Happy Birthday My Sweet Baby Adrey

A year ago today, I became a better person.

A year ago today, I realized true love on a whole new level.

A year ago today, I became a believer in miracles.

A year ago today, I became whole.

A year ago today, I fell in love.

A year ago today, I found a new passion.

A year ago today, I learned how strong I am.

A year ago today, I felt the strongest sense of pride I've ever felt.

A year ago today, I cried... like a baby.

A year ago today, someone became completely reliant on me.

A year ago today, we became three.

A year ago today, I became a Mom.

A year ago YESTERDAY, it was just me and John. Our bags were packed for the hospital and I had finally talked myself into the fact that we were going to the hospital THAT night to be induced and I was ready. As ready as I was ever going to be. I was told to call the hospital at 6:00 to make sure there was a bed. I called and was told there weren't any beds and to call back at 8:00. My heart dropped to the floor. I literally had to pick it up off the floor and reinsert it in my chest. I didn't want to prolong it anymore. This just gave me two additional hours to worry. Which is exactly what I did. I curled in a ball on my bed and sobbed. John came behind me and "spooned" me and just listened to what I had to say. I was scared. I was scared rotten. Not of actually delivering the baby but about being a mom. I was all of a sudden scared I wouldn't know how to me a mom. That I wouldn't know what to do. Scared I'd never get a good night sleep again. Petrified that I was responsible for creating the "perfect" life for this baby. Scared I couldn't do that. Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday.

We called the hospital at 8:00 and they had a bed. I wiped the mascara off that was all over my face and we hopped in the car. We got settled in our room and the nurses were some of the nicest people I had ever met. I immediately felt so comfortable with my surroundings which was huge in and of itself. I didn't sleep a wink that night as I was crampy (the Cervadil), John was snoring, there were buzzers and alarms going off in other rooms and my mind and nerves were fired up. I buzzed the nurse at 4:00 a.m. because my feet were so swollen I thought something was wrong. They were hard and tingly and just uncomfortable. I thought morning would never come.

My water broke at 7:15. I was so glad I was able to experience that. They started the Pitosin drip about 9:30 and the contractions started almost immediately. Sarah came to visit about 10:00. John decided about 10:30 to go get something to eat since Sarah was there. I was feeling fine, so I was totally fine with him going. About 20 minutes after John left my contractions were in full force. I remember crying, just sobbing and moaning and holding on to the side of the bed so tight I thought I was denting it. Sarah was beside the bed talking to me softly and rubbing my back. I am so glad she was there at that moment. There's just something about Sarah, besides the fact that she's my sister and I love her to death, that is so calming and comforting. At one point, I needed to stand up and walk around. I thought it would make me feel better. I walked around and after a few minutes the nurse came in and said, "Can I get you a chair?" Sarah politely answered, "No, thank you, I'm fine." Then the nurse proceeded to tell her she was talking to me... yes the pateint, writhing in pain!! LOL! That got us all laughing!! Sarah called John and told him he should come back because I needed my epidural soon. I wanted John there for the epidural and every minute thereafter. Just having John in the room, even if he was on the other side snoring, was comforting.

I received the epidural which was actually less painful than I had anticipated. It lasted only a few seconds and the relief was immediate. Oh the blessed epidural... never in my life have I felt such relief. It was like being SUPER thirsty and drinking a gallon of water only 50 times better. Instant gratification. I spent the afternoon being checked every hour to see if I was dilated. I swear she said I was 3 cm for four hours straight. I seriously thought I was going to be pregnant forever. I layed in the bed at one point when all of a sudden I felt nauseated. I buzzed the nurse and told her I felt like I was going to throw up. She got me water and raised my bed to the sitting position. I immediately felt faint and told her I was going to pass out. All of a sudden about three nurses came... my blood pressure had dropped drastically and the baby's heart rate was down to 88. They layed me down and put me on my side. I immediately felt better and my and the baby's vitals resumed to normalcy. But, for the rest of the day, I was STARING at the monitor to see my blood pressure status and the baby's heartrate.

Finally at 5:00 I was dilated 9 cm and the doctor was called. The nurses came in and prepared the space for the delivery. The nurse told me to start pushing about 5:20. I thought I was going to "feel" like I had to push, but I didn't. But I huffed and I puffed and I PUSHED that baby out! Well, it didn't happen quite that quickly. The doctor swooped in about 5 minutes later and took over. She'd say, "Ok, I'm going to start counting and I want you to push until I get to 10." Everytime I got to 7 and stopped. I couldn't do it. I was SURE my head was going to explode. I whimpered and told the doctor that. I said, "my head feels like it's going to explode" and she smiled and responded, "I've never had anyone's head explode and I've delivered 3,000+ babies". Oh my gosh I remember that so well.

I pushed and I pushed and I remember finally seeing some progress. I heard people saying they could see the baby's head. Finally the head was out and the respiratory team swooped right in a suctioned all the fluid out of the baby's mouth. I looked down and could see a head... a head with hair... and an arm. I was amazed. I remember a nurse saying "Oh, it looks like a girl, I think we've got a girl". A few seconds later the doctor told me I was almost there and to keep pushing. I pushed only twice more and out came the baby. Still unsure as to what it was... I lifted my body onto my elbows trying to see our baby and for someone, for the love of God, to tell me if it was a boy or a girl. I found out on my own (although someone may have said it but I was so focused on the baby I tuned everything out)... I saw IT and realized we had a precious baby boy. I looked at John and he was crying. I immediately lost it. Our baby was here. Adrey Lewis Ritchey was here. The best day of my life. Hands down. Nothing compares. July 23rd 2008 I was forever changed, for the better...

John, put on his "It's a Boy" t-shirt (we had one of each since we didn't know the sex) and told all of our friends and family waiting nervously in the lobby. Click on the link below to view the announcement! Gives me chills every time I watch it. John was so proud and it melts my heart. And I love that my mom wasn't even paying attention to John's shirt, or the fact that everyone was yelling "It's a Boy"... you'll notice she asked John if the baby and I were ok and then hugs him and asks if it's a boy or a girl. That gets me choked up just thinking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_jgscu_J4

Although our new addition only weighed 7 lbs. 6 ozs when he entered this world, the impact he's had on our lives is immeasurable. We are blessed in every way.

Today, a year later, we woke up to this sweet, yummy, baby and sang happy birthday.

Click on video below...

P.S. Thanks, Kelle, for suggesting I write Adrey's birth story.

So glad I did it.