Build Me A Son...

Tuesday, March 16 at 5pm, I was sitting on my bed chatting with Casey on IM when my water broke. We were 36 weeks pregnant with our first baby together. It took us almost a year to get pregnant with him and we were so excited to welcome him to our family!

Casey hurried home from work, as fast as he could in 5pm Austin traffic. We made it to the hospital around 6:30pm with my contractions were coming every 3 to 5 minutes. It was around 9:00pm when the doctor on call broke my water. When she checked me, I was 6cm's dilated.
I was fully dilated by 10pm and ready to push. I told the nurses I was ready and they asked me to hold on so they could get the doctor. She came running in just in time for the first push. Four more pushes and he was out! 10:23PM Pacey Monroe made his grand entrance into the world!!
I remember her asking Casey if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord. He hesitated and said he was freaked out because it was so big!! :) She ended up cutting it.

I was so happy when she placed him in my arms. I felt like we had waited so long to have him and holding him was the most amazing feeling ever. 

Over the next hour we studied every bit of him. He was perfect but it wasn't long before we realized that something was up. His face was really purple and bruised looking, only he hadn't been in the birth canal long enough for his face to look like that. I knew what was happening before anyone said anything to us. I remember sitting on the bed and telling Casey that I don't think I could handle having another NICU baby. See, I had been in this situation before when Sequel was born. He was also born at 36 weeks and looked bruised and purple right after delivery. He ended up spending four days in the NICU.
Shortly after I made that statement to Casey a nurse walked in and explained to us that Pacey wasn't breathing on his own. They had to take him to the NICU for a better observation.
He ended up spending one week in the NICU. It was the longest week of our lives. I was lucky enough to nest at the hospital while he was there and I spent every moment I could with him.

I still remember the day we got to take him home. It was just the tow of us and it was raining. He slept the entire way home.

Back in 2004 I kept a writing journal. I looked back and found an entry that Casey had written when Pacey was 4 months old.
Here it is...
Today is a normal Saturday. This morning I woke up and Pacey was next to me. He was just waking up too. It was about 9:25am. We laid in the bed and talked and played for about 30 minutes. He is almost 4 months old, and I love him so much. He is the most precious baby ever!

Another post by me two days later...
Pacey is almost 4 months old. He has grown and changed so much over the last few months. He is so so adorable! I have enjoyed watching him, bonding with him. I love the way he lights up when he sees Casey and the way he squeals when they "talk". He just started sticking his tongue out and blowing bubbles. So precious.

A post from his first birthday...

There is so much I have to write down because I never want to forget this. He waves bye-bye using his whole arm, sometimes both arms. He gives open mouthed kisses and will kiss Casey on his head while say muwah! He has this look where he smiles so big, scrunches his nose and squints his eyes! So cute! He smiles at strangers, the cutest smile. He rides in carts backwards. He likes playing at the park in tunnels and climbing on the rock stairs. He stands alone but won't walk yet. He plays on the floor with cars and trucks , making noises like he is driving them.

I will never forget.

I remember when Pacey was two he wouldn't talk. He only said a few words that he had picked up watching Dora. We found out a while later that he couldn't hear and he ended up having tubes put in his ears. I think back to how that day changed our lives. Once he learned how to talk... he never stopped! He goes on and on and on even today at 8 years old. He's such a smart and funny kid. I have enjoyed him so much over the years and I can't wait to see how he changes in the years to come. He's my sweet, handsome, talkative boy and still the most loving of all of our kids.
Happy 8th Birthday, Pacey!