Happy Birthday Ryan

My Ryan turned eleven years old today. I told him that today was one of the four best days of my life. I have so many memories of my pregnancy, his birth, and him as a baby. He asked why having a baby is such a big deal. I told him when he is a dad someday he will understand.

*Unfortunately I have no digital baby photos of him, and I have no scanner.* What I will do is rewrite what I wrote in his baby book....

We went into the hospital after supper on Saturday, December 4. All we were going for ws to hve my blood pressure checked. It was too high, so I was admitted. Dr. Dangerfield ws on call taht weekend so I was very happy. He said that I would be induced in the morning. We couldn't believe that it was actually going to happen! We were nervous and excited. We called our parents and they got very excited. At 10:30pm, the nurse gave me something to get me ready for labor & a sleeping pill. I ended up having contractions ALL night & not sleeping! (I didn't talk about the drug they gave me which made me higher than a kite. I remember talking to Thad about frosted cookies, ocean jumpers, and other stuff. I also recall telling him that I know I made no sense, but I was really seeing this stuff. Oh my.) At 7:30am, they induced me. At 10:30am, the doctor broke my water. Then things got sort of rough. By 12:00pm though, I had an epidural & felt no pain. I think your dad was relieved! (Actually I begged for that epidural, and told the doctor I would give him anything he wanted. He requested a Vikings leather jacket. I said no problem.) At 4:20pm, I behang to push, and out you came at 5:42pm. (Didn't mention the vacuum either but oh well) That was easily the happiest moment of our lives! We both couldn't believe how beautiful you were...and you were ours! We loved you instantly.

How did we celebrate his birthday? With three hockey games, a late Friday night practice, a dance performance for the girls, and Thad's sister/daughter came to town. He asked if we could go out to breakfast this morning, so fifteen minutes after dragging my duff out of bed, we went to IHOP. YUM!