I don't take lightly anymore when people say "Children are a gift from God." A GIFT... They sure are a gift, because we so don't deserve the blessings God gives us, but I am forever grateful for THIS blessing. When God blesses you with a child, he LITERALLY takes a piece of Heaven and lays it in your lap. I am forever changed by this blessing, this gift, that God has given me.
When I got home from work on Friday, June 25th I had all these "plans" of what the weekend would be like. Since I am a planner I planned on dinner with Jason for the "last time" before Aiden arrived. I planned to finish laundry, clean the house, get a pedicure and enjoy a quiet weekend with my husband. Because I had a "planned" induction the following Wednesday, so did I think I was going to go into labor, no. Oh how I learned my first lesson of the new stage in my life... having children means you can forget your "plans". :) Saturday morning, June 26th, I woke up around 7:00am, not feeling right. I was feeling really bad aches/cramping in my lower back and lower abdomen, it felt like the worst period ever...the difference was that I was 9 months pregnant, I of course was not on my period and those aches/cramping were coming every 5 min and Aiden was on his way! We went downstairs to have some breakfast...Jason made me blueberry pancakes (a craving) and I sat on the bar stool watching him make them and getting off the bar stool, every time I felt the pain, to pace around the kitchen until it went away. I started timing and they were coming every 5min. I just thought these were more Braxton Hicks contractions and that they would soon subside. I texted a dear friend, Jen Dukes, my pastors wife and a triage nurse at Winnie Palmer. She texted back about an hour or two later telling me what I described to her sounded like the beginning of labor, but since this was my first, it could be false or it could last a long time... so drink plenty of water, lie down, rest, etc... So I assumed if this was "it" that I was in for the long haul. I laid down on the couch and they started to slow down and were coming every 10min for a period of time, however still really strong. I finally decided that in case I was in labor that I would go upstairs take a bath and do my hair! Got to look good you know?! :) While I was doing my hair the contractions were coming on stronger, I was pacing during contractions and finishing my hair in between. I texted Jen again and she said she wouldn't be surprised if this was it. I went downstairs to Jason and told him if he wanted to go and get his hair cut to go ahead and to please bring the laundry up... I told him I think this is it and if its not, then I don't want to know what labor feels like :).
Of course Jason leaves and the pain gets BAD... I called my Mom a little panicked to let her know that I think it was time...I called Jen on the phone and asked her how bad the pain needed to be before I went to the hospital... she told me she thought I should go and the worst case scenario is that they would just make me walk around some more and come back if I was only 2cm. So, Jason got home, came upstairs and I was on all fours on the bed in major pain! He started timing and they were 4min apart... in between contractions I was folding laundry to try and keep my mind distracted, ha. So we decided to go... Finished packing up our stuff, took things down stairs and packed up the car. I knew this was it. I couldn't believe we were heading to Winnie Palmer. Oh, we had to stop for gas, that was another thing on my "to do" list. Picture this... Husband pumping gas and wife standing outside leaning on car having a contraction. Haha, great mental picture huh?
We park the car, grabbed our bags and headed inside. All the while me stopping every 4min or so to get through a contraction... oh and with my sister behind me VIDEO TAPING and taking pics, thanks sis! Walked right into to Triage, praise God no one was there. Filled out paper work, they took my vitals and had me back in a room real quick. Nurse came in to check me... ready for this... 6 CM! I could NOT believe I had done most of the work at home and was at 6cm and about to have my baby. Want to know what my first question was?! "I can still get the epidural right?!" That was around 1:30pm. Jason texted Steph in the waiting room and told her we were not leaving and that we were gonna have a baby! Steph quickly called my Mom and told her to get to the hospital. I got my IV and was headed up to my room. Arrived around 2:30pm and had the epidural by 3:00pm. Thank the LORD! I felt like a new woman after that.
Our last picture before Aiden comes!
4 hours later, I was 10cm and they had me start pushing... My husband was amazing, helping me every step of the way and being SO involved. My sister was there to capture the moments in photos and my Mom with the video camera. I couldn't believe after 9 months, I was soon gonna meet my little boy!
And at 7:41pm the most incredible experience I have ever felt happened... I pushed my baby out and in seconds he was in my arms! I was sobbing with joy, holding my baby, listening to him cry, looking at the most adorable face I had ever seen in my entire life and kissing his sweet little head. My BOY, the one me and Jason created together was here. I never loved Jason more at the moment and I could not believe the love I felt for Aiden that very second I looked at his face coming towards me. The tears are coming now, thinking back on that. Aiden cried and cried and I had him on my chest for what felt like HOURS! There was no one else in the room (in my mind) but me and my boy! He was SO BEAUTIFUL! My angel from Heaven.
The tears the moment he was born!
The most beautiful thing I have ever seen!
Finally in my arms...
Perfection!
After awhile they took him to be looked over... I kissed my husband! We were so happy. Jason was texting family, and everyone was taking pictures of Aiden. So much happiness and joy in one room!
Our 7lb 8oz, 21 1/4 inches long, healthy baby boy! He sure didn't like that those nurses took him from his warm cozy spot on Mommy and he let them know it!
Daddy holding Aiden for the first time!
Our first family photo!
My precious baby...
I am proud to be Aiden's Mommy.
Friends and family poured in to "oooh and ahh" over our little guy and I was SO excited to see the love they all had for him. We finally were taken to our post delivery room and I was so proud to hold Aiden as they wheeled us around the hospital. We stopped by the nursery so they could give him a bath... I didn't want to let him go. After he was cleaned, they brought my bundle of joy back to me for some precious moments together before my Mom and sister left and then it was just "us"... Me, Jason and our son.
Soaking him in...
My beautiful clean little boy!
I couldn't wait to "check him out"... to study everything about him, to put him in HIS clothes and to cuddle him.
Me and Mom admiring his adorable little feet!
Are those not the cutest things you have ever seen?!
He was so peaceful!
That day forever changed me and Jason's life. We couldn't love anything more! We are forever grateful to God for blessing us this much! He is our joy! Our little piece of Heaven... literally.
