Tribute Part 7...2 hours later...

It was the weirdest sound and I will never forget it. It was like the sound of when you crack a nuckle...it was a very defined "POP." I knew my water had broke. It was nothing like a gush or anything. IT was more like a "tinkle" if you will. So I woke NAte up and told him that I think my water just broke. I called the OB dept. and they said I needed to come in so they could be sure. It was midnight by now and I decided this is it...I'm gonna take a shower and be all ready to go....Boy I look back now what a mistake to do that.lol!

I get out of the shower and distinctly remember Nate getting his Time Magazines ready and wondering about the coffee they would have at the hospital.
We get to the hospital and find out that YES my water had broke so I had to be admitted...This was the start of very HARD labor. They kept asking me if I wanted an epidural and I KNEW I DID NOT WANT ONE. A couple times the nurse would come in to make sure and Nate would just look at me like come on LEESH I would just do it, but I already had made my decision. And anyone who knows me...once the decision is made about anything...that's it there's NO turning back.

I was in labor for 13 hours...sweating balls....(if you will.lol) and I had to do 3 hours of pushing after that. I know I have written about this before, but the pushing I had to do was definitely the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I really did think that EVERY SINGLE BLOOD VESSEL IN MY FACE WAS GOING TO POP AND THAT EVERYTHING INSIDE ME WAS GOING TO COME OUT! I was in so much pain and so out of it that I started talking to NAte about how my car blinker was not working (which was really true-we did end up fixing that) I did dialate to a full 10, but they said my pelvic area was too narrow and Grey could not fit through. IT was nate who asked the doctor if we should start thinking about a c-section and she said we probably needed to do that. After that...i mean within minutes...we finally got to meet our little bundle of joy. On Sunday, November 2 at 2:56pm Greyson came out weighing 7lbs 5oz 19inches long.

Tribute Part 6...One Year Ago...

This was Halloween weekend 2008. Right before Greyson Lee entered our lives. We thought he was going to continue to cook for about 2 more weeks, but obviously Grey had other plans and a mind of his own!

It's very hard to believe that a year has gone by! We can't even remember what our lives were like before our sweet little miracle!
These were the last pics taken with our "bun" in the "oven"

1.My view of the whole incident

One year ago today I woke up early like I always do and told Nate I was going to the "Y" like I always do. I was there for a while. I know...I got to talking and time slipped by me. However, I felt really really good, just like I did throughout my whole pregnancy.

I headed home (this kinda gets gross-sorry) but I had to pee and I lost my mucous plug. It was exactly like what I had read about. SO, what do I do...i went and got on the Internet and researched everything I could about loosing your mucous plug. But, everything I read said that you could go into labor that day or still have a little bit. However, I just had a feeling something was gonna start. The rest of the day I went about my normal Saturday routine and did my cleaning. Along the way, i kept having contractions, but nothing consistent at all. I still felt really good. SO what do I do...then I decided to walk to my moms house from mine. I know I thought okay well I lost my mucous plug so let's try and get this thing going! I think my mom could have kicked my butt for you know... walking to her house and being 9 months prego!

Nate and I decided to go get dinner at about 8:00 at night which was so late for us to eat! Still don't know why we went so late but it was so good. We went to Bartley's where we had our last kid-free "out to dinner night." I remember I ordered broiled shrimp. Anyway, all through dinner I kept having contractions and this time they were much closer together. I would eat and then it was "nate here's another one-feeL" then eat some more-"nate here's another one..feel" I started to feel a little weird....just like oh I don't feel so good. We decided to stop at grammy ann's and papa Mikes where they started timing my contractions. By this time it was about 10:00 at night and they were 10 min. then 30 min. then 15 min. SO my mom said just try and get some sleep and CALLLLL me if anything happens of course. So, Nate and I did just that...went home and went to bed......(My 2nd part will be coming later today....I'm sorry I am too long winded...)

2. MY Reminiscence of it all (Nate)

Well, I of course remember dinner at Bartley's altough I did have a few Tanqueray and tonics to ease the nerves that come with being in the home of a wife who is ready to pop! What I would like to recall, however, is from the time Alicia woke me up to the time Grey finally entered the world. I was sound asleep and Alicia woke me up, she said that she thought her water broke, and I can honestly say that I've never woke up so alert in my life. We both went about the whole thing pretty casually (which is really surprising for Alicia!). I remember she hopped in the shower, got some things together, and I did the same. I had no idea what was in store for the next 16 or so hours! I remember bringing Time Magazine and In-Fisherman to St. Margarets as if I would have a chance to read them in between Alicia's labor pains. After they gave Alicia the potossin to speed up her contractions I quickly realized there was going to be no leisure time for me. I remember her being in pain and each time the contractions would come, and I felt so hepless because there was really nothing I could do but hold her hand. Being that we went in during the middle of the night, I was expecting her to pop Grey by sunrise. NOT HAPPENING! Alicia's labor was one of the most gruelling things I have ever been through in my life, and obviously I was simply standing by... I can't imagine what she went through. She was so wore out that she started talking about random things, like fixing the blinker on her car. The truth of the matter though, is that even though it was so stressful and drawn out, I can remember being so focused that time seemed to fly by. Finally I told the nurse that maybe we should start thinking about a c-section, and even though Alicia swore she would do everything she could to naturally give birth, by this time she was so wore out and so in pain (I remind you that she refused to take any pain killers through the whole thing!) that she agreed to it. After we both agreed to the c-section it was literally moments before we got our first glimpse of Grey. One year later I can still vividly picture the nurse holding Grey up in the air after he was born, and my heart racing. I remember everything... the shape of his head, the cutting of the umblilical cord, trying to film it all, Grey peeing all over the weight table, and taking Grey out to see his grandparents, Auntie Mims, and Uncle Al. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and immediately everything we went through with his labor was a second thought. It was without a doubt the greatest, happiest, most thrilling moment of my life. It still fascinates me to think about it all. There was Alicia and I just thrilled and exhausted at the same time, marveling at this new child that we brought into this world. From that day forward I have taken on a new outlook in life. I now understand many of the decisions that my parents made concerning us, that I never understood before. Not that I did not always put family and friends first, but I can honestly say that nothing outside of my family even fazes me any more. Not work, not bills, nothing. Because I see how precious life is, and I thank God every day for Alicia, Greyson, myself, and my family.

Tribute Part 5...Greyson's First Year! Another Look!

November 2, 2008...Fresh out of the "oven" here

December 2008-Merry Christmas!

January 2009...Hangin' inside....my swing was pretty cool then

February-2009 Grey's Baptism

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009...Grey's 1st Halloween (one year ago Grey walked around with me in my belly while Livy and Mary went trick or treating) now he gets to join in on the fun himself that is if this weather holds out!

And this is what he has been trying to do....I love watching him take these steps...He wants to go so fast but his little legs can't keep up. He's still pretty wobbly but he's taking more steps everyday. One of these days he's just gonna take off and start running!

Take 1

Take 2

Tribute Part 4...Grey's 1st Year!

This covers it all little man! You are just a joy! That's all there is to it!

Tribute Part 3...Your Nursery aka Grey's Pad...

Greyson,
This was the nursery that we prepared for you. Actually, I do like to do "home" projects as you will learn as you get older. SO, this was one of my projects last summer. I wanted to do your nursery all by MYSELF! We waited until we knew what you were and as soon as we found out you were a BOY I knew we needed a BLUE BLUE BLUE nursery!

We had a hard time deciding on a theme. First, I thought a fishing theme for your daddy, but when I saw these turtles, I just fell in love with them. I love the way your nursery turned out...it was perfect for a sweet little boy like you!

Tribute Part 2...20 Week Ultrasound...

This was our 20 week ultrasound. This was June 24th 2008. I remember this day so well. First of all, I had a full bladder for this ultrasound and I think I had to wait almost an hour. They were running behind with something at the hospital and I was having a fit! Yes I was...my stomach was absolutely killing me. I have never had to pee soooooooooooooooo bad in my life.

I wanted everything to go perfect so I drank soooooooooooooooooooooo much water all morning. Then when we got to the hospital it did not go as planned....But, does it ever? However, one good thing was that since I had to wait so long...the ultrasound tech took a lot of 3D pics of our baby...they felt bad...

We found out we were havin' a BOY! We were thrilled!

There's our peanut on the screen...

Tribute Part 1...Da' Baby Bump...

My mom and Nate were my photographers throughout my pregnancy! No, we did not do a pic of the belly every single week, but here is a little view of how Grey and I progressed over the 38 weeks! It's really cool to look back and see and I am so glad I did this!

A Week Tribute to Greyson's First Year!

This week is going to be a tribute to Greyson's first year with us! Kinda like the coutdown to Christmas, but instead it's the countdown until Grey's 1st big Birthday Bash! It was a lot of fun to reminisce and look back. Hope you enjoy. This is a big week for this little guy!

This is the pinata we have all ready for Grey! He gets to pull the string for a big surprise!

I have the first "look" back and "see" post coming later today so keep checkin' back with us! I thought we'd start with "da baby bump!"

Halloween Secret is OUT...

Grey is the cutest little lion for his first Halloween! I can officially post Grey now in his costume being that it is totally Halloween time now and because of the fact I had to write about his first parade. (LOL)

Yesterday was the Peru Halloween Parade. I used to walk in this when I was a kid, so we had to bring Grey in it too. Livy came with us and she was a proud pretty Peacock. She even won a prize...She got 2 whole dollars for her costume. She was the only peacock there! Grey was kinda tired but he did really good! It is pretty hilarious to see him in this costume in person....IT is sooooooooooooooooooo stinkin' cute! He looked ADORABLE! I took a "gazillion" pics, but here are a few...

"the lion and the peacock"

The sweetest cutest little lion

A lion on the move

Abbie and Bob Burris's kids were there also....Abbie used to walk with me in this parade when we were kids so it was kinda cool to have our own kids in it now...

Ella was Little Bo Beep and Brody was the "sheep"
Here's the group...how cute are they?

And again

This was Nate's favorite costume...go figure

US

Grammy Joyce

Aunt Amy and Livy (just so you know Aunt Amy made Livy's costume from "scratch") what can we say that Aunt Amy is pretty talented

Saying Farewell!

We had a nice little Saturday night out to celebrate a new beginning for grammy and papa Ernat. We started the night with taking pics at the old house and some video footage of the Ernat clan. Then we headed out to Oakridge for a yummy dinner. Grey was sooooooooo good! I was not sure how he would be since he usually wants to crawl around. But actually he has been a little clingy to me so he was pretty content just eating some food and sitting on mommy's lap and then moved to everybody else's lap! He had his first hot dog last night and I think he liked it. But, then again my kid will eat anything. lol!

Take one...Grey's not looking

Take two....NAte's eyes are closed

Here's Grey again not even one yet and belly up to the bar...