Nathan's Birth Story

Unfortunately, I don't remember a whole lot about my first four pregnancies, but I will do my best to make the little I do remember interesting.

The summer of 2004 Josh had big plans for redoing the retaining wall around the house we owned then and also putting in an underground sprinkling system. I remember being out there raking the dirt in our yard trying to get the ground level, and following behind him with a shovel as he was using the trencher to dig the lines for putting the piping in. As I was shoveling dirt out, more was falling in, and I was extremely frustrated. I remember throwing the shovel and my gloves in the wheelbarrow in our driveway and missing, and stomping into the house to cry my eyes out. Having only felt that furious when I was newly pregnant in the past I decided to take a pregnancy test just to put my mind at ease in that area. It turned out positive, of course.

Josh, in the meantime, was outside trying to do the job of two people by himself, and finally came looking for me. I had locked myself in the bathroom because I was crying like a baby. He finally talked me into coming out, but for quite awhile I absolutely refused to tell him what was wrong. It was like if I didn't speak the words it wouldn't be true. Finally, he said, "You're going to have another baby, aren't you." This just made me cry harder, but I finally acknowledged it. I just wasn't ready to go through pregnancy again yet. But, the Lord always knows best.

After the initial shock, again, things calmed down, and I was less sick than I had been with the previous three, but sick is sick. I still remembering laying on the couch feeling so incredibly awful, and wondering if it was ever going to end. And also feeling so hungry, but being too tired to be motivated to get up and get something to eat. And cooking was completely out of the question. The smell of cooking food sent me to the bathroom instantly. Especially meat. I couldn't even drive past a fast food restaurant and smell the food cooking. Josh would have to pull over so I could throw up.

At about 22 weeks I was walking around my house one night and suddenly felt that my underwear were wet. I had no idea what it could possibly be besides amniotic fluid leaking so the next day I went in to have some tests done. We had an ultrasound done at the same time, and that's when we found out we were having another boy. The kids were all with us because no one could come and watch them on such short notice, but it worked out wonderfully, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. It was so exciting to watch them looking at the ultrasound trying to see all the things the technician was pointing out to us. Especially when she got to the part about him being a little boy. It was as if they didn't really believe that I actually had a real live baby living in my tummy until they saw him move, and saw his heartbeat for themselves.

It turned out that my amniotic levels were fine, and the rest of the pregnancy was uneventful. Until about 37 weeks. Since I had the others about that time, I was expecting this one to come then too. My mom was in Colorado helping my grandpa the beginning of January and I was already starting to have very painful false labor, so I called her and asked her to come home. I was just sure it was the real thing every time I had false labor. It really hurt. My mom kept calling me asking how I was feeling, and she would say, "Sherri, you're killing me here." Basically, she raced home to sit around doing nothing but waiting for me to have that baby. LOL Everybody back home kept calling to ask if I'd had him yet, so she could go back down there to help out some more. But I guarantee NOBODY wanted me to have him as soon as possible more than I did.

I finally did some induction on January 30th, the day the ultrasound said he was due. Josh and I were looking for a new house to buy since we were obviously outgrowing the little house we had then. So I remember actually being in labor, dilated to a 2-3, going around looking at houses in Laurel with our realtor, Diane. We were in one house, and I remember having to grab onto the counter to get through a contraction. LOL It was a nice diversion though.

I don't remember much else about the labor except deciding to go to bed, and falling asleep dreaming about the waves of pain that I kept feeling. I finally went out to wake Pat up to tell her that the pain was getting to where I couldn't stand it during the contractions. I remember trying to grab onto the headboard through some of them, and being frustrated at not being able to. I was on Josh's side of the bed closest to the bathroom because I kept having to go. It seemed like I wasn't dilating very fast, so Pat asked if I wanted her to break my water. I couldn't decide whether I wanted that or not so she suggested praying about it. As soon as she said "Amen" I said, "No, I don't want you to break my water, but I need to go to the bathroom again." As I sat down on the toilet, a big contraction hit, and my water broke in a huge gush. Immediately it felt like Nathan was going to fall out, and I had to push NOW. Josh, my mom and Pat finally managed to get me back onto the bed, and I ended up with my head at the footboard which really bothered me, but we didn't have time to get me moved. I remember it was hard to push because I didn't have anything to brace myself against. But he was out in three or four pushes, and it was all over. It was a piece of cake.

From that point on until we moved into our new house, I don't remember hardly anything. I must have been too busy packing and taking care of kids to enjoy my baby and I really regret that, but there was no way to avoid it. Once we were moved in though, I tried to make up for it, and I remember playing with him every chance I got. He was so sweet and loved to laugh especially when I would put him up over my head, and squeal with him. He's still my baby even though Isaac is here now. Josh and I are really going to miss not having sweet babies around here. We're kinda used to it now, and it's grown on us. I plan to enjoy every moment to the fullest. Nathan, you are our little Dudu, that's big brother Jordan's nickname for you, and we love you oh so much! You always smile when we look at you, and you especially love your Daddy, and Jordan. What a special blessing God bestowed on us when He gave you to us, and we thank Him for you every day!