I can't believe its been six years since your daddy and I welcomed you into the world. It was one of the happiest, most rewarding, and difficult days of my life. Your story started not nine months before you were born, but a year and nine months before you were born. I'll explain...
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| Graduation Day June 2007 |
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| Newport Beach Sept. 2007 |
Your daddy and I were married 4 years before we starting trying to start our family. I was going to school, working towards my bachelors degree in liberal studies. We knew that it would be difficult for me finish with a baby so we decided that I would finish my degree before we had children. About 6 months before I was to graduate, your daddy and I decided to start trying for a baby. Three months passed and we still could not get a positive on a pregnancy test. Your daddy told me not to worry but I'm a worrier. I couldn't help but ask myself the very scary question, "Can I get pregnant? What's wrong with me?" Another three months went by. At this point I decided to make some changes. I was determined to lose weight, be healthy, enjoy my freedom while it lasted, and prepare myself to go to the temple. Another three months passed. I was losing weight, the healthiest I had been my entire adult life, I was at the beach twice a week with friends or by myself enjoying my freedom and had a date set to go to the temple for the first time. I still wasn't pregnant. I didn't know what to do. Daddy went to the doctor and found out he was fine. What ever the reason we weren't getting pregnant had nothing to do with him. Our next step was for me to go get checked. I prayed it wouldn't have to come to that. We had decided a couple years prior to this that if for whatever reason we couldn't have children naturally, that we would adopt rather then go through in vitro fertilization.
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| Halloween 2007 |
Halloween came. It had been almost a year since our journey to parenthood began. I had stopped taking tests every month and tried to just relax. Two days later, November 2nd I realized that I was late for my monthly. The next morning I woke up at 5 am and took a pregnancy test. I remember praying that it would finally be positive. Right away, there it was. As clear as day, Pregnant. I started screaming and jumping up and down. Your daddy got out of bed and gave me the biggest hug and I cried for joy into this arms. We were going to be parents, I was going to be a mother. I was elated.
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| Redlands Temple Dec. 2007 |
Daddy and I decided to do things a little different then most parent. We didn't find out if you were a boy or a girl before you were born. If you were a girl, you'd be Sophia Kathleen. If you were a boy, Jacob Donald. I also decided that I was going to have all natural childbirth. Many things led me to that decision and I'm glad I stuck by it.
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| Pregnant! |
My pregnancy with you was a piece of cake. No morning sickness, no swollen ankles, no preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. My only complainants for 40 weeks were horrible acne the first few weeks and heartburn throughout my pregnancy.
On my due date I had my last scheduled prenatal appointment. My regular doctor was out of town so I had to be seen by another doctor. He checked me. I was only about 1 centimeter dilated. And before asking me if it was okay, he stripped my membranes. I quickly asked him to stop! I was mortified that he would perform a procedure without asking if that was what I wanted. And instead of saying, I'm sorry, he just asked me "Why?" I was so mad. I told him I wanted an all natural childbirth and I wasn't even passed my due date yet. Your grandmothers were waiting for me in the waiting room. I burst into tears as soon as I saw them. I was pretty sure if I ever saw that doctor again I would slap him.
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| 40 Weeks |
You were five days late. My doctor had scheduled me for an induction in two days if you weren't born by then. I prayed it wouldn't come to that. I knew that if I had to be induced, it would make natural childbirth even more difficult to achieve. Then at midnight on July 15th, I woke up in labor. My water hadn't broken, but I was defiantly in labor. We literally lived across the street from the hospital so I decided to let your daddy sleep and labor at home as much as possible. I went into the nursery we had set up for you and rocked and rocked in my rocking chair. I breathed, I tried to remember what I had learned in the birthing class your daddy and I took two months ago and thought about how I'd be holding you in my arms soon. I got up and walked around. And when I got to the point that I was in so much pain I couldn't think straight, I woke up your daddy and we left for the hospital. It was 3 am.
By the time I got admitted and in a room I couldn't focus. I was practically screaming with every contraction. The nurse checked how far along I was and told me I was only about 3 centimeters dilated. How on earth was I going to make it another 10!? Daddy had given every nurse that touched me a copy of my birth plan so that they knew and understood what I wanted. I had group B strep and needed to be put on antibiotics. The nurse that was assigned to me tried for over 30 minutes to get an IV line in me with no luck. I was about to punch her. lol. She told me she was going to call for someone else to do the IV but before she left the room, she grabbed my hand, looked into my eyes and said, "You have to breathe. You have to find a focal point and concentrate. You have to focus your energy." It was like someone flipped a switch in my head. I went from being completely out of control to being in almost a trance like state. I was in control and with every contraction I told myself, "This will pass. This will pass. This will pass." over and over again till it did pass.
Finally it came time for me to move from the labor room to the delivery room. I told my nurse I wanted to walk there. She was surprised but made it happen. I have no idea how long it took me to walk to the delivery room but I imagine it took a long time. I remember I had to stop every time I had a contraction and find something to focus on and breathe. Finally we made it to the room. I had a new nurse. She was all business and a little quirky but your daddy and I liked her and felt comfortable with her from the start. She read the birth plan and discussed it with us and told us she'd make sure we had the experience we wanted. The delivery room was about five times bigger then the labor room so we were allowed to finally have visitors. Your grandma's were there as well as my two best friends. I remember when your auntie Jecca walked in she stopped right at the foot of my bed and said in the sweetest voice, "Hi, how are you doing?" I was in the middle of a contraction and my focal point was a picture of a baby and mommy holding hands on the wall behind auntie Jecca. Instead of saying "Hi!" I quickly waved my arm for her to move. She looked a little puzzled until your daddy told her she was blocking my focal point. lol.
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| First picture of Jacob and I |
At 1 pm my nurse informed me that she was going on her lunch break. I was 10 centimeters dilated and I could start pushing. Another nurse was going to be there with me while she was gone. The doctor would be in shortly. Before she left, my nurse told me she'd be back before the baby was born. "You'll be pushing for at least two hours," she said. Ten minutes later the doctor walked in. Guess who the doctor on call was?! The doctor I wanted to slap! He greeted me, looked over my birth plan, asked a few questions and the whole time didn't seem to recognize who I was. Then he examined me and checked your progress. As soon as he looked at me "down there" he looked up and said, "Hey, you were in my office last week." If I wasn't trying to push a person out of me I really would have slapped the man but instead I continued to push with every contraction. Each of your grandmothers were holding one of my legs. Your daddy was going between checking on your progress and holding my hand. (Your daddy was AMAZING during my labor and your delivery. He listened to what I told him and paid attention to my body language. He was the perfect coach.) At 1:45 pm my nurse returned and found that your head was crowning. At 1:59 pm you were born. A boy! We had a beautiful baby boy! Jacob Donald, 7 lbs. 14 oz. 19 inches long. You were perfect. I held you in my arms and cried and cried for joy. You were finally here. I waited for you for a long time.
Today you are six years old, no longer a toddler but a boy. You are starting first grade next month. You're a great big brother, an amazing son, a wonderful friend to all you meet, and a good example to your family and friends. You have such a sweet spirit. The other day you asked me what I thought was Jesus' favorite color. I told you I didn't know. You replied that you think Jesus loves all the colors of the rainbow. You often say sweet things like that. You have a special connection to my father who died last year. You often ask about him and will randomly say things that are so "him". You are so smart. You read every sign while we drive in the car and you love math. You have grown into such a wonderful young man. Your daddy and I couldn't be prouder of who you've become and are so excited to continue to watch you grow and progress. I love you to pieces my sweet Bubba. Happy Birthday!
