Happy 7th Birthday, Leigha! (February 16)

I loved being pregnant! I was waitressing and getting my Masters degree throughout my entire pregnancy. Nothing seemed to really bother me, that was until I was just about 38 weeks pregnant. I was working in a second grade classroom with team teachers. I had to keep excusing myself to use the restroom. I would have the smallest trickle and then be done. As soon as I washed my hands and I had to RUN right back in. Wouldn't you know it...trickle, trickle, trickle. Repeat this throughout the morning, all the time wondering what I would have done if that was MY class and I didn't have a team teacher.

The next morning I woke up and asked Noe if he thought I should call the doctor. I have heard many stories of women going in, thinking that their water was leaking, only to find out they were peeing their pants! THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE ME! There was no way I was going to be THAT person! Then I started thinking what if I WAS leaking?! It was Friday and no one would be in the office until Monday. I waited a half hour and then told Noe I was going in. Since I didn't have an appointment, I had to wait awhile before I was seen. It was now getting close to lunch time and I had barely eaten in the morning. By the time I was called back, I was absolutely STARVING! They did a test and then my doctor came in and asked me if I was ready to have my baby! My response- only if I can stop at McDonald's before I walk around to the front of the hospital. There was NO way I was not going to eat until after I had my baby. I was already feeling nauseous from not eating. I promised I would get a happy meal and she said yes.

It's such an odd feeling to know I was going to be a mom in the matter of a few hours. After lunch I checked into the maternity ward. They put me in the triage room and tested to make sure it was amniotic fluid I was leaking. I kind of figured out it was when I had a train of nurses and students come in to look at my "perfect" crystallized slide. Great, at least they weren't coming in to see the lady who can't hold her urine anymore!

I remember sitting in my huge room, watching Rosie O'Donnell, when someone from my birthing class walked in. She was in a gown, having contractions, and praying that they would finally admit her (I guess it wasn't her first attempt). It was at that moment, the moment where I am just casually laying on a bed and watching TV as my Pitocin drips, that I wonder why everyone hates to be induced?! This poor girl was keeled over in pain and I am just laying down enjoying some TV. Then it hit me, my water broke. Can't say that I fully understood what that meant until that time. Am I the only one that thought that when your water broke it was a one time deal? What happened to standing in a grocery store, water breaking, and people pretending it was a pickle jar? Please tell me I am not the only lunatic in the world that expected it to happen like on TV? NO ONE told me that my fluid would continue to gush every time I had a contraction?!

I have to admit that was when the pain started. I avoided the epidural for quite awhile. I didn't want to whimp out too early; boy did I regret that later. I finally gave in and got the epidural, but I later regretted that decision. Due to Leigha's head size (no one warned me about this either- thanks Noe!) I was having both front and back labor. Every time the doctor tried to stick that lovely needle in my spine, I would have a contraction and tighten up back there. As soon as he administered it, I immediately told the nurse that I felt like I had to use the restroom again. I wish I had a camera to capture the looks on the nurses' faces. They asked me when the last time I was checked, it had been a little while. It was priceless, you have never seen people move so fast in their life. My doctor wasn't there, the bed wasn't ready for Leigha, but Leigha was ready!

Now, if you can imagine what an epidural does to your body, you will understand why I shouldn't have had it right then. It's not a great time to be numb when you are ready to push. After 40 minutes, Leigha was born, weighing in at 7 lbs 11 oz. Everyone, including me, was amazed at her hair! She had dark hair with blonde highlights. People pay for that and I guess I can provide it for free!



I was finally a MOM! I surprised myself a lot that first year. I never would have imagined myself breastfeeding, but I made it! I never had to give Leigha formula. I kept changing my goal as I went along. At first I said I wanted to breastfeed for at least three months. Then the three months became six months, then a year when she could be switched to regular milk. I continued to surprise myself and I made it. Leigha was officially finished with nursing at 13 months. At that point I was student teaching and I was thrilled to be finished.

Leigha turned one!


Leigha is two!


Leigha is three!


Look out, she is four!


Leigha is five and a wonderful big sister!


Six came in a flash!


This year we were supposed to take Leigha to Dinseyland instead of having a party. Things got a little more difficult when we found out that Noe would be leaving for Japan. There was no way I could take the kids to Disneyland by myself. I thought I had smoothed things over with her when I told her we could go to Disney in Tokyo. I just couldn't imagine trying to organize a big party on my own. She was used to it, though! We have ALWAYS had birthday parties for her.

Eventually she started telling me she didn't want to have cake with JUST her brothers. The mommy guilt started kicking in. I decided that I could handle a small party (no kids from school) and invited a few friends of ours over. The only twist- Leigha knew NOTHING about it! I sent her over to a neighbor's house, as I got the decorations up. Boy was she surprised, she just look shocked!


Leigha picked out her Baskin Robins cake on her own, yummy!



To Leigha's delight, she received everything I would NEVER buy her. She received 15,000 beads (THANK YOU, DON and LAURA) and make-up (THANKS AIMEE)!


Leigha had a wonderful day! She took her birthday money and went and bought her first cross-stitch (wonder if it will be her last?)! She was so excited. Sometime soon I will explain why she wants to start cross-stitching.

Happy 7th Birthday, Leigha! We love you!