A Teenager???

It honestly seems just like yesterday that I was swimming with my big belly (ok so maybe that really did happen yesterday) talking to Gavin and Rae about how excited I was to finally become a mom. My due date was only 3 days away and I was hoping to go into labor some time soon. I got out of the pool and was closing the cover when my water broke, at least I was hoping that's what it was. We drove up to the hospital for a test that confirmed it was amniotic fluid. I talked the nurses into letting me go back home to shower, take a nap and pack my hospital bag. Everyone, and I mean everyone, from both of our families rushed up to the hospital, excited for Jack's big arrival. By 2 am everyone had been waiting for about 6 hours and I think I was dilated to a 4. Everyone went home except for my parents, Gavin's mom and Aunt Rae. Unfortunately it was an extremely slow labor. I was hoping to deliver naturally but couldn't relax enough to progress. I finally gave in (ok, I was begging) after 12 hours of labor and got an epidural. Things finally started moving along. Jack was born at 6:02 am on July 20th. And changed our lives forever! I know it's cliche but it really was love at first sight. Becoming a mother was better than I could have ever imagined (and I always imagined it would be pretty amazing) and I knew I wanted to do it again and again and again . . . It's been an amazing 13 years! Our family is so very, very lucky to have Jack!

Jack's Birthdays

13 years old

Jack asked me last night what time he was born. I'm lucky if I can remember their weight, let alone the hour and minute of their arrival. I do remember the general time of their arrival so I told him it was somewhere in the morning hours. That wasn't good enough. He wanted to know the exact time. Luckily it's written down in his scrapbook. 6:02 am. He set his alarm for 6:02 and went to bed. I asked him today what he did when his alarm went off. He said he listened to some of his favorite songs on his ipod and then went back to sleep. Isn't that the cutest thing? Celebrating the exact time of his arrival into this world with some good tunes! I love it!

He wanted to go boating again this year for his birthday party. He had a great birthday celebration on the lake-- swimming, wake boarding, knee boarding, and tube wars. Jack got right up on the wake board and even crossed the wake. A huge improvement from last summer.

Happy 13th Birthday, Jack! WE LOVE YOU!