Happy 1st Birthday, Case!

June 30, 2008- Josie, Mom and Harley were in town because of some early labor signs. On Sunday night (the 29th) I quit taking the medicine to stop the contractions. Monday morning we went to Target and walked around awhile and got a few last minute things I needed in case our doctor decided to go ahead and do the c-section after my Tuesday, July 1st appointment. Maybe it was a Wednesday appointment. Not too sure now. Anyway, Mom spent the day trying to get me still long enough to paint my toenails. Wanted them to look nice. I wan't in a hurry really. Thought there was time. Got on the Wii Fit to weigh and did a few step aerobics just because I could. It was close to time for the doctor's office to close. Decided on a whim to call them just in case I needed to be checked. I wasn't really feeling contractions ever. Well, I felt them but they weren't strong enough for me to count or recognize. It was more pressure and a knife in my back. Somehow I ended up going to the hospital to get checked with Mom and Josie. My best friend and her husband were on their way down for the night-on a Monday night from Dallas- a little random, but ended up perfect timing. I told her I wan't going to have the baby while she was there. I didn't dress up for the trip to L&D. Just showed up to get checked. After an eventful experience with a crazy nurse a few days earlier, they remembered me and that my baby was breech.
They did their little exam. Called my doctor. I'm just chilling. Wondering if there's been any change since the last time. I'm not sure who was more surprised- me, Mom or Josie- when the nurse came back and said, "What do you think about having your baby in about two hours?" Was that an option? Because when it came right down to it I wasn't sure I wanted to. Turns out, it wasn't an option. After that there was a lot of scrambling about, phone calls being made and quite a bit of nervousness. We watched videos last night, from that time and it takes me right back. I remember it very vividly. Keith, Mom, Josie, Harley, Christian, Joey were there. Tim, Amanda, Dad, Grandpa, Chickie, Paul and Heather were on their way. I went back a little before 8 PM. At 8:09 Case was born. 6 lb 9 oz. I thought he was so big. Between 8:30 and 8:45 I was back in my TINY room. I don't remember much between then and when Dad came and they brought the baby in finally around midnight. I must have been a little drugged because I wasn't freaking out to see the baby. I was calm. They showed me pictures on the camera and told me things the doctors said and I waited patiently. Even when they brought him in I didn't hold him right away. My dad held him first. Not sure who was after him. Probably a long list of people. There were a lot of people there.

I think they all left between 2 and 3. The baby left to go get checked or something. I called for them to bring him back though and he stayed with us the whole time except for baths and tests. I remember a lot about how unfriendly and unhelpful the nurses were but we all survived.

Today, June 30, 2009, we celebrated Case's 1st birthday. We celebrated that we all survived the 1st year in one piece.

The day started with his Dad telling him Happy Birthday before he left for work even though Case was still asleep. A few hours later, Case woke up saying "good" anf then the usual "daddy." I sang Happy Birthday to him. He got a text from Grammy and Poppy and a call from Grandma Josie. We took a bath and played with letters. Then we tried to take some pictures.

Big Harley wishes him a Happy Birthday!

We played in his room. He looked out the window and called for Daddy.

He didn't want to sit still for any pictures. He's just too busy.

So he just decided to stand up.

In the rocking chair of course. I mean where else would a little boy stand for the first time?!

Then we had breakfast. He had milk in a sippy cup, yogurt with cereal, cheerios and cantaloupe.

After that he tried out his new paints from Uncle Brian. Thankfully they are non-toxic because he thinks they are to eat.

We played. We sang. He had lunch-juice, eggs, cheerios, cantaloupe, toast with cream cheese. He napped. Alison and the boys brought cupcakes andbooks. When he woke up we read and played some more. We basically celebrated all day.

Then we went to the party store and I bought a swirly straw for his birthday dinner because he just learned to use a straw. I also got him a candle for his cupcake and who cake resist the First Birthday hat?! We couldn't.

We took him to Chili's for his birthday dinner. He ordered pineapple juice, Mac and Cheese and Cinnamon Apples from the kids menu. He even ate a few fries. He was stuffed. Then we went home to have our cupcakes.

At first he didn't know you could use your hands. He was so precious! Finally he let loose.

He ate about half and then decided to share it with Maddy and Steiny. Once he offered it there was no time to change his mind. It was gone.

So he washed it all down with his swirly straw. Then he got a bath and played. To close out his special day we went to watch Daddy play hockey and his team played a great game winning 6-5. During the 1st period Grammy, Poppy and Uncle Beeper called to sing Happy Birthday and talk about his special day. Then Mamaw and Papaw called. He got a lot of Happpy Birthday wishes on Facebook and hockey. I think he had a pretty great day.

Yesterday, he got a great surprise in the mail from Billy and Marci and their family. It is so cute! Pictures will be coming Wednesday or Thursday. In the mean time you can be guessing what it is. Few hints- I've never seen one. It is adorable. His Poppy would like his own. When he was in the hospital he had an outfit to match it.

Thank you everyone for celebrating this special day with us!

To remember this day last year click this link.

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