It's been a while here's an update over the past 12 months!

It's been over an entire year since my last post! That's crazy.  I last posted the birth story and pictures of Beckton on May 21st 2009 and here it is June of 2010. Below is just a little on our year in review which included many firsts for us as a new family ... first smiles, first vacations, first airplanes, first surgeries, first holidays, first teeth and the list goes on and on. Below are a few pictures from the past 12 months. One thing we know for sure is that there is nothing quite like parenthood and Beckton is like our own Christmas Morning every single day.

April 29th Beckton James is born! Mommy and Daddy fall instantly in love ...

Beckton's First Bath!

The weeks ahead proved to be just as difficult as we had heard they might be. Lack of sleep and out of whack hormones contribute to Mommy's diagnosis of a bad case of Post Partum Depression. There were days when I really thought I might not make it. Days when I felt completely lost. But Beckton's little face and the strength of my family and friends supporting me and pushing me to move forward kept me going. My Mom and Scott saw me at my worst and I thank them for literally saving me. My dear sister and Dad/Jeanne called almost daily to check on me and I don't know if to this day any of them know how much they helped. My friends and family who sent cards, called, stopped by, brought meals, e-mailed etc. were essential to me getting better. Also, my doggies were so supportive - they laid with me often and Ms. Lily sat with me while I fed Beckton in the middle of the night AT EVERY SINGLE FEEDING FOR MONTHS. The best way to describe what I went through is what I call a switched a birth story in reverse ... Beckton came home with the wrong Mommy. It was as if the me I knew just ceased to exist. I didn't recognize my own face in the mirror and all I could do was hold that baby in hopes that I would come back. I will never forget that feeling and quite honestly I talk openly about it now because there needs to be a support system for women and their families. There needs to be a voice and if I can be that voice even for one person, I think I am doing my job. The good news is I did come back, I became aware and got I help! From here, things improved drastically!!!

Beckton 1 month!

Beckton 2 months!

Beckton 3 months!

Beckton 4 months!

Beckton 5 months!

Beckton 6 months!

Beckton 7 months! 

Beckton 8 months!

Beckton 9 months!

Beckton 10 months!

Beckton having surgery - almost 11 Months! 

 Beckton's First Birthday!!

Beckton's Birthday 4/29/09

April 29th 2009 we welcomed our little man ... just a few pictures of his first day of life!

"Put me back in!"

Mommy meets Beckton for the first time

Daddy holds Beckton for the first time

Grandma Kathy holding Beckton

Grandma Marilyn holding Beckton
Sweet baby boy

Beckton and Amber

Beckton and Marisa

I love this picture ...

Last Pregnant Photo at 39 weeks

I look bigger than I really am here as I have monitors around my waist!

katie at 39 weeks ... Beckton arrives!

If you want to skip the story and go right to the pictures ...

http://www.our365.com/newbornportraits/babydetail.aspx?birthid=b647d50c-bc13-4445-9f9b-172c357c1042&babyid=3d104df4-5cf9-47f1-a594-1082d76f0f81

Well on April 29th little man decided it was time to make his debut. The story .. Scott and I went to lunch at Panera on Tuesday April 28th. I said I wanted a nice relaxing lunch with him. Relaxing it was, we ate, chatted and read the paper. Scott then decided he wanted to go to the new Vitamin Shop (yes random) across the street. So we did just that. Inside I confessed that I had been feeling a little funny and so we called my doctor. I kinda had a feeling like my water might break. The doctor had us go to labor and delivery almost immediately. We checked in around 1:30PM got settled and waited. Nothing really happened and all signs appeared to point to no baby coming that day I was only dilated 1 1/2 cm. So, Scott decided to head home let out the dogs, mow the lawn and come back to pick me up. As I awaited tests results I noticed my abdomen becoming a little firmer from time to time and my Mom decided that she would come over and sit with me. The nurse walked in and said are you aware that you are having contractions that are lasting 6 minutes? I said well I knew something was going on but 6 minutes seems like a long contraction! Yes, she replied it's not the norm. Then they noticed that Mr. Beckton's heart rate was going down during these lengthy contractions and they started monitoring me a little more closely. When Dr. Komoroski arrived she checked me out and said I was dilated about 3 cm. Obviously I called Scott and he came back to the hospital but nothing much more happened. The nurses just said they would monitor me. So Scott and my Mom decided to go and grab some dinner. Just before they left the room the nurse came in with a bunch of IV's and trays and said - looks like we're going to have a baby tonight! Apparently with the dilation, long contractions and baby's heart rate the Dr. made a decision to augment me - meaning help the labor along without inducing. We were all a little shocked but Scott's (what the hell did you just say) face really made us laugh. He literally thought this was some silly false alarm. Turns out Beckton and I knew what we were doing. So they hooked me up, had me sign a bunch of forms and about 5 minutes after I was augmented (and my Mom and Scott left) my water broke on it's own. Funny thing was, Scott's parents decided to pay me a visit during that very moment! They were standing at my door as I yelled - you may not want to come in here my water is breaking all over the place! From there it was pretty much your typical labor story. Things moved much more quickly and I started dilating 1cm an hour. The pains were steady but not unbearable until I reached the back labor portion. That was pretty excruciating and I decided an epidural was necessary. The epidural was also pretty painful and a little scary as well. All in all though, it did it's job - took the pain but not the pressure away. From there I was just monitored every 45 minutes. Scott, his parents and my Mom were in the room keeping me company but when things settled down they decided to head home and wait for Scott's call. Probably a good idea because the Dr. informed us that with the risk of the baby's heart rate going low she wasn't keen on having a bunch of people in the delivery room. So, it ended up being just Scott and I which was actually very nice. The nurse Karen was too funny and she really made things memorable for us both. When she came in at 2:45AM and said ok you're at 10cm - I said what happens now? She replied - you push and have that baby! This pretty much freaked me out, knowing that just 12 hours ago I was having a nice relaxing lunch at Panera! Regardless Scott and Karen the nurse turned on some music and started dancing and singing and that lightened my spirits! Instead of "Poker Face" (a song that I truly hate) they sang "Pushin' Face." I will always remember that! Then about 5 pushes later and Mr. Beckton joined our world. He was born at 3:07AM, weighed in at 6 lbs 7oz, and was 20 in long. After his safe arrival our parents gathered in the delivery room and held him. Scott took some video of his first moments after he was all cleaned off and the two of us just gazed at our baby boy.

We love him so much!!!!!!!!

Katie at 38 weeks (Maybe this nice weather will do the trick!)

Love this little summer dress my sister sent me!

Well, nothing too exciting to report except for the beautiful weather. I hope Beckton was just waiting for a break in the weather to join us. He's got to be enjoying himself in his Cabo like atmosphere and I can't imagine he would want to leave that to come to 33 degree weather like we've been having in Dayton! Luckily we've had some incredible 80 days just like I like 'em and I'm sure he's running out of space in there because I am getting big! Today at work everyone who has seen me says and I quote "Wow, you are HUGE!"

I'm having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions - and I still feel like he's going to make an appearance at any minute, but so far no such luck.

Scott and I are starting to get anxious and nervous at the same time. We keep saying we are ready and then we ask each other "Are we really ready?" We are though, we have to be! I swear I have packed and re-packed that hospital bag 5 times now!

We are also reading a chapter of Baby Wise every night in anticipation of being good parents and having a pleasant baby!

Beckton's Room is complete! I am obsessed!

Beckton's Blankie

How it looked first .. How it looks now! (Not as yellow as the picture portrays - walls are actually ivory) Where our little man will sleep
The monkey really makes the room
This bookshelf has been in our family for years!
Changing Table

My favorite picture frame with the sweetest wording everShelves
Wall Art

LOVES IT!

Katie at 37 weeks (Beckton are you coming soon?)

(No I didn't ride on this just posed for a picture on Tommy's Harley!)

I'm full-term! I'm exhausted, I'm nesting like crazy and I can't keep myself out of the bathroom. He is literally sitting on my bladder. It's weird because I can feel him moving down all the time. Especially at night. Then I think this is it! And it's not! Week 37 was filled with more accomplishments ...

We finished all of our classes! Childbirth, CPR etc. we are trained and ready to roll.

We finished the nursery!! It's DONE! We love it and can't wait to post more pictures!

We prepared the house ... everything is clean thanks to my nesting phase last weekend. We cleaned grout, toilets, baseboards, windows, the gardens, sprayed for bugs, packed un-packed and re-packed my hospital bag, filed documents, power-washed the deck, I mean we got serious!
So the big question is when will you come little guy? We would love to hear your predictions ... you can leave comments at the bottom of this post!