365

365 days ago, I went in for a 40 week regular check-up at my doctor's office.  For weeks, I had surprisingly made no progress (literally ZERO) towards labor and we were informed they were planning to induce on Saturday December 29th. I had been discouraged for weeks that I wasn't going to get to hold my baby for Christmas but at this point, I had accepted the fact that I would be induced on the 29th.  I was going to take the next two days off work and nap, cook meals for the freezer, stock up on groceries, and relax by myself for the last time for awhile. 

At my appointment, my doctor discussed plans for the induction with us and 'just for kicks' decided to examine me to make sure that there was still no progress.  However, the intense Braxton Hicks contractions that I had been feeling for weeks still had not changed and certainly hadn't encouraged my body to start labor before, so I figured the exam was pretty pointless.  I watched my doctor's expression turn to shock as she said "Amy, are you feeling contractions? You're (pretty far) in labor and we need to call an ambulance and have them take you to the hospital."  

I was SHOCKED.  Some strange phenomenon that I still do not understand to this day somehow prevented me from feeling any pain until an hour or so before Eli was born.  (Don't worry.... I'm not complaining!)  An ambulance took me to the hospital while Josh followed in our car.  Even though I really wanted to drive myself and stop home to get my hospital bag, the doctor's office said it was against medical advice to let me do that because I was too far along.  The paramedic let me ride sitting next to him in the back which was actually pretty cool and definitely a memory I won't forget.

Seven hours later Eli was born.  Being a mom of only one until that moment, I was always a little fearful that I wouldn't know how to love them both equally or how I could possibly love this new little addition as much as I loved the one we already had.  I guess that's the beauty and the magic of being a mother because the second I saw him, my heart was already so full with love for him that I never gave those fears a second thought. 

Our Eli has blessed us beyond words.  He has developed such a personality and loves our dogs and his big brother more than you can imagine.  365 days ago he made me a mommy for the second time and it was just as beautiful and special as the first time, maybe even more because I could anticipate the joy ahead of us.  This last year watching him grow has been one of best of my existence.  Because we've done this once before, it was easier to remind myself more not to stress about the small things, that all the challenges (including sleep!) would in fact pass in time, and that there is never, ever too much time spent cuddling a baby which I didn't have enough experience to know with Caleb.

Happy 1st Birthday Eli!  We love you to the moon and back.