Erin's Adventures: 2011

Happy Halloween!! Michael dressed up as Elvis, and it was a hit with all the trick-or-treaters.

We strolled him up and down the street in his wagon. He got a big kick out of seeing all the other kids dressed up. He was saying 'hello' to everyone! All week I was trying to teach him to say trick-or-treat, but he didn't do it. Half way on our walk he starts saying "tweet tweet". It was so funny, I just laughed.

Then when we got back home to hand out candy, he was super excited. He was jumping up and down and all around. He was waving at everyone that walked by and came up for candy. He even helped to pass out candy. He got the biggest thrill out of putting candy into the bags of trick-or-treaters. He was so proud of himself and had the biggest smile on his face...ear to ear. He'd then wave and say 'bye bye' as they left.

He had a great Halloween!!!

Happy Birthday Michael!! Today you turn 2 years old. It is so hard to believe that you have been in our lives for two years already. You are the smartest, sweetest, silliest, funniest, most helpful little boy. You are always making us laugh with your goofy antics. I don't know where you come up with them! I can't believe how much you have learned. You can walk, dance, sing, and talk. You love to give hugs and kisses to anyone who asks for them. Tucker is your best little buddy.

Here is the story about they day you were born.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

When I was a little girl, my dream was to grow up, go to college, have a career, get married, and have a family. I accomplished each of those items, and in 2009, I was on my way to starting a family. When I found out I was pregnant, I had visions of how certain things would be related to pregnancy and birth. After watching the Baby Story on TLC several times and hearing other mothers’ birth stories, I knew mine would be similar. All throughout my pregnancy I thought of packing the hospital bag and the spontaneous moment of ‘this is it; it’s time to go to the hospital’. I imagined the moment when my water would break, and I go into labor. Jesse was sure it would happen while I was at work and a co-worker would have to drive me to the hospital. I was even curious about contractions and wanted to experience them myself, so I would understand what all the hype was about. I didn’t want an epidural, at least not right away. Imagine the complete shift in plans when I found out I was going to have a scheduled C-section. Talk about a complete 180 from my plan of having as natural and med-free birth as possible. Certainly not how I imagined having my first baby. I admit I was a little disappointed. But, the planner in me was quite happy!

My c-section was scheduled for Tuesday, October 27 at 9am. I worked all day the day before wrapping up things at work. It was just a normal day in some weird way. That evening, I packed my hospital bag full of all the necessities…socks, pajama’s, and make-up. I packed the bag for our son who had yet to arrive…every single piece of newborn size clothing I had. They were all so cute, I just couldn’t decide, so I brought all of them! I ate a good dinner because I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink after midnight. That meant no breakfast…who denies a nine month pregnant lady breakfast?!?! The next morning I shower and get dressed up. What do you wear to the hospital when you are about to have a baby? I wanted to look nice for him even though he wouldn’t know. I hope I don’t look silly in my slacks and top.

Jesse and I stood in the kitchen before we left and looked at each other. This is it. We are actually going to have a baby today. It was so surreal, we didn’t quite know what to feel. As we head out the door, we tell Tucker goodbye and that we would be bringing him home a new playmate. Poor thing had no idea what he was in for.

As we are driving to the hospital, we are pretty quiet at first. Then we start talking. I was very emotional; we both were. A complete mixture of happiness, excitement, anxiety, joy, and nervousness. It was almost overwhelming, but in a good way.

When we arrive at the hospital my mom and sister are in the waiting room all smiles from ear to ear. We register and fill out all the paperwork. Then we are escorted back to a room and I’m get hooked up to a monitor where we wait. And wait. The nurse comes in to check on me. Then the doctor comes in. She asks how I’m doing and tells me what to expect. Then a while later, she comes back, and off we go. I get to walk myself down to the room where I’m going to have my baby. I’m in tears; I can’t help it. I’m not sad, I’m excited. My mom is in tears. My sister is in tears. Even Jesse is a little worked up. We are all one big tearful mess! It is a whirlwind of emotions.

We arrive at the operating room. Jesse goes into a separate room to change into scrubs, and I’m escorted into the OR. It’s a very big, bright room with lots of smiling faces looking at me. I sit on a ‘bed’ the width of a diving board. I’m wondering how I will fit. I’m a bit wider these days! The doctor talks to me while the anesthesiologist gives me the epidural. My biggest fear is that the medicine won’t work and I will feel everything…that’s all I could think about. Once she is done, Jesse comes in and sits by my head. There is a sheet, so I can’t see the people at the other end of the table by my feet. I know they are there because I feel them touching me. I ask if they are about to start because I can still feel stuff. I want to make sure they don’t start yet! After a few minutes the lower half of my body is numb and I don’t feel anything. I start to feel nauseous. I throw up…yuck. The next thing I remember, a nurse tells me to turn my head so I can see my baby. I’m in a huge fog and can barely see anything. I’m in a complete haze and it hasn’t hit me that he was just born. The next thing I know, I’m being wheeled down a long hallway with lots of turns, and there is a tiny little baby next to me. I can’t hold him yet because he is wrapped as tight as a burrito, and my arms are buried under blankets. When I get to the recovery room, I am able to sit up and hold him and he is the most beautiful sight. He is so tiny. He’s perfect. It doesn’t even matter to me that I didn’t get to experience the ‘normal’ labor and delivery or that I was asleep when he was first born and I didn’t hear his first cry. Jesse was there, so I know it from his point of view, which is perfect.