Aidan Jeremiah: Part One

It's been one month today since our beautiful baby boy Aidan was born. So many things have happened over the last month since his birth and the month leading up to his birth. I can honestly say these have been some of the most trying, yet wonderful months of my life and I'm only just now coming up for air to finally write about it.

For some reason so many crazy things seems to happen to me right around "birth" time. Last time, with Liam, I was in Las Vegas with my mother waiting and waiting for a baby that would arrive 3 weeks late, while my family settled down to our new life in Kansas...without me. -->read here<--

This time was no exception for craziness, lucky me.

After lots of research, pondering, prayer, discussion, arguement, prayer again, more discussion and lots more prayer, Jeremiah and I decided that it would be best if he went back to school to complete a graduate degree. It was something that had long been discussed but when the time finally came to make the decision I was a little nervous. We had initially thought that he would attend University of Kansas (KU) but after researching their program it just didn't really feel right. What did feel right was Pittsburg State University....located in small town Pittsburg, KS, about 2 hours south of where we lived. Aidan was expected some time around September 15th and Fall semester started at the end of August so we thought it would be best for Miah to start school in January so that we could have the baby with our midwife in Olathe, settle down into a routine with 6 kids, and allow our older children to attend the first half of school where they were familiar, before transitioning to a new city.

Perfect plan right?

Yep, only...remember how I said crazy things happen right around birth time for me?!

So the short story of how the craziness began is:
The house we lived in had developed some serious maintenance issues. In the middle of August, after discussing the issues with the landlord, we decided it would be best if we moved (as there were numerous health hazards which they refused to repair) and we were let out of the lease early. Well that was great because we were planning on moving anyway, right? Except that we weren't planning on moving October 1st! Just days after having a baby and just weeks after the kids started school and 3 months before Jeremiah even started at Pitt State....blah!

We began frantically packing the house, planning for the move, trying to find somewhere to live, waiting for the baby...it was RIDICULOUS! I felt like I was scrambling about and flying by the seat of my pants (what does that mean anyway?) I was really hoping and praying Aidan would come a couple weeks before his due date so that I would have some time to rest and relax before the big move. Also, Jeremiah had a big business trip planned for the last week of September (the actual week we were moving) and knowing I was going to have to do that part of the move myself, I just really wanted to have everything in place before that time. Lastly, we were planning another Home Birth for Aidan. We had to be out of the house no later then noon October 1st and if I was still pregnant then where would I have my home birth? My midwife already lived an hour north of us and I tend to labor very quickly, how would she be able to make it to the birth if I was 3 hours from her? As you can imagine I was pretty much FREAKING OUT!

When I hit 36 weeks I really felt like I was almost to the finish line....

At 37 weeks I started getting antsy for our baby to make his appearance. Then 38 weeks passed...Then 39 weeks passed...the whole time I was walking like crazy. Long distances, short distances, mall walking, walk, walk, walk.

At 39 1/2 weeks I couldn't imagine being pregnant another day. Surely I wouldn't make it to my due date....

40 weeks! My September 15th due date AND also my 29th birthday!

All of this time, I was packing and trying to plan our new life in Pittsburg. By September 18th we had moved all our belongings out of the house and down to Pittsburg. We left the master bedroom semi intact with a bed and a television, so that I had somewhere to sleep each night and somewhere to have my baby. We set up mattresses in the living room area for the kids and basically lived as squatters in our own home for next 2 1/2 weeks.

At 41 weeks I made the decision to have my membranes stripped. Then at 41 weeks and 3 days pregnant I went to the Olathe North Homecoming game with the girls. I stood on the sidelines and cheered, even jumped a little bit. Nothing.

I was trying to let nature take it's course and trying to trust in the Lord and in his timing. I was trying to embrace each day of my pregnancy. I cried alot. I was scared that I would deliver my baby alone, without my husband for support. Each day that passed was one day closer to our physical move. One day closer to Jeremiah leaving me for a full week. One day closer to not having a home to have my baby in....

{This post is getting long. Tune in to "Part Two" tomorrow}

{all photos were taken on my iPhone because I have no clue where my camera is....so yeah these blurry pics are the only record of my pregnancy...yipee}