The Taynors

The Taynors

Friday, March 2, 2012

One Year Ago

Tomorrow is my baby boy's 1st birthday!  It has me thinking about what I did the weeks before he was born, last year.  I stopped working January 28 and went on maternity leave.  That gave me 1 month home to prepare for baby.  I can remember spending hours and hours in "the baby's" room getting things ready... folding and organizing clothes, decorating, sitting in the rocking chair and imagining what life was going to be like once baby arrived.  The room has such a different feel to it now that it is Ryan's room.  We still spend lots of time in his room, folding and organizing clothes, but now he plays with his stuffed animals and books while I'm doing it. 

The month I was off from work, I would walk the mall almost every other day.  It gave me something to do, a way to get some "exercise", and I was hoping that the walking would lead to an easier labor (apparently it worked).  I also went through the typical nesting period.  I think I cleaned out every single closet, drawer, room of the entire house.  Eating pineapple and doing squats became part of my daily routine... I had heard that those things help bring on labor, so I tried it all.  Looking back, I wish I wasn't in such a rush and next time I will enjoy the waiting game instead of rushing the baby out.

For some reason, I had a feeling that I was going to go to labor in the middle of the night.  Well I was right!  I would go to bed most nights wondering if that would be the night... and then when I would wake up in the morning feeling the same, I would just think "I guess today is not the day."  I never even considered that I would go into labor during the day.  Weird, right?

Anyway, I can remember this day last year (March 2, 2011) perfectly.  I woke up around 8 am feeling very big and pregnant.  I had a 10am doctors appointment to check on my progress.  Dr. Azu did my check up and said that I was one centimeter dilated and the baby was very low.  That was exactly what the doctor had told me 2 weeks previously, so I left feeling a little bit frustrated.  I was trying to convince myself that this baby wasn't going to come for another couple of weeks, a bit closer to my due date (March 15, 2011).  After the appointment, I went to the mall for my daily walk.  That particular day I walked three miles around the perimeter of the mall.  I would get my decaf coffee and walk as quickly as a 9 month pregnant mama can walk around the mall (it was me and the senior citizens doing their power walk).

After the mall walk, I met my mom for lunch.  She knew I was starting to get bored home by myself so she would meet me for lunch frequently.  We went to Nino's pizza and I had a great meatball parm sub.  The lady at the table next to us asked me when I was due, and when I told her she got excited and said "Oooooh, that baby is going to come any day now!  Hopefully not while your eating lunch!"  Little did any of us know that Ryan would make his arrival the very next day.  Later in that evening, Mike's parents came down to take us out to dinner (yes, I ate A LOT the day before Ryan was born haha).  We went to Chili's and I had an appetizer, dinner, AND desert! 

Besides all of the eating, I did a few other weird things.  Its almost like I knew something was about to happen... but I had no reason to feel this way.  I felt great, I wasn't cramping, and I had no reason to suspect that I might go into labor.  But that afternoon, I texted Jackie to make sure she would be my contact person for the girls when the time game.  I called my mom to make sure she knew the plan for when I went into labor.  When Mike's parents went to go home that night, I joked about how funny it would be if they drove all the way home and then we called them to tell them I was in labor and they should come back down.  I asked Mike to take one more picture of my pregnant belly (I'll post the picture in a few days).  I even went to bed instead of staying up to watch a movie with Mike and said I wanted to get some sleep just in case something happened that night. 

I was right, something did happen that night...my water broke at 3:30am and Ryan was one his way!  Its almost like subconsciously I knew it was going to happen.  I always knew I was in tune with my body, but I didn't think it was like that!

Anyway tomorrow is the big day, the big first birthday party.  I have such mixed emotions.  I am so happy that he is growing and happy and healthy.  I can't wait to see what this next year will bring us.  But I'm also sad that he is growing so fast and he is no longer my little baby.  I miss the newborn moments so much already.  That little boy has stolen my heart and I absolutely love him.  One year old is going to be great.  I am really enjoying this stage!

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