Two become three

So after what seemed like the quickest 8 months of my life, the last month before Grant was due seemed to DRAG by so SLOWLY. I had enjoyed pregnancy to the fulliest. I felt that I had been a good "pregnant woman". I had been happy and I don't feel like I was TOO hormonal. Jeremiah may disagree with this statement. :) By week 37...I was over it. I was tired of wearing the same 2 pair of pants all the time and trying my best to make it look like a new outfit every day. I was tired of literally rolling out of bed and sliding out of my seat to get out of my car. I was walking at lunch, climbing stadium stairs, doing squats, eating spicy food, eating fresh pineapple. Whatever wives tale there was...I tried it. The bottom line was...I was ready to see and have my baby. Every time I went to the doctor I was dilated further along and I kept thinking any day now.


Finally, at 39 weeks, while at work and after a lunch hour of walking, stadium stairs, and squats I started feeling contractions at work. I wasn't too sure I was in labor so I just monitoring them. I remember telling my coworkers, I'm sure hoping you guys don't see me tomorrow. I went home, ate dinner, got a bath all the while the contractions were getting stronger and closer together. Finally after monitoring pretty strong contractions at 5-6 minutes apart for over a hour, Jeremiah packed the car and off to the hospital we went. Everyone in Hartsville was under strict orders to wait to leave Hartsville until we were at the hospital and got the official word that we were truly in labor. That was short lived because once we started making phone calls no one was listening to me. Everyone started packing it up and heading this way. We had to check in through the ER since we were there after hours and Jeremiah got to push me in the wheelchair which was comical because he was sweating after pushing me just a few feet. Little did he know the brake was still on! :) I got the biggest laugh out of that.

We were monitored and put in a room where we were patiently awaiting my baby to make his appearance. I finally gave in to the epidural around 11:30 at 6-7 cm dilated. That whole experience was AMAZING. The nurse who administered my epidural was the BEST. I LOVED her. To make a long story short after being in labor all night and getting zero sleep, my doctor came in at 6:30 the next morning to finally check me. After being dilated to 8 cm since 2 am, she said he was face up and wasn't budging and we were going to do a c-section. This is NOT what I had envisioned. I got so upset...I wanted to be able to have my baby...I wanted to be able to hold him right away. At about 8 am while waiting for the OR to open up my epidural was wearing off and I started feeling contraction again. I looked at Jeremiah and said…ok…I’m over it…let’s just go and get this over with. Everything seemed to happen all at once. My room went from 4 people in it to about 10 in 1 minute. I was transported from bed to bed. Jeremiah was all geared up in scrubs. I’ll never forget that nervous feeling being wheeled out of the labor and delivery room and looking at my mom and sister and thinking…I’m about to be a mom. I was so nervous that something was going to go wrong. The staff was wonderful. Everyone kept talking to me trying to keep me calm and ensure me that everything was going to be fine. They wouldn’t let Jeremiah go in with me right away because I had to be prepped for surgery first. At 9:10 am they finally let Jeremiah into the OR to be by my side. While bringing him in the doctor was making my incision and by 9:15 am our baby boy was here. Everyone kept saying…he’s here…Grant’s here. All the nurses were smiling and so excited. And all I remember saying was…he is a boy right? After all the surprises I had been through in such a short amount of time all I needed was for them to tell me my little boy was really a little girl. I remember looking at Jeremiah and just crying and saying to him…he’s here…he’s really here. I had waited for this moment for so long. We had tried to have a baby for over 2 years. I just couldn’t believe that it was finally our turn and our little miracle was right there before our eyes. And the best part was that he was absolutely PERFECT! The nurse took a picture of all three of us and she held him so I could give him kisses before Jeremiah took him to the nursery.

It was several hours before I got to see him. But the first time the nurse put him in my arms he opened his eyes and looked at me as if to say…hey mommy…there you are. I know all moms are prejudice over their children and think they are the cutest ever but I will brag and say that I do have myself a pretty baby.

Grant entered this world on November 16, 2010 weighing in at 7lbs 4ozs at 20 ¼ inches long. I know Grant had so many angels with him before he made his way to us. I know his grandpa Martin and his Uncle Russell were probably among his favorite.

Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes, congratulations, love, and support. My family has truly been blessed with this miracle and I thank God every day that I have him. He is such a special sweet spirit! Mommy and Daddy love you Grant Douglas Beam!