Birthday Boy!

8 years ago today I was at a not so routine check-up for my first pregnancy, as I was 4 days past my due date! At that appointment, I found out that I was 2 centimeters dilated but NOT in labor. My blood pressure was elevated to a point that the doctor was concerned about but not worried about...yet. I was instructed to go home and "rest, with my feet elevated". He also said to go to a local store and check my blood pressure that evening and if it had not gone down, I was to call the hospital. Being the good patient that I am, I went straight to IKEA with my parents to do some shopping and then for some ice cream. You see, we were living just outside of Chicago at this time and my parents had come ALL THE WAY up to Chicago from Lubbock (DROVE!) to be there for the birth of our fist born child, their grandson. Bryan's parents were also on their way to Chicago, also for the birth of THEIR first grandchild. They each only had a few days to spend in Chicago with us so this birth needed to happen ASAP. Let me interject here and say that Bryan was NOT on board with the decision I made to go shopping instead of resting, as I had been instructed. He was not at the doctor appointment with me and therefore did not know until after the fact about my blood pressure. Let's just say he was a little mad after finding this out. So, when we returned home I tried to rest but couldn't. When Bryan got home I told him what the doctor had said and what I had decided to do. After dinner, we went to Target and checked my blood pressure on one of those little machines all the kids like to play with. My reading was a little higher than at the doctor's office so we immediately called the hospital and were instructed to come down so I could be evaluated. Bryan and I went alone because we knew we would be sent back home with the same instructions to "rest and keep my feet elevated". We were wrong. The physician on call was not comfortable with sending me back home due to the rise in my blood pressure, and because I as also 4 days past my due date he felt the blood pressure was only going to get worse, not better. So, I was going to be admitted and given cervidil (sp) overnight and induced the following morning! I as excited that this birth was going to happen due to the time sensitive nature of our company but I was terrified at the same time about what was about to happen! We called our parents and told them all that had transpired but asked them to stay home and get a good night's rest and then come up to the hospital first thing the next morning for the long day ahead. My induction started the following morning (October 1, 2003) at 8:00am on the dot. My labor did not go quickly but it was not bad either. I don't remember how long I labored before I got my epidural but I do remember the pain I was having before it and the relief I felt after receiving it! AMAZING!!! I began pushing about 7:00pm and Isaiah Alan Beaver arrived at 7:36pm. He weighed in at 9lbs 0oz and was 20in long. I remember thinking, "Good thing I didn't carry him another week and a half (as was this hospitals policy unless there was a necessity for inducing), or he'd have been close to 10lbs"!!! We had our first child and he was amazing...he still is! I cannot believe Isaiah is going to be 8 years old tomorrow! It's true what they say, "Time goes by so fast"! Today our baby boy is a thriving 2nd grader, loves baseball, basketball and football, likes math, reading and playing board games and his Nintendo DS. He is so much like me it is scary sometimes. He is very emotional, loving, hard-headed, particular, etc...again, just like his mom. However, he is ALL boy! If there is a sport, Isaiah will try it out and probably be really good at it. I don't mean to sound conceited about my son, but he is a natural athlete...and I LOVE it! He is the first blessing Bryan and I received and we are so very proud of the young man he is growing up to be.

HAPPY Birthday, Isaiah Alan Beaver!

We love you, Buddy!
Daddy, Mommy, Sam & Lexi