Noah's First Birthday

If it was difficult to realize Josiah and Lilly are now three, it's practically impossible that Noah is ONE!

At 6:50 pm last Superbowl Sunday THIS amazing event occurred!

Noah, it was a perfect, PERFECT day when they placed you in my arms! All weekend I was having contractions, but it wasn't until Saturday at Aunt Lauren's senior basketball game at Rowan when I really started to get uncomfortable. On the way home, daddy insisted that we try out the iPhone apps for timing contractions and I'm really, really glad we did!

That evening we had scheduled dinner with dear friends. I'm so glad we didn't cancel our plans! The distraction of their visit helped me through the 20 minute intervals of your reminders. Later that evening I was able to fall asleep for about 15 minutes or so before I was awake again with another round of contractions. It was like that the rest of the night.

I took a shower, wrapped myself in a blanket and tried to get as much rest as possible. At times, the pain took my breath away and I thought those minutes would never end. I could literally feel you moving down in my belly. It was a difficult and long night, but I knew that it wouldn't be long until I held you...the moment I was anxiously waiting for.

In the morning, after timing the contractions at 3 minutes apart, we called Grannie B and asked that she come over to hang out with Josiah and Lilly. Daddy and I excitedly gathered our hospital bags and made the seemingly long trip over to the hospital. As we drove, we tried to imagine what the next hours would hold for us. We tried to picture your face, you fingers, the feel of you in our arms.

Once there, I could tell that the nurses were slightly skeptical of the timing of my contractions. They hooked me up to a monitor with some fluid and there I waited. The contractions slowed down, but became much stronger. Much, MUCH stronger. I tried not to crawl back on the table as they washed over me. I was over the moon with excitement when the nurse told us I was 5 cm dilated. That was more than I could've hoped for!

I was officially admitted and they wheeled me to "the room". The Labor and Delivery rooms had a special bed with all sorts of monitors, but my FAVORITE was the baby station. There's was special section in the room that was just waiting for you. I'd glance over there every few minutes while I waited, all hooked up (I opted for an epideral...which is a gigantic needle that helps me feel happy in spite of the pain!)

When it finally came time to push (you must have been super comfortable in there, because it took you a few hours to push yourself down all the way) the epideral had worn off enough for me to feel things. Oddly enough, I was grateful for it. The pain allowed me an area of focus as I pushed.

Noah, I'll say it to you many times in the years to come, but those first moments with you were indescribable. You were everything wonderful and good. I couldn't believe how perfectly you were formed and how instinctively you fed and snuggled close to me. I stared and stared at you while they stitched me up and cleaned you off. Watching daddy hold you brought tears to my eyes. With you, our family was complete.

We were thrilled to show you to the family!

Days with you became this, and this, and this. Oh, and this!

And now, little man, you are ONE today. You run and chase and play and wrestle and laugh and smile.

We love everything about you.