That was how it began. In October of 2002, somebody from the Annuity Board called to congratulate me on the birth of my son. My reply: Sorry, wrong woman, I haven't had a child, am not pregnant, and don't intend on getting pregnant. That is when she said, "Really? It's says here that you had a son born in July." I proceeded to tell her the ages of my other children, 17, 14 and 12, and we laughed about that. She said she noticed their ages. We went on for a few minutes more and I hung up the phone.
The next day I thought I might better call them back, somebody could have filed on my insurance and I needed to make sure. They have always made notes in their records of previous calls, but guess what. There is no record of the phone call, no record of a baby being born into our family! Have you put this together yet? I think it was a phone call from God to prepare me.
Well about two weeks later I am volunteering at the pregnancy center when I decided I was a few days late. Yes I was extremely shocked to see that double line on the test, so I took another one home to take there, and again two little lines. HMM...I went bowling that night with the test in my pocket trying to figure out how to tell my husband about this one!
Two days later, he reminded me that we were planning on changing insurance companies and we needed to send a check to the other one to get started on their plan. I go to the Dollar Store to find a card for him, something to "share" the news with him. I found the perfect card: "Happy Thanksgiving" on the front, "From me to thee" on the inside. With a note added that said... "and I just wanted to let you know that there is more than a turkey in the oven this year". I handed him the note and walked out of his office. Then I came back in to examine the look on his face... "Your pregnant?" "Yes, is that okay? We won't be sending off a check for new insurance anytime soon..."
Chris then calls his mother and dad to tell them the news. He then puts me on the phone with them and goes to tell the kids (yes, without me). So I told Pepa to really surprise the family and announce the pregnancy during the Thanksgiving prayer. Chris read the card to the kids. Amber thought we were getting a puppy. Paxston ran over to the oven and looked in and saw nothing. Crickette says - "Mom's pregnant?" So I didn't get to see their full reactions.
The next day, Pepa was praying when he thanked God for the new baby in that would be arriving in our family. They said everybody was immediately asking those who had been married in the past few years if they were pregnant, nobody there said yes. Then Pepa told them. I think there were alot of WOW's!
So there you have the story of the beginning of Ethan. Oh yes, I had one day, when Chris went to leave on a trip, that I thought I was having a heart attack. I went and had test run and everything - normal. I really think that was Ethan taking roots inside and send my body into a bit of shock!
You can imagine what I was thinking also when I found out that the new baby was going to be born in JULY!!! I never picked out a girls name, I knew that I was having a boy.
I will say that he was the most active child inside of me. Every time we walked into church and the music started, so did he! That should have been my first warning! I must say that it was a great pregnancy!
He was the first child that I had an epidural with. Can I say that is the best drug EVER! After having three other children naturally and one weighing in at 9 lbs 9 ounces, that I deserved to have one and feel NOTHING! And it worked just like that - NOTHING. I never felt a contraction after it was put it. Another funny story about that was the nurse came in to check me and let the Epidural guy know that I was ready, she said I was six in line, I reminded her that this was baby #4 for me. She left out of the room and then came back in and said I was next.
Amber and Crickette were in the room with my during labor. Guess my thoughts were that it would be good birth control. I forgot that I wouldn't be showing them pain! Chris mom was also in the room. They had come up for Ethan's birth and I wanted her to share in his delivery too. After all this would be her last grandchild and he was number 10.
He is an incredible burst of energy and brings so much joy and happiness to our lives. After my mother passed away, God knew I needed sunshine in my life and He sent it to me in the way of Ethan! I am so thankful!
Let's go to the highlights of Ethan's life. He was an adorable baby!
The first birthday was typical with the cake - he love it. I don't know what I was thinking about buying chocolate icing.
The two year mark was the most eventful, if that is what you want to call it. He was into everything.
The first two stitches came while we were having a play group over at the house.
A couple of weeks later he jumped off the coffee table and broke his foot.
While still in a cast he had an allergic reaction to penicillin and that was not fun!
It really scared me because he was swelling so bad! After that we found out he had a staff infection and had to have surgery to cut it out. They called us after his surgery and said he would be in recovery for the next 30 minutes. About two minutes later I hear him screaming - they were bringing him to me. They could not get him calmed down, so I had that fun job. He couldn't understand about the splint on his arm to hold in the IV, it was driving him nuts. So as long as I had his hand covered up he was fine. I told Chris to turn on Dora to calm him down. That worked fine till Swiper took something from Dora and he starts screaming - Swiper No Swiping (over and over).
Year number three went by without any accidents. When he hit four he was playing around with Paxston and cut his hand on the Gator - only took 12 stitches. When we unwrapped his hand, again he went NUTS! So I had to keep it bandaged up the whole time he had them.
And as you can tell from some of the other post lately, he is a ham. He loves singing and dancing - it's just in him. I will have to admit that I was worried the whole year of being six! Now today he is Seven! He took a friend, Austin, to Build-a-Bear yesterday and they both got the new Ice Cream Bear - Hot Fudge Sunday. After that they chose McDonald's for supper. Austin spent the night and we took them to church. It's been a great day!
We love you Ethan!! Happy Birthday!
Aww that was so sweet!! Happy Birthday Ethan!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the stroll down memory lane. It's seriously a wonder they didn't take him from us with all of his accidents! :)
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