My baby is not a baby anymore. *tear*

Okay, thats a lie. He's still my baby and always will be, regardless of his age. But, my lil baby boy is turning ONE today. technically, not until 11:30pm tonight.. I will be thinking about what i was doing one year ago as a lay in bed tonight going to sleep. lol.

So, one year ago today... the morning started out like any other. I got dressed and ready and headed off to work. I had a doctors appt around 11am, i think... so i headed out from work at around 1030am.

Nick couldnt make it to my appt, so my doula said that she would come with me. I was scared about scheduling an induction... i knew the doctor would make me schedule one. I was already 6 days overdue! So, my doula was there for moral support and to back me up on the "i dont want to be induced" thing.

So, my doc comes in and i think the first thing he said was "well, what are you still doing here?" Yeah, cuz i was supposed to deliver the baby last week, right? so, he proceeds to strip my membranes ( i wont go into details for those that dont know what it is, lol. ) Let's just say he was really trying hard this time to send me into labor... so it hurt. all the other times it never really hurt me. So, after that, he tells me that im already 4.5cm dilated (whoa!) and im thinking, why am i not in labor yet?? I'm almost halfway dilated now! Anyways, the doctor made us schedule an induction. He wanted to induce me right then! im like "na-uh." so, the furthest we could push him back on the induction was Sunday, March 16th. Today was a Wednesday, by the way, Wednesday March 12th, 2008.

So, after the appt, i wasnt even cramping. Usually, i always cramped after he has swept my membranes. I was all sad, thinking i would never go into labor... so my doula told me she would come over with her stuff and try to induce me. So, she came over and put on some special aromatherapy oil that is supposed to induce contractions and she rubbed that oil on my feet and ankles. Then she proceeded to have me lay down and relax and focus on contractions and on starting my labor. Basically, me internally telling my body that I was ready. She massaged certain pressure points on my feet and my ankles.

After that, she told me a bunch of herbs i could buy at the store to help induce labor. Me, being VERY anxious to start labor, went right away to the store to get these herbs. While i was at the store, I started having cramps. Nothing serious... I shrugged them off. I bought my stuff and headed to Shopko to look for a birthing gown. My doula had told me that the hospital gowns were super uncomfortable to birth in. Well, I didnt make it too far into Shopko when the contractions were stronger. I hadnt felt anything like them before.... but i still wasnt convinced that i was in labor.

I headed home. Nick was still there, thank goodness. He was about to leave for a side job. I told him I thought i might be in labor, but i wasnt sure. I called my doula and told her what i was feeling and asked her if she thought i was in labor. I still wasnt sure whether i should let nick go and do the side job or not!! The doula said we should pray about it and see how we feel about nick going or not. So, we did. I felt like Nick should stay. And a good thing too! Not even a hour later and the contractions were much stronger! I KNEW i was in labor then! haha.

We ended up going to the hospital about 2 hours after this. My doula was a HUGE help during contractions and helped relieve the pressure by pushing in on my hips. Dont ask me why it helped, but it did. The hospital was stupid, i wont go into details, but it took us over 45 minutes to get a room and it wouldve taken longer too. But after that long, i just went into a room and took over. I was in ACTIVE labor. a good 6cm dilated at that point! I wanted to get into the bath-tub. So, i just went into a room and claimed it. Stupid jerks for not putting me in a room right away. I was in my bath-robe having hard contractions in front of everyone in the waiting room. People were totally freaked out! I think they thought i might plop out a baby right there in the waiting room. hahaha!

Anyways, on to the pictures! I dont think i've ever shown these before.

me laboring in the bath tub.





trying to relax in between contractions.


I was really close to pushing stage at this point.



Fresh baby boy outta da' oven! :)



"What the crap just happened? Where am I?"


Our first family photo :)


AND now, one year later.










my little man is growing up so fast! He has 8 teeth now and is walking. Happy birthday baby boy!! We love you!!!