While on vacation over Labor Day weekend, 2008, I told Brandon that I was ready to start our family. We were hoping to have a December 2009-January 2010 baby, because winters are Brandon's slow time. Little did we know the surprise that God had in store. Just a mere 7 weeks after kicking the pill to the curb, I was pregnant. And I didn't know until I was already 6 weeks along.
After feeling crummy at approximately 4 weeks along, I took a home pregnancy test. Nothing. 10 days later? Another home test. Another BFN. After going 60 days with no cycle, I called my OB and she ordered some blood work, which I had done on a Friday. Saturday we left for Las Vegas for a convention with my parents and brother. I thought nothing of the blood work, and had no idea what Monday morning would have in store for us.
Monday morning I woke up to a voicemail from the nurse at my OB's office, asking me to call her back so we could discuss the results of my blood work. So, I called, left a message, and waited. As we were getting ready to walk out the door to the convention's welcome breakfast, my phone rang (as my mom was standing in our doorway) and the nurse says "Julie? We have the results of your blood work. You tested positive for pregnancy."
Cue the crickets.
"Are you serious?" I asked. Oh, and as I asked this, I simultaneously shut the door in my mom's face. She heard every word. Not exactly how I had EVER planned telling my parents that they were going to be grandparents, but in all actuality, I had no choice.
"Yes! Congratulations! When can you come in for another round of blood work? We need to get it scheduled so we know how far along you are." The nurse was still talking, but I wasn't really listening. I walked over to Brandon as I hung up the phone with the nurse and said "I'm pregnant!" He was stunned, but completely thrilled, and embraced me for a few seconds. I then realized that I had left my mom outside of our door.
We called our immediately families that day, but waited until we returned from Vegas to tell a lot of other people. At 8 weeks, we had our first ultrasound.
That was the moment that it all felt real. And thus began our journey to parenthood. But I can honestly say that I don't really trust pregnancy tests anymore! :)
26 weeks pregnant.
34 weeks pregnant in my cousin's wedding.
Brayden's room
At 38.5 weeks, I was induced due to high blood pressure and signs of preeclempsia. After a near 21 hours in labor and only dilating to 6cm, Brayden was born via emergency C-section. Brayden Kristopher was born July 24, 2009 at 6:32pm. He weighed 7lbs 9oz and was 19.5 inches long.
It took me awhile to come out of the anesthesia fog (I was put under for the C-section due to my need to hit the high F, according to my husband) and finally at a few minutes after 7pm, I got to hold our son for the very first time.
Our lives have forever been changed, and we are so incredibly blessed to have Brayden in our lives.
