Happy Birthday Nathan!!!

Nathan 12 weeks pregnant

 A year ago today you were born. I was scared but excited to meet you! I have thought about the day you were born many times since then. I've thought about the things I would change and do differently and something that I wouldn't change for the world! The day you were born was pretty crazy! First off you where stubborn! I tried EVERYTHING to go into labor and not have to go over due. I walked so much I got blister's, your Memee rubbed my feet for an hour hitting pressure points trying to get me to go into labor. I got contractions but never went into labor. Then your Dad decided to have me eat a green pepper filled with hot sauce! The out come was not pretty. Within 5 seconds I was leaning (as best as I could) over the kitchen sink throwing up! I finally realized that no matter what I did you were going to come late.

7 weeks pregnant (the day I found out!)

     Every week I had a doctor's appointment to see how our progress was. Dr. Short didn't think I would make it to our due date because you where so low and she could feel your head and your hair! We knew you were going to have hair but not that much! I saw Dr. Short the day before my due date and she thought she would get a call from me that week telling her I was in labor, well she never got that call! I was scheduled to go to the hospital on July 15, 2010 at 7:00 pm to start cervidil.

15 weeks pregnant

    That night we had alot of your Dad's family come. Your Aunt Sara and Uncle Dale came along with your soon to be cousin's Clara and James. Your Aunt Sara was a lifesaver to Mommy when it came to getting the IV put in! I was a nervous wreck because all I had heard was horror stories about how much the IV would hurt. Right as the nurse put the needle to my skin I broke down crying. Not because it hurt because surprisingly it wasn't that bad. I cried because I was scared. I didn't want everyone to be right and to have it hurt. I scared the poor nurse and she ended up pulling the IV out thinking that she had hurt me. So we had to do it all over again. After Sara and Dale left your Aunt Kate dropped by to let me borrow her cell phone so I could keep your Grandma and Grandpa Craig in the loop so that they knew what was happening. After Kate left your Memee and Grandpa Choochoo stopped by to see Mommy all big a pregnant one last time. By that time it was getting pretty late (it was midnight) Mommy and Daddy were tired and knew that we had a big day ahead of us. Little did I know I was only going to get 2 hours of sleep!

    They had given me cervidil at 9:00 pm, it wasn't supposed to put me into labor but it did. About 2:30 am I started to have contractions. They were about 15 minutes apart and lasted about a minute. I was able to sleep in between them until 6:00 am when the nurse came to take away the cervidil and I was given a hour before they started pitocin. I was still having contractions. They weren't too bad but they hurt. The hospital bath tub had jets in it so I decided I would get in and see if it would help ease the pain of the contractions. It did for a little bit but they got more painful as time went on. By 7:00 am the contractions were so painful that I couldn't sit still. They started poticen at 8:00 am and I begged them to give me the epidural. After the poticen was started I was in so much pain that I started to throw up which really messed with each contraction. I got the epidural at only 2cm ( I was only 1cm and 50% effaced when I got to the hospital). The epidural was HEAVEN compared to the contraction's I couldn't feel a thing! So the nurse turned the poticen all the way up and let me labor for awhile.

      At 9:30 am my water broke. I had felt a small gush when they rolled me over. I didn't think too much of it so I tried to go to sleep since I had been up all night long dealing with contractions. By the time I really fell asleep I was woken up to a HUGE gush and I knew that my water had broken. Daddy was asleep on the couch so I pushed the button for the nurse and told her my water had broken. In came running four nurse's which woke up Daddy. I think he was a little scared because they came running in and pulled the blankets off of me and said that my water really had broken. I was shocked, I had planned on needing them to break it for me but I was very happy that it happened on it's own.

My due date which sadly came and went!

     Everything was pretty calm for awhile. I had nurse's constantly in my room checking on me and making sure that I was okay. About 11:30 I started to feel A LOT of pressure. It never went away which was the worse part. I called the nurse in because with all that pressure I felt like I needed to push. She checked me and said that your head was very low but I was 100% effaced and 8 cm dialed. I told her that I thought that the epidural was starting to wear off because I thought I was starting to feel contraction's. She assured me that it was still working and that we would start to push about 12:30-1 pm. I have never in my life felt so uncomfortable as I did that day when your head was entering my pelvis. I wanted to scream and kick and moan, but I didn't because I didn't want to scare your Dad.

My last at home pregnancy picture!

    The nurse came back about 12:30 pm and told me I was at 9 1/2 cm and I could start to push. I was so excited! I thought I was going to meet you very soon! Things got pretty hectic by then. The phone kept ringing because family wanted to know what was happening. After a hour of pushing I was getting exhausted and I was starting to fall asleep between contraction's. I would wake up as one started and ask if it was time to push and the nurse would say yes. This continued for 2 1/2 hours. I finally begged the nurse to call Dr. Short because I knew that you weren't going to be delivered until she got there.

    Seeing Dr. Short walk though that door was like seeing a angel! I was exhausted and sick of pushing. I remember telling her to do whatever she needed to do to get you OUT! I even told her to cut me open for a c-section if she had to! The whole pregnancy I stressed to Dr. Short that I did NOT want a c-section and she never saw a need for one. Dr. Short came in and did her magic and you were out in two pushes! At the beginning of labor the nurse asked me if I wanted you cleaned up before she gave you to me and I had said yes, but when I first saw you I wanted you right away! I didn't care that you were covered in goo, or that you were screaming your head off. You were my baby and all I wanted to do was hold you and meet you for the first time. So they layed you on my chest and Daddy and I met our son for the first time. I remember that I kept telling you that it was okay and that Mommy was here. You stopped for a minute when you heard mine and Daddy's voice and looked up at us, then you kept crying! You cried for 3 hours after you were born. You really didn't want to leave Mommy's tummy but it was time. Daddy took care of you while I fell asleep.

My last pregnant picture

    I kept drifting in and out of sleep and I didn't remember much. But I did wake up briefly hearing a baby cry and I looked around thinking, "Who's baby is crying?" I then saw Daddy holding you and I knew that you were MY baby. I kind of remember your Aunt Jamie calling and asking what your birth weight was because I guess I forgot to tell everyone when I called to announce that you had finally arrived. I don't remember the conversation because I was pretty out of it. Your Uncle Charlie (my brother) was on his way up from Texas just to see you.I think he made it to Kansas just as you were being born.

Nathan Estes

July 16, 2010

8 lbs, 9 ounces, 20 inches long

    Everyone says that the first night is the worse because you loose so much sleep, but for me it was easy. It was almost like I was made to be a Mom. I would wake up as you started to make noise and I learned your cries and what you needed pretty fast. Your birth was a little traumatic. I had lost a lot of blood and Dr. Short and the nurses where a little worried. After you were born I wanted to take a bath because I had a lot of swelling. The nurse agreed but before she said yes she had to stress to me that when I stood up I could not bend my knees or I would collapse. So with Daddy on my right and the nurse on my left holding onto each arm and almost carrying me I made it to the bathroom to take a bath. My body didn't react well after having you. I kept throwing up and they couldn't get me to stop. Finally after they tried a couple of different medicines I was able to keep things down and really enjoy the fact that I had a son and that I was a Mom.
    We asked to not be disturbed the day you were born because I was in such bad shape. I could hardly stay awake to feed you and I wanted to be awake for when you met the rest of your family. Now that you're here, I love you SO much Nathan and I will never be able to express to you how much I truly do care for you. I love all ten finger's and all ten toes, and I would never change anything about you! Happy First Birthday baby bear!

                                                           Video's
                                       Arriving at Labor and Delivery
                                                   getting settled
                                                       labor
                                              The end is in sight!
                                     Welcome to the world Nathan!
                                   Things are finally settling down!
                                           Moving for recovery
                                   Finally time to get some sleep!
                                                Going Home!