Eli's Coming, Hide Your Heart Girls

So I'm only one day behind in getting Eli's birthday post up, but I could think of nothing better to write about on my birthday. Especially since I got to bring that sweet baby boy home on my 32nd birthday. Eli's birth was pretty uneventful; it was much quicker than Benjamin's - actually come to think of it, everything about my pregnancies, labor and deliveries for the boys were completely different - just like the boys themselves.

Eli - here's your story - so far :)

First let me tell you that I was pregnant with another baby before I got pregnant with you. Obviously, having that baby was not in God's plan for our family, because if we had had that baby we would not have had you. So although I am sad about that miscarriage, and think about that baby often, I have to be happy, too, because we have you. We found out that we were pregnant with you in January 2007, due on October 7th. Due to the miscarriage, I had several ultrasounds so we got to see you more often than most mommies :) I was so worried about you throughout my first trimester. I prayed for your safety and for a healthy baby.
One Sunday at church, I was sitting in the choir loft during communion (it was Palm Sunday I believe) I was praying to God that I would be able to carry you to term and that He would give me an answer to my prayer. Right then, I felt you squirm in my belly for the first time immediately after that! I just sat there and cried because God had answered my prayers when I got pregnant with you and he answered my prayers when I felt you move in my womb.
I went into labor with you around 3:30 in the morning on October 5th. I had gotten up to go to the bathroom and when I got back into bed, as I was about to lay my head down on my pillow, my water broke! I called the doctor's office because I wasn't sure what to do. Again, it was very different than my labor with Benjamin. Once again, Paw and Nanny came to the rescue, this time to retrieve Payton and Benjamin. We drove down to the hospital, they confirmed that my water did in fact break (um thanks - I already knew that) and we were ready to have our second son!

The hospital was incredibly crowded that night. There were three sets of twins in the nursery and a total of 16 babies! I thought nothing of it really; I mean I knew that was a lot of babies, but it wasn't going to affect me...ummm not really. Because of all of the babies that had been born, the babies that were about to be born and the babies that had just started the process, the really important doctor was a little busy. And by really important, I don't mean the one that was to deliver you, I'm referring to the doctor that had the medicine to numb me from the waist down so I wouldn't feel anything :) I had to wait longer ( a lot longer) than I would have liked to get my epidural so there was about an hour or so when I was in a TON of pain. I didn't really feel anything when I was in labor with Ben, but this was something completely different! Finally the doctor came (he looked exhausted) gave me my epidural and I became human again :) I got a little bit of rest, but you were excited about meeting us so the nurse told me that I could start pushing. I pushed with your daddy next to me counting to 10. The nurse checked me again, told me to push again. I did as I was told. She checked me again and then told me to wait. She then ran out of the room got the doctor. The doctor told me to push and out you came! Seriously - three pushes and you were here! You were born around 1:50 in the afternoon (it was a Friday) and weighed 9lbs and were 20 inches long. You had a lot of hair as well and I was so happy to finally meet you. You decided that you wanted to celebrate your birthday without anyone else so you showed up the day after Uncle Monte's birthday and the day before mine.

Eli- I want to tell you how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I will be honest and say that you were a difficult baby (due to your allergy to milk that we didn't know about until you were about 4 1/2 mos old) but you are now the sweetest, kindest and most loving kid! You love to give everyone kisses, and nothing makes my heart melt faster than seeing your face when I pick you up at school each afternoon. I love how you cradle my face in your chubby little hands to kiss my cheek, then my nose, then my lips. I love that you crawl up in the chair with your daddy to watch "putball" or how you crawl on the couch with me to play patty-cake. You have the sweetest demeanor, but you can also get a temper, which right now is adorable to watch.

I will tell you the same thing that I told Benjamin in his post. Your father and I pray that you will grow up to love the Lord and to seek Him in all things. We pray that you will be the spiritual leader in your family. That you will shepherd your wife and children to follow the teachings of Christ and that you will live as Christ did. The Lord never ceases to amaze me, and my amazement of Him was multiplied a hundred-fold on the day He let me be your mommy.

I love you and I am so proud that you belong to me. It is an honor for me and for your father to be your parents. You are going to be a wonderful man and I know that you will have much success in life. Please always remember the importance of family. Stay close to Payton and Benjamin. You will always be their little brother but they will look to you for guidance. Although I know there will be days in the future that you won't like this, you will always be my baby. I will love you forever!