Brayden is 8.
8!! Really hard to believe. He's getting so grown up in the way he acts and the things that interest him now. Unfortunately for Brayden, he's kind of our test kid, the one we try out each new age and stage with. So, we make quite a few mistakes and learn a lot of lessons about parenting through him, but he is so gracious to us and doesn't make us feel like the clueless parents we can be!
Brayden has really blossomed this past year it seems. He has become even more social and really enjoys getting together with his friends. He loves school and learning new things. It's so neat to see some of his real talents that God has given him come out, things like music (playing piano), boldness and courage in sharing Jesus with others and studying something and figuring out how it works.
I made a goal this year that on each boy's birthday I would tell their birthday story, just like I did for Ashten when she was born. I didn't have this blog when Brayden was born, so the details are fuzzy, but the major events of the day he was born I will never forget!
Brayden was born three days early, on a Monday morning. I was working full-time at the time and the Friday before he was born, I had been so bored at work that I actually got all my time sheets ready to go in case I never made it back into work. I had no thoughts at all of not being back at work on Monday, in fact I figured I would still be there a week from that Friday. (I was born 12 days late and I figured I'd have to endure the same long pregnancy that my mom had to.) However, Monday morning at 2 am, I woke up with some contractions. Being my first pregnancy, I had no idea what to expect and whether or not these were real contractions. So I went down to the basement and walked around in circles. I would've gone for a real walk outside, but it was 2 am and dark! I had read that if they were real contractions they would get worse if I walked, and if not, they would go away. Well, they got worse!! They were coming about 5-7 minutes apart and I was having really bad back pain along with each contraction. At about 3:30 am, I woke Chris up and told him I thought I was in labor. That got him up quick. He spent the rest of the early morning hours before he headed into work making sub plans and getting stuff ready for the week in case we were having a baby that day. At about 6 or so he headed into work (his normal time), figuring he'd make it at least half a day, if not a full day before we had to go to the hospital. Meanwhile, I think I showered, ate and laid down to watch TV or something. By about 7:30 am, I was feeling pretty bad, so I called my doctor. She said it sounded like I should come in. So I called Chris and he hurrily found someone to cover his class, called a sub and came home. We got to the hospital about 8:30 in the morning and the doctor checked me and said that yes I was in labor and I would be having this baby sometime today. That was the first time I really took a second and breathed and realized that this was happening.
After checking my cervix, I was at about 2 cm, so she went ahead and broke my water, which really got the contractions going. Being naive and trying to be tough and brave, I was really hoping for a natural birth without any drugs. I made it till noon doing the exercise ball, trying the jacuzzi and lots and lots of breathing and back rubs (Chris' poor fingers!). When they checked me at noon and I was only at 4 cm, I gave up!! I couldn't even stand up straight to sign the epidural paperwork, but at that moment, nothing else sounded better. Once they got the epidural in, Chris and I watched Father of the Bride. At about 3 pm, I was at a 5 (cm-wise). This was not moving along very quickly, I felt like we'd be there in that L/D room FOREVER!
At about 3:45, a doula came in just to check on me. She was one that was in there when I was trying to go the natural route and then was even supportive when I decided to get an epidural. She asked how I was doing and I told her that I felt a lot of pressure and pain in my back, so she went to get the nurse. I really didn't think anything of it, maybe I just needed to roll over to get the epidural flowing again? When the nurse came in, I was at a 10!! Yes, I dilated 5 cm in 45 mins! So glad I couldn't feel that - whew. (Oh, and if you were wondering, we made it all the way to the end of the movie where she's about to get married, but didn't get to finish it.) So at about 4 in the afternoon I started pushing, and pushing, and pushing, and pushing, and pushing...... You see Brayden was face-up, which come to find out was what was causing all the back labor, and apparently makes it very hard for the baby to get through the birth canal. So I pushed for 2 hours! It went by really quick for me actually, but Chris says he remembers when the doctor came in at about 5 pm and said "you're doing good, you're about halfway there" and he was thinking "man, we've got another hour of this?" But finally, at 6:01 pm (during the Broncos' first preseason game!) Brayden Connor was born. First thing the doctor said about him? "He's got long eyelashes!". And he did, and still does.
(We bought our first digital camera when Brayden was 2 weeks old, so those are the first pictures I have of him on my computer)
Brayden, I am so happy that you came into our lives when you did. You have brought so much joy to our lives these past eight years. We are thankful to God for you! Happy birthday!
