Christmas

I honestly don't even know where to begin to describe how much I loved this Christmas. I mean, Wes and I have a CHILD! It's just so fantastic! And sitting at the Christmas Eve service with my little family (well...actually my huge entire extended family) and hearing about the birth of Jesus and just thinking about Mary and all of her feelings...it was just so overwhelming...beautifully overwhelming. There is no way to predict to how you are going to feel about your baby at first. I know people who have experienced the "baby blues" and people who didn't feel that connection right at first and then people who just cried and cried the moment they saw their baby. But the truth is, no matter what you feel, there is something inside us that just connects, whether we recognize it or not...even though it may come out in some random emotional form.

I really cannot fathom how people had babies in Bible times. I am so thankful for modern medicine! And I know there are tons of ladies out there that give birth naturally...I am just not one of them, and thank you Jesus I'm not because Eli probably wouldn't have made it. But it really did make me reflect on Mary and how she must have felt towards Jesus after giving birth naturally...haha...and I obviously don't mean from the comforts of a birthing center or your own home. I guess what I'm saying is, I really loved this Christmas. I think it brought Christmas to a deeper level to me. You may not have to have a baby to take it to that level, but for me it did. I just still feel the overwhelming favor of God. It makes me want to crawl to His feet in humility to thank Him for such a perfect gift.

My family and Wes' family all were able to see our sweet son! That was so fun for us because it totally makes you feel so proud as a parent (I still can't believe I'm a parent...haha...) to see people "ooo" and "ahhh" over your baby. There were some super cute pics taken of him that I don't have yet because they are on my brother's camera...but here are some that I do have:

The littlest elf

So...as you can see...I'm totally in love with him! How could God be so gracious to us? I just feel so undeserving and so honored to be Eli's mom. He is absolutely fantastic in every single way.

I literally CRAVE him! He is so beautiful!

I'm waiting on Eli to get done with his little circumcision... poor guy... so I had to "see" him or I will go crazy, and I wanted you to share in the fun! There are several days worth of pics, so if you are just now getting to see him (Runks!), scroll on down! :)

A journey to the C

Sorry for not adding any words to the pics...haha...they are pretty self explanitory. But, to make a long story short...here was my day on Tuesday, December 18:

6:30 am- ate a bowl of cereal
9:00- get a call from my doctor saying they are going to have me come in to the hospital at 12:00 noon instead of 5:00 pm
12:00 pm- check into the hospital
12:45- start cervical ripening
1:30- start an IV with a pain medication because I was starting to feel some contractions
4:30- wake up from the most incredible slumber to contractions, so I get an epidural
fast forward
10:00 pm- get checked because Eli's heart beat was going down during my contractions- they decided to put a monitor on his head- my doctor goes in to check me (I'm dilated to about a 3 now) and was like "well, I seriously don't think that is the baby's head." An ultrasound was brought in, I got to see little Eli on the screen, and that definitely was not his head. Yep, Eli was breech. My doctor was like, ok, haha...this kind of changes things. Let's have this baby in like 30 minutes! YAY!! By this point, I didn't care what they did. As long as he was healthy and happy then let's do whatever!
10:39 pm- Eli Cole Martin was born weighing 7 lbs 1 oz and 19 3/4 inches long. He is PERFECT!

There is so much more to say...but I'm about to eat breakfast! Enjoy the pictures and thank you for your well wishes! I LOVE him!!!!!

Eli Cole Martin

So...I'm in the hospital

Right now it's about 2:30 pm and I'm in the hospital. This morning I got a phone call from my doctor saying that he wants me coming in at 12:00 pm instead of 5:00 pm, so that's what I did! I've been laying in this hospital bed since about 12:30 when they inserted the cervical stuff. Very neat. So now I'm just hanging out until I find out more! I took some pictures so I thought I would share them. Eli seems to be doing good so far! His heart rate is staying around 120, which is good. He keeps kicking (or something) where the monitor is so they have had to adjust it. My nurses are really sweet and explain everything to me, so I love that! I'm doing good too...just HUNGRY! Haven't eaten anything but a bowl of cereal at around 6:30 this morning and I don't get to eat anything until he's born. So far so good though! Say your prayers people! :)

The monitor behind me.
I was having some contractions as you can see.

All the contraptions I'm hooked up to.

And then, here's me!

3 more days!! (and I have a cold)

I have nothing fabulous to post except for a request. I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and today it was much worse. It's obviously a cold because I'm all stuffy, but I really don't want to be this way when Eli is born. So...I've been doing everything I can...drinking fluids, resting, taking the meds that I can take...so hopefully I'll be all better!

Please be praying that this cold will be healed!

In other news...tomorrow morning Wes and I go to meet the pediatrician and then run some last minute errands.

It still never ceases to amaze me how this whole pregnancy thing changes so much about you. Everything from your body's look to your thoughts to your motivations...it's all very interesting to me. I can't wait to see Eli. I can't wait! 3 more days...