Happy Birthday Mason!

Today is a bittersweet day at my house. I have been looking forward and dreading Mason's first birthday! And I almost feel bad for saying that I have been dreading it. I am so excited that Mason is here with us but to say that he has been here for a year is hard to believe! Everyday with him is a new adventure and everyday with him, I am more thankful than the day before that a year ago today, Derek and I welcomed this precious boy into our lives. He has made us happier than we could have ever asked to be. So to keep with the traditions of my fellow bloggers and posting their birth stories on their blog, here goes ours:

Tuesday June 23rd seemed like any other day. I got up, got ready for work, drove to work, and left for a regular visit with Dr. Hobgood. My boss Julie teased me and said that she didn't expect to see me after my appointment. I thought that there was no way Dr. Hobgood would tell me to stay so I took it with a grain of salt and went on my way. I got to Dr. Hobgood's office she checked me and expecting to hear 2 centimeters like I had been hearing for 2 weeks, I about passed out when she said "4 centimeters, we are having a baby tonight or tomorrow." I think she saw the shocked look on my face and she said, "Here are your options, you can stay and we can get in you in now, or you can go home, take a day to relax and be back at midnight unless your contractions start heavy then you need to come one back." Knowing that my husband would have a heart attack if I told him I was staying not to mention, I wasn't ready, I said I would come back.

I am leaving the doctor's office shocked and scared. I call my boss and let her know what's going on. I call Derek and say I am coming back at midnight, call my mom, call Brittany, and the call Courtney. I had to make sure everyone made appropriate plans! So I go home, pack the rest of our bags and head to the pool to relax.

At 11:35 Derek and I left our house and headed to Women's East. There wasn't one word spoken the entire trip there. My contractions had started about 10:45 and they were at the point of every 5 minutes. So we get to the hospital and we check in. They hook me up to the IV's and tell me to try to get some sleep because I won't get any the rest of the day or evening. YEAH RIGHT! What were they thinking? A. I was having contractions and B. I had to pee every 30 seconds and that was a chore because Derek was having to unplug me and walk me in there and come back to hook me back up. Jennifer the nurse came back in around 4 and said that the anesthesiologist got called into an emergency c- section and it was going to be a while before the epidural but she could give me something else to ease the pain. I agreed and she gave me a shot, I can still remember her words when she said "This is going to hit you fast" and before I could say what do you mean, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt like I was on laughing gas. By the way, I am still 4 centimeters. Dr. Hobgood and the anesthesiologist come in around 6 and Dr. Hobgood says to start Pit and give me an epidural. So, as soon as I get my epidural, my butt goes numb and I let everyone know about it. We all laugh and about then, we start getting our visitors. My mom, Pop, and Anna Beth were the first to arrive! They said Anna Beth had been up for quite some time and couldn't wait on Kim and the other kids so she decided to come on. By then, it was time for a shift change and I get a new nurse. She wasn't the greatest. She checked me at 8 o'clock when they broke my water (which Derek made a huge deal out of to the point that he got the needle out of the trash can to show all of the family what they just stuck inside of me) and that was the last time she checked me until 2 o'clock when my epidural bag ran out and I thought I was going to die. I know what Jamie and Veryll are thinking, but I was in some pain ladies, I give you props for being a lot stronger than me! So I told her that I had a lot of pressure and she checked me. Sure enough 8 centimeters. I was well on my way, but one side wasn't dilating as well as they would have liked, so they had me turn on my side until that side dilated. STILL NO EPIDURAL REFILL! So my nurse comes in at 3:15 and says that she has to go next door that I am going to have a new nurse for the rest of the day! THANK YOU JESUS! So Barbara my hero comes in checks me and says 9 centimeters, fills my bag back up just in time for the important area to become numb by 4 o'clock when she called Dr. Hobgood. They check me at 4:00 and she said, "Ok it's time, 10 centimeters, let's have a baby." Derek and I just look at each other and Barbara goes and tells all of our family and friends that are there to come on in that I am about to push. As soon as my mom crosses the corner, I start to cry. They all kiss me and say that I will do great and that they will see me soon. At 4:05 I start pushing. Sweet little Mason gets stuck on my pelvic bone and I think that I am going to die because I can feel almost every bit of it. Barbara asks me if I would like a mirror and I say "No, because I am scared that if I see what I am doing to myself I will stop." Everyone laughs and I keep on going. At 4:44, I heard the most beautiful noise in the world. That cry that was heard by Derek and I that day was a better sound than anything we could ever imagine and they laid that sweet baby on my chest. This was my baby, the baby that I helped to create and the baby I was going to raise, he was mine and he was here. They take him away and clean him up just in time for the grandparents and K.K. to come in and welcome Mason Riley Bates at 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 3/4 inches long.

Words cannot describe the way I felt at that very moment. An overwhelming amount of fear and love and excitement filled my body. I was fulfilling the purpose that I always knew God had planned for me. I had a beautiful baby boy and I got to keep him! We are so thankful for our sweet Mason! Happy Birthday Big Boy! Daddy and I love you very much!

Happy Birthday Mason!