Happy Birthday Baby!

Two years ago today the doctors pulled that big boy pictured above out of my belly-- hard to believe!  I honestly don't know when he got so big-- or turned from a baby to boy, but he looks so grown up now, it makes me a little sad.  Two years later our baby has a baby brother--amazing!

When I was pregnant with Sean we knew he would be born via c-section due to placenta previa.  My whole pregnancy I wasn't allowed to do any sort of exercise or lifting due to the previa, and that kind of sendentary lifestyle was pretty hard for me to get used to.  I would just think about the amazing little baby I would have soon enough though and it would make it a little easier.  Sean's c-section was scheduled for July 3, even thought his due date wasn't until July 13, which was actually moved up from his original date of July 29.  On July 1st I went to a lunch/baby shower at Cody's office then came home to work on the nursery and take a nap.  Cody and Aubrey Anne worked on getting the car seat installed later that night, and when I came out to look at it, I was a little "dissapointed" with Cody's method of installation, and my pregnancy hormones got the best of me and I broke down and cried and cried and sobbed because I didn't think he put it in right and I didn't want to bring my baby home in a defunct carseat.  Luckily Aubrey Anne's engineering mind was able to figure it out to my satisfaction :).

A few hours later and I started having contractions in the middle of the night.  Due to the previa we had strict instructions to call the hospital at any signs of labor because it would be very dangerous to me and the baby to go into labor.  I waited for an hour and counted 4-5 contractions, which was the magic number to call the hospital.  I woke Cody up and said "I've just had four contractions--" to which Cody promptly said "it'll be OK," rolled over and went back to sleep.  Well, in that case, I thought, I'll just go have something to eat since i'm likely not getting back to sleep.  In the very back of my mind I thought, if I have to go in and have the baby this morning, I'm not allowed to eat anything.  (But I was really hungry).  I went to the bathroom to make sure all was OK, and found that I had started bleeding, which at full term with a full previa, means surgery asap.  So, I skipped the bowl of cereal (still really hungry) and went to really wake cody up (turning on all the lights and announcing we are going to have a baby at 3:00 a.m.!) and get things rolling.  Cody, usually cool as a cucumber in all situations was a little rattled, putzing around our room trying to get ready.  At one point he said to me "What T-shirt should I wear??"  (?????????).  Eventually we called the hospital, they told us to come on in.

Once at the hospital things had calmed down a bit and what I remember more than anything was (still) being really hungry.  At one point while we were hooked up to the fetal monitor a resident came in and asked if I was comfortable (tip: never ask a very pregnant woman about to have a baby if she's comfortable-- the answer will at best be "no," and at worse involve some explitives).  I told him I would only be comfortable if he could get me something to eat--preferably breakfast food-I'm thinking pancakes or french toast. I said I either want to go home and have breakfast or to have surgery to have this baby.  The doctors preferred the second option, and by 7:30 a.m. we were in surgery (still hungry)!

A few short minutes later and we got a glimpse of our dear baby boy-- sweet, skinny, soft-- i was immediately in love.  Cody was able to hold him immediately and followed him to get weighed in and cleaned up.  He brought our new baby to me and I just cried as the doctors stitched me up.  I cried pure joy--it was the most intense feeling I have ever known. 

A few hours later and we called our sweet boy "Sean Brendan."  Strong and sweet sounding, just like him.  Named after my big brother Sean and St. Brendan the navigator, a brave and courageous priest from Ireland, we knew it suited him as soon as we said it out loud. 

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading SB's long birth story, two years later.  Unfortunately, today he and I are a little sick with a virus, but hopefully he'll feel good enough to play with some new toys later.  He has been asking about "cake?" at every mention of a birthday so far today, so I think he'll be ok.  He is wonderful, and I feel so privileged that God chose me to by his mama.  What a delight these two years have been!