Happy Birthday Nathaniel~

Yes, that is a candle in a slice of pizza!
I cannot believe I have been a mom for 10 years now! Wow~ where does the time go? I was in so much pain 10 years ago right now as I type this! I will share my birth story of my oldest son: Nathaniel!

I was 22 years old. I was due on October 20th, 1998. I had a Dr.'s appointment on the 20th, and my body wasn't doing anything to progress toward labor. My dear, and wonderful Dr. stripped my membranes (without warning...mind you) and I about died! I think he may have had to scrape me off the ceiling. OK, it wasn't like that, but it was horrible! Anyway, he said see you in a week. He told me I could have the baby any day that week, except for Thursday, because he would be gone that day. So, wouldn't you know it? Nathaniel decided to make his way into the world on Thursday, October 22. I went to bed around midnight on the 21st, and woke up at 4:00 with the feeling of needing to relieve myself of solid wastes. Since I had no luck of that, and could not get myself back to sleep, I figured that I MUST be in labor. I remember sitting on the couch for an hour doing word finds, before calling my best friend~Jennifer~ to tell her what was happening. Yes, I called her about 5 AM. I called my favorite cousin around 8 AM to talk to her and let her know, too. The day progressed, and I had a small breakfast (2 french toast slices). My friend, hairstylist, and (at the time) my brother's girlfriend, came over for a few hours in the morning to hang out. Jennifer got to my apartment around 11:00. By that time, my contractions were getting worse. I tried watching my Soap Opera (Young and the Restless)~which I have given up almost a year ago~but, I was in too much pain to get much out of it. I remember pacing around the hallway, and leaning on the doorway. Nathaniel's Dad got up there about 1:00 PM. I waited until my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart, since it was my first baby, and I heard it would be long. We headed up to the hospital about 4:00, and checked in. Nathaniel's Dad, my birth coach and best friend, Naomi, and Jennifer were with me. I had a wheel chair to ride up to the room, and really, I have no idea how I made it across the parking lot. I stopped SO much for every contraction. I think I was measuring a 2 only when they checked me. I wanted to yell...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I remember the phone kept ringing, and I told Naomi to tell them (whoever it was) to quit calling! I wanted no lights on, and the shade slightly pulled. That sun was so bright! The nurse checked me again at 8:00 and said I had made it to 5 CM dilation. WOO HOOO! She asked if I wanted an epidural, and I declined. The Dr. and nurses kept wanting me to get up and shower, or walk, or anything to get up...and I just wanted to lay there and wallow in my pain. They didn't tell me it would help me dilate faster. I think they should tell that to new moms! (~Remember that Alicia! :))

Anyway, I did get up and sit in a rocking chair. I had terrible back pain, and the nurse (God bless her) said it would help if I sat in the chair. As I did that, she sat at my feet and pushed my knees back. This took amazing pressure off my back and felt great! Then, I went back to bed. By 10:00 PM, they got the room ready~I was dilated to 10, and I was ready to push. I gave a few practice pushes while we were waiting for the Dr. After a handful of pushes, the nurse informs me that I should push like I am pooping. OH~~OK!! That made a huge difference! Nurses and Dr.'s should also share that information with new moms right off the bat! Well, I did have a small poo come, and I told the Dr.'s about it. I said I did, and they said I didn't...even though everyone thinks they do. After they argued with me about 3 times, they said, "Oh, yes, I guess you did." Hello~I think I know! :)

After 45 minutes of pushing, out comes my beautiful, amazing, miracle baby boy! Weighing in at 8 pounds 6 ounces, and measuring 20 inches long. He was so small, and tiny and amazing! What a wonder God creates such amazing miracles! I was so overwhelmed...and TIRED. I loved holding him, cuddling him, and letting him sleep in my arms. I am so happy that God chose me to be his mom~ what an honor!

I love you Nathaniel! You ARE my GIFT FROM GOD! Nathaniel means Gift from God.

We will be celebrating a family meal out tomorrow night, and he is having a boys party on Saturday. Then, on Sunday we will have the grandparents over, and maybe some cousins. We had to postpone some of the celebrations off of his "official" birthday due to his birthday falling mid week. Happy Birthday to my first born...Nathaniel! Now he is in the double digits!

Mother's Day Blog Bash giveaway~Please read! :)

Motherhood is something I have wanted the longest in my life. Ever since I was a toddler, I wanted to be a "mommy." I played with dollies like they were my babies. I started babysitting at an early age. I absolutely, positively LOVE children! I have always spent more time interacting with kids than adults. OK~I know I just really like kiddos.
THEN, at age 21 I was a rebellious "Christian College" student who just graduated. It was time to Part-Y? I really don't know why I got so "wild" back then. I was living with a friend, and her and I for some reason weren't getting along as well, so I hid behind that reason and stayed most nights at my "boyfriend's" house. I say that in quotes because he was pretty much just someone to party with. I drank a lot, worked at a gas station, and just was living life. I knew I was living a "worldly life of sin." So, one night I just prayed for a way out, and the VERY NEXT DAY~ I kid you not, my sister called and asked me to move to Tennessee to live with her. She was accepting a job down there. Can I just say, "Amen" to that. It was completely an answer to prayer. However, once we were down there...a few weeks later, the pee test revealed I was pregnant! I was scared, afraid, worried, and freaking out (among all the other feelings)! What was I going to do? This was not at all what I dreamed of as a young child! What did I do? To sum up a longer story, I got myself put together...and my sister, her daughter, and I moved back to MN. Things were really rocky with my unborn baby's dad and I. I saw a mentor at the Crisis Pregnancy center. It turns out she went to my home church. She was great! I decided (and prayed over) to go in front of our church with a confession. I knew it was the Biblical thing, and I also didn't want anyone talking around about it...just to get it out in the open. That was a very hard thing to do. I didn't say all that I wanted to, because I was bawling like crazy. The sweetest and most loving thing my brother did, was he came up to the pulpit, and wrapped his arm around me. WHAT A SUPPORT LINK! I know that having a child out of wedlock and sex before marriage was wrong, but God gave me a blessing~Nathaniel~out of a choice that I made.
From that moment on in the pregnancy, I just fell completely, and utterly in love with my baby. I no longer worried about how everything would work. I knew God would be with me. I had looked into and prayed about adoption. I just wanted the best for my baby, and to offer my baby what I thought I couldn't give. God showed me the answer was to raise my baby and trust him.
When it was time to welcome my baby into the world, I had the best nurse. She was a Christian and in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) with my cousin. She was such a great coach and encourager. My friend, Naomi, was my labor coach, and she was so loving and caring. (THANKS NAOMI). I will have to share all of my labor stories sometime, but with my first baby...I pushed for 20 minutes. They said that was good for first time mom. When I heard him cry, and they put my precious little miracle on my belly, I just fell so in love! I never knew such love existed. I mean, I love my parents, family, niece's and nephews...friends...but my baby? My own flesh in blood, my dear sweet Nathaniel. He was such a blessing to me! God has given me such a wonderful son! God chose me for him, and him for me! I wish I could get pictures of my first little baby, Nathaniel, on here. He is now 9 years old. He is growing up so fast!



What I didn't know about Motherhood when I wasn't a mom...but I know now is:
*absolute, complete unconditional love.
*loving beyond measure.*such a great protection and fear for them.
*I am the most influential person in their life (that is great, and terrifying!)
*I am solely responsible for them 24/7...and I am always their source of guidance.
*I know when they are hurt, sometimes even before they do.
*I know when they wake up, without hearing them first.
*If someone mistreats, hurts, or is "mean" to my kid, I want to beat them up...even if they are a kid, too.
*I understand sacrifice on such a greater level! Sacrifice of sleep, money, will power, personal pleasures, time...etc. But aren't our kiddos worth it?
*I didn't realize I would actually love to wake up in the middle of the night to nurse my babies.
*I didn't realize I would go into my kiddo's room to check on them time and time again...just to watch them sleep. (or to make sure they are still breathing)
**I really didn't realize that Motherhood carried so many job titles: nurse, teacher, psychologist, referee, cook/chef, maid, caretaker, clown, cheerleader, and now beautician (with my first little girl).
I know I missed several "jobs" in my list.

*Being a MOM is the best, and most rewarding job! My dream from childhood is true. I am a mom to three wonderful children! All of them are such amazing works of God's hands. He has given me more than I could have wished for! I wouldn't say that I am done having kids, but it is all in God's hands. :)