March 29, 2002

This is the day that Eli was born. He just celebrated birthday number SEVEN! And this...is the story of his birth.

Although it took us 2 1/2 years and fertility drugs to bring baby number 1 into the world, it only took 6 months, fertility drugs and pergesterone to create beautiful baby boy #2.

I remember the day we found out I was pregnant. We were so excited that it had happened so much quicker for us this time around. I just knew it was a girl, Mac just knew it was a boy.

We had to have several sonograms this pregnancy because they considered it "at risk" since I had high blood pressure with my first pregnancy. When the day came to have the sonogram which told us if we were having a baby boy, or a baby girl, Fisher got sick and couldn't go to school, but they wouldn't let him come in the room with us to have the sono, so in swooped one of my dearest friends (Shauna) to the rescue. She has always been there for me in a moment's notice and this time, it was no different.

Off Mac and I were to see what we could see. It's a BOY they said!!! Oh, and he's got sorta short arms and a large head..."But don't worry...." WHAT? Don't worry. Don't worry. Then WHY the heck did they say anything. Needless to say, there really was not a darn thing to worry about...whew.

Anyway, time went on and we were excited to be welcoming baby boy #2 into the world. I had a scheduled day to be induced and my dad was coming all the way from Washington State to be here for the birth. I remember laying in the bed with Fisher that night crying and crying and crying that it wasn't going to be just him anymore, we were going to have to spread our love to another baby...and just HOW was that going to be possible?? The day came and I went to Dr. Morgan's office and he did a "final" check. "Welp", he said, "Looks like you're not quite ready yet after all. You just haven't progressed as far as I thought you would. I'm thinking we need to wait just one more week." You can NOT do that to a pregnant lady after you've already scheduled the date and her dad has flown here from a state far far away. I was in shock. Total and disbelieving shock. I told Dr. Morgan of my wishes and concerns and well, he just wasn't too concerned that my dad was already here. "You and this baby are just not ready yet. I'm sorry."

So....I went home and sat on the couch with my Dad and Fisher and Mac and just cried my eyeballs out and apologized over and over for my dad having flown all the way down here. No problem he said.

Welp, "Body" decided she WAS ready and started having contractions all day. And they got closer and closer and closer and stronger and stronger. I called Dr. Morgan. He told me I should go DIRECTLY to the hospital and not to stop at all. It was a Friday during 5 o'clock traffic. It took us a long while to get there. Dad followed us with Fisher in the car with him. When we finally arrived, Dr. Morgan walked in and said, "So, you just wanted to prove me wrong, did you?" Cute.

I labored, had my epidural, the darn thing wore off, I told my male nurse....who didn't care. (That's St. David's for ya!!) So, anyway...it was the closest thing to natural child birth I hope to ever get. I do know that it helped things go a heckuva lot faster though. I only pushed for 15 mintues (whereas I pushed for 2 1/2 hours with Fisher). Eli was born at 1:30 in the morning on March 29th, 2002. He was only 6 pounds 15 ounces. He was kinda tiny. He was welcomed into this big wide world by his Daddy, Nonie, Pop-Pop, Aunt Missy and Gramps and Grams Linder. They were all there to love on him in his very first moments of life. His big brother met him the next morning and was so excited. Except when he figured out that the little baby brother would soon be coming home with us to live. "Not MY house," said Fisher. Thank goodness he fell in love with him when he did come home.

Eli has been the sparkle of my life ever since that day. He's everything a mom could dream of and more. I love you so much Sweet Eli.