Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

A year and half after Rob and I got married, we decided that we were ready to have a baby. I guess in my mind I thought it would be easy to get pregnant, I mean women did it everyday. Well, it wasn't so easy. It took us almost 18 long months. That may not seem like anything to some women who try for a lot longer, but to me, every month that went by seemed like eternity.

I remember praying so hard and so long for a child...at times I knew how Sarah must have felt, waiting so long for a child of her own. Finally, in January 2005, the news came that I had been waiting for. I was on conference break at school when my OB called and told me that my recent blood work had come back. I braced myself for the worst. All I remember her saying is, "It looks like you may be pregnant." I went into shock. I couldn't believe that there was finally a life growing inside me.

I couldn't wait to tell the world. Rob already had a feeling that I was...he said I had become extra moody. I didn't care...I was going to have a baby with my husband and there was nothing in this world that I wanted more.

20 weeks into my pregnancy we got to find out what the gender was going to be. I had to beg Rob to agree to find out. He wanted to wait, but I just couldn't. In my mind I just knew I was having a girl...I think it was because that was all I knew...I grew up with two sisters so it just seemed natural. My mom and Rob were both in the room with me when the technician said, "Do you see what I see?" Rob says the oxygen left the room when my mom and I realized what we saw...a boy. I never in the 20 weeks leading up to this day even had the thought that I was going to have a boy, but there he was, in all his glory.

So I spent the rest of my pregnancy removing the ideas of bows and tutu's and replacing them with balls and trucks. It really wasn't hard to do...I was so excited.

As my belly grew, the rest of me did too...60 extra pounds in all...that's a lot...I enjoyed every craving. One night I went with my family to Golden Corral...we still talk about it...I had never feasted like I did that night...I ate steak and I didn't even like steak. Oh so good!

Rob and I continued to discuss what his name would be. Rob, who is a 3rd, wanted a 4th...I thought that was a little too much, but one day Rob hopes there will be a 15th. I kept telling him that we will not be around for that, but he didn't care. So as a compromise, our little boy was to be a 4th but he agreed that we could call him Rylee.

Then three months before my due date, my right leg started to swell. Apparently Rylee was laying on a nerve and it was causing my leg to puff up three times its normal size. We eventually termed my leg "the dead leg" because I just sort of dragged it behind me. I could barely wear shoes because my toes were so swollen.

Finally the afternoon of September 14th I went in for my 37th week check-up. I told my doctor that I was having some weird tightening every 5 minutes. She checked me and said I was 3 cm dilated...wow! I was sent over to the hospital and quickly dilated to a four.

A couple of hours later, my doctor broke my water and at 12:30 am I was fully dilated and ready to push. The feelings I had inside are so indescribable, I couldn't believe that soon I would be holding my precious baby boy. So with Rob and my mom at my side once again, I began the process of pushing. I pushed for almost 30 minutes until I heard the most beautiful sound in all the world...that of my little boy's first cry. They placed him in my arms and I was so overcome with emotion...Rob was too. Rylee was here!

He was a tiny thing...5 lbs. 10 oz. but as cute as they come. I just held him afraid that someone might come in and tell me that a mistake had been made and he wasn't mine (although he looked just like me). We had a rough start, breastfeeding was difficult and then he ended up with jaundice, but we got through it.

Today is his third birthday and I just can't believe that three years have already passed. I didn't think it was possible, but I love him even more today than I did the moment they placed him in my arms...everyday my love for him deepens and strengthens. He is amazing and such a gift from God. I don't know what I did to be blessed this much, but thank you Lord Jesus.

Some days are a struggle as he can push every button inside me, but even in those times, there is a gentle whisper reminding me that I prayed for this...and I did. I prayed for every good moment and bad, every smile, every tear, every joy, every laugh, every frustration, every hug, every scream...I prayed for this child. The Lord heard me and answered my prayer.