Happy 1st Birthday Levi-A day late

Happy 1st Birthday my sweet, sweet son! I cannot believe an entire year has passed since you came into this world and joined our family. I cannot imagine life without you and your big sister. God has truly blessed us indeed. You are the sweetest little boy and love to smile and giggle and give kisses-and sometimes you try to bite when you’re giving kisses. I’m not quite sure what compels you to do that.
You are walking everywhere and every day you become faster.

You think your big sister is the best and try to do everything that she does.

You are looking more and more like your daddy each day.

Puddles. You’re attracted to them. If it even slightly resembles a puddle you are right there to put your chubby hands in it.

You love to climb. Because of your love for climbing you get hurt pretty much every day. Your little lip sticks out and you let me hold you and cuddle you while your cry. For whatever reason, what comforts you is holding on to my hair in the back of my head. I love holding you close comforting you.

I wanted to write down your birth story before too many memories fade. I realize that as a boy you probably will not be interested in this as you get older but maybe your future children will want to read about it. Yikes! Just the thought that one day you will be a grown man with a wife and children of your own. That kind of makes me sad. Okay, back to your birth story.

When your daddy and I found out we were pregnant with you we really were not too surprised. One of the first signs that lead me to believe that I was pregnant was that I started to feel slightly queasy on and off. I took a pregnancy test a week or so after that started happening and it said I was pregnant. I was so happy! Your daddy, who was a teacher at the time, was still at school and I could not reach him by phone. I wanted to tell someone! So I ran over to our neighbors house with Constance and shared my news. When I got back to our house I tried to send a link to your daddy to let him know I was pregnant. He e-mailed back and said he could not open the song. I e-mailed him back and told him to call me. By that time I think he suspected something was up. I told me and he was just as happy.

Slight queasiness led to full blown “morning (aka all day) sickness.” That confirmed for me that I was having a girl since I was just as sick with Constance. I couldn’t even think about Nutri Grain bars without feeling sick! After about 4 months the sickness went away. We went to a doctor’s appointment for an ultra sound and found out that we were not having a girl, but a boy! I was so happy because I wanted the experience of having a little boy.

We picked out your name, especially for you. We both knew that Levi would be your first name but had trouble with your middle name. One day your daddy suggested that we name you, “Alexander the great.” I told him no way! However the next day I thought about “Levi Alexander.” I looked up what that name meant. We found out that Alexander meant “defending men.” Your daddy and I talked about it and loved it!
Your official due date was September 22, 2010.

On September 16, 2010 I went to a normal doctors appointment to make sure that you and I were both staying healthy. I was a little dilated but not too much. Nanny came up to babysit your sister and your daddy was at a parent/teacher conference at work. After my appointment we went out and ate Mexican food. Part way through the meal my belly started to hurt some but did not think much of it. The pain went away. I dropped Nanny and Constance back off at the house and went to go pick up some bed sheets and then to Walmart to pick up some more bedding (we had just bought a used king size bed). As I was walking into Walmart, my water broke. It was approximately 6:45p.m. Regardless to say I did not go shopping but got back in our van and drove home. I was a little anxious and scared. I kept wondering if my water really did break or not (I had a pad on which absorbed the fluid). When I got to the house I changed clothes and went to find nanny and Constance who had gone for a walk. My contractions had already started to come on pretty strong. I had to briefly stop a few times and wait for the pain to go away. I told Nanny what was going on and headed back in the house. I tried calling your daddy but could not get through.

Back in the house I laid on the couch where my contractions were coming on stronger and stronger. I continued to call your daddy but could not get through. I do not know how many messages I left for him. Come to find out he had left his phone at school and a friend was taking him home. So when your daddy does get home he rushes around the house trying to clean everything. I kept asking him what the plan was and he kept saying to tell him when I was ready to go to the hospital. Nanny and I remember me telling him several times that I was ready to go but he does not remember that. So finally I could not take it anymore and we kiss Constance goodbye and head to the hospital. My contractions were coming on super quick by then. Your daddy turned on the cars emergency lights and sped to the hospital. When we arrived I could barely walk without being in pain so your daddy ran up ahead to get me a wheel chair. We made a dramatic ER entrance and began filling out paperwork. At last the time arrived for me to be wheeled up to the OB ward. We got into one elevator but it would not go up. The doors would close but the elevator would not move! The nurse tried three times for it to go but we finally had to take another way.

When we get to the labor and delivery room the nurses acted like I am probably not really in labor-labor. I lay on the bed and all of a sudden start to feel nauseous. I asked the nurse if that was normal and she said it was if I was in the final stages of labor. I threw up in the trash can that your daddy found for me and the nurse checked to see how far dilated I was. I was 8cm dilated! We went from having one nurse in the room to ten nurses in the room. They started prepping me with IV’s and getting your little bed set up. The doctor on call was called and the head nurse came in to my room. She was great! I did not have to put my feet up but was just able to lay in bed with my legs propped up comfortably. We made it through each contraction. At some point I asked if I was still only 8cm and she said, “Nope, you are 10 cm.” (10cm is the largest mommy will get before giving birth). She asked if I was ready to push, push. As I began I could feel you getting lower and lower. At 9:47p.m. I gave birth to the most precious 8 pound 7 ounce 20 ½ inch long little boy named Levi Alexander Wadley. The nurse delivered you and the doctor walked in 5 minutes later! He missed it all! You cried as they were weighing you and taking your measurements. Mommy cried too because I was so happy you were her! Daddy went over by your side and began taking pictures. I called Nanny to let you know you arrived.

Shortly later they let me hold you for the very first time and I thought you were so perfect! I was also able to nurse you right away and you ate like a champ!
You have been a perfect addition to our family Levi. I love you with all my heart and I look forward to watching you grow and learn and thrive. Happy Birthday son.