleepin' on Momma- another one of his favorite past times!

He had to spend another day under the lights. It was so hard because he did not like being naked and we did not like not being able to hold him!

He is just sooo kissable!

Holding my heart in my arms!

Just a cute face!

Going home! It was so last minute that we didn't get to all get in our outfits that we planned on wearing. I went home in pajamas, and he went home in the outfit he had on. They had told us we were staying another night. We were getting ready for bed when they came in and said we could go home and they started discharging us!

Going into his house for the first time (through the messy garage!)

Meeting his puppy sisters for the first time. They were very curious about the new "puppy" we brought home. They keep trying to check him out, but they just smell him, sometimes try to kiss him, and they go on about their business.

Are these not the cutest little toes?!?!?

So cute!

I love my snuggle time with my little man!

Papa came back later in the week to get him some snuggle time!

He can sleep through anything!!!

Such LOOOOONG legs!

Lovin' his bouncer

He actually LOVES his bath! He will just let the water run all over him! He was perfectly fine just chillin' in the water!

Daddy washing his hair!

Daddy was tickling him and making him smile! Isn't he the cutest!!!

So, that's our boy! We are all adjusting and learning each other. Thankfully, both of our mothers have been taking turns and helping us out. This weekend, Rob and I are taking turns watching Cameron and catching up on our sleep!

Stop the Roller Coaster, I want OFF!

Have you ever been on a roller coaster and half way through you wanted to get off? Well, I never have on a REAL roller coaster. I love them! BUT, my life roller coaster? Yes please, I want off!

For those of you who aren't on our e-mail list or on facebook, you are thinking WHAT?!?! You are having a baby, you should be thrilled! Well, on that aspect, I am thrilled. Happier than I have ever been! I can't wait to meet my little man...any day now! BUT, what I haven't told you is that my lymphoma is back! UGH! I know...really? I mean, SERIOUSLY?!?!

So, here's the deal. Back in December when I found out I was pregnant, soon after, I found these red spots on my skin. Nothing big, just looked kind of like the beginning of a bruise. For me, it was no big deal to not know how I got a bruise. I bruise so easily! We didn't think anything of it. Then in January or February, I found what I thought was a spider bite on my back. Again, didn't think anything about it. It didn't go away, so I showed my oncologist at my next visit. Her response was that it was probably pregnancy cysts and if it didn't go away soon, then they would treat it with antibiotics. Again, no biggie. Well, I only go to the oncologist once every three months, so the next month at the OB, I showed it to her and she prescribed some antibiotics for me. Well, they didn't do anything! So, the next month she decided to biopsy the one on my back just for fun. It came back inconclusive, but the pathologist was concerned because of my history. So, my oncologist sent me to a specialty dermatologist...ugh the doctor musical chairs! She did a bigger biopsy...I even had three stitches! Well, wouldn't you know it, it came back as lymphoma!

Basically, it is T-cell lymphoma, but in my skin not my lymphnodes. We were confused at the beginning, but it is CTCL. This is Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. From everything we have read, it can be treated with topical creams, prescription drugs, and different types of radiation. Okay, we can handle that! Well, then my oncologist started pushing to induce me to start treatment. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!??! She obviously had lost her mind. I don't believe in induction. Nothing against you if you do, that's your belief, but for me, I don't believe in it. I know a lot of people don't get it because induction is basically just a part of pregnancy now, but here's my reason. If I can trust God to bring me a miracle baby, trust Him through my entire pregnancy to keep me and my baby healthy, trust Him that everything is going by His will, then HOW can I not trust that HE knows the exact moment when my baby and I will both be ready? Again, this is just my belief, but it is one I am very set in. My OB actually is not a fan of induction either, so this was reassuring. She said if I go over 40 weeks, she will put her foot down, but she will let me go my full term before.

Okay, besides that making my oncologist mad, I really didn't care! So, we went to the oncologist this week and she started talking about me starting chemo- not just any chemo, but a harder chemo than the Hyper CVAD, 6 weeks post-partum to be immediately followed by a bone marrow transplant. WHAT????? We were so confused. She did back off the induction issue when she realized that my immune system (umm...GOD) is controlling the lymphoma right now. But, what in the world was she talking about? Here's her thing...she feels that about 6 weeks post-partum my immune system will give up and the lymphoma will spread to my lymphnodes and blood system. If that is the case, then yes, we will have to do the chemo and transplant. Obviously, that isn't our first choice. We want to try and "treat" the cutaneous lymphoma first and try to keep it stable for several more years so we can have another baby. If I go through transplant, we will not be able to. So, needless to say, we didn't agree with everything she had to say. So, after screaming, yelling, crying (on ours and her part!), we agreed to get a second opinion on treatment. So, I go this Thursday (hopefully) to the other cancer center here in town for a second opinion.

So, now you understand why I want off the roller coaster. On the plus side, Cameron is doing great. I will be 38 weeks tomorrow and considered full term. We were able to get an ultrasound last week. He is measuring about a week ahead of schedule, so the guestimated delivery date is August 13th instead of the 18th. Anytime after tomorrow, I am ready. Natalie wants the 9th because his birthday would be 8/9/10. HAHA! My sister-in-law wants the 15th (her birthday). So, whenever God chooses, he will come! We are so ready to meet our little man! We worked this weekend getting all of his stuff together...the stroller, car seat, swing, bouncer, and play pen put together. All the baby stuff has taken over our house...haha!

So, what do you pray for? Well, for a safe delivery for Cameron of course, but this go round, we aren't praying for healing, we are praying for a miracle. So, if you would, please join us in this prayer. I need ALL of you! Thank you for being there through the years! You each mean so much to us!

With God, WE WILL BEAT THIS AGAIN!!!

Family and Maternity Pics

Last Saturday, our family set out to get some good family pictures and to also capture my pregnancy in the last stage. My sweet friend Crystal is working on her photography portfolio, so she takes all of our family pics! She will just take suggestions and then offer her own. I have seen several friends' pictures in front of this "I Love U" mural, so once I found out where it was, I was determined to take these pictures in front of it. While we were downtown, we also found all these great old buildings to add into the pictures. So, here are just a few of our favorites...

The wall says it all!

Thank you Crystal! Like I said, these were just a few of our favorites! She took over 230 pictures for us to choose from!