Due

30 weeks

18 weeks 

Today, August 12th, five years ago, was a day I circled in my calendar for 9 months. 

 It was the day I had looked forward to since my first doctors visit when we saw a tiny beating heart. 

It was my "finish line" to motherhood.  

                                                       

40 weeks

August 12th, 2007 was the day I was due with my first baby.


And on that exact day - my water broke and my labor began.


 No one was more surprised than me.  Knowing the odds of actually going into labor on your due date were astronomical.  I didn't expect him to be quite so prompt.

But this one.

He was on time.

To the day.

________________________________________________________________


It was Sunday, August 12, 2007.

Again, the day that I had thought about for months.  As the hot summer days stretched on forever, I was more than anxious to meet my little guy.

The morning began like any other, I felt great, but there was no sign of a baby. So we went to church.  I'll never forget a sweet elderly lady asking me, "Sweetheart, when are you due?"  I replied enthusiastically, "Today!"  The look on her face was priceless.  She immediately ordered me to sit down in my pew!

The afternoon came, and Blake and I both took a long nap.  The scorching heat made it an easy choice to stay inside.  Never mind I was 9 months pregnant.

Nap came and went.  No baby.

So, off to the mall for a little walk and an Auntie Anne's pretzel.  You know, crazy yummy pregnancy cravings.

As, I slowly waddled through the parking lot, I was stopped in my tracks, with pretzels in hand.

My water had broke.  

On my due date.

In the mall parking lot.  Awesome. 

I'll never forget Blake's face when I told him.  It was like a look of excitement blended with a little "oh crap!"  Like I said, priceless.

The phone calls immediately began.  The sound of complete urgency to drive as fast as they could to our city because we were having a baby!  (Little did I know, its a much slower process than I thought.)  We went home, I took a quick shower to shave my legs again (yes, I did!) and off to the hospital we went.

Checked in. Calls made. Gown on.  Smiles ready.  It was time.

The very last picture of Blake and I, as a family of two

August 12th the day I had dreamt of, prayed for and thought about for so long...........

BUT August 12th turned into August 13th........

to be continued........