September 25, 2005 – 9 years ago today. 12:45 am – I woke up to a very weird sensation. I realized I was wetting the bed. And I rolled over and went back to sleep.

Seriously.

I know. Weird. Gross.

Hey, when you are that pregnant you are tired.

I came to a few minutes later and I was still wetting the bed. This time I sat up. Anthony was apparently not asleep enough to ignore me and asked, “What’s wrong?” To which I reply very confused. “I’m wetting the bed.”

“Are you sure?” He said skeptically, “Is your water breaking?”

“No. I’m wetting the bed…and I can’t stop?”

I know this sounds weird, and it was. It was a strange moment for me. With Bella doctors had broken my water and this time around I had a planned c-section. This was not supposed to be happening, it wasn’t on my radar so I was sure it wasn’t what was going on.

Finally Anthony convinced me that my water was broken, or breaking. Phone calls were made. We hadn’t even gone to the hospital yet for a tour, that was going to be after our next appointment. We actually had to get directions to the hospital from my parents when we dropped Bella off because we’d only lived there a few months and never had reason to go.

On the way to the hospital I remember saying, “This is going to be a tiny baby. I am 4 weeks early.” Based on the size of my belly I am not sure why I thought this, but it seemed right knowing that my first was 8lbs 9oz at 39 weeks that this one at 36 would be around 6lbs.

When we arrived the nurse was readying me and asking me questions that would determine how quickly we went to c-section. One question. Did you eat dinner? Ummm…yes I did. How heavy was it? Ummm…lasagna, salad, bread and dessert (maybe 2). What time was that? Around 7pm. “Well then we need to delay surgery for a good long while if we can.”

7 hours. I labored 7 hours and they wouldn’t allow me pain medicine because it needed to be fresh for surgery. At one point the nurse came in and said, you’re not going to make it to your surgery time we need to call the doctor. Then she returned and said “We’re just going to give you this medicine to stop your contractions so you can wait because of your dinner.” I was not happy, and the medicine made me feel horrible.

Finally it was time. Being the weekend the doctor who performed the surgery wasn’t my doctor so she shook my hand to introduce herself just minutes before she sliced me open. Then when she did and Natalie was born the first thing the doctor said was, “Are you sure of her due date? She’s a big baby!”

8lbs 1oz born at 36 weeks. Yes, I was certain of my due date and she had a few premie problems to prove it. Born on a night of record breaking early deliveries because of hurricane Rita’s storm system having made its all the way to Oklahoma dropping the barometric pressure dramatically. One nurse suggested we name her Rita. But no, she was my Natalie Celeste. Based on her arrival we joked she was impatient and spunky, a child who would do things on her own terms.

How right we were.

Happy birthday my Natalie Celeste, you are one in a million and I am so glad you are mine.

September 24, 2005 – 9 years ago today was a lazy Saturday. Hurricane Rita had hit land in Texas. (This is an important factor of the day even though we lived in Oklahoma.) That evening I went with my mom to a church broadcast for women. I ate a dinner of lasagna, salad, rolls and dessert. Food is important for a 9 month pregnant woman and this meal would make an impact on the day to come. That evening during the broadcast my mom and I giggled as we watched my stomach move in all sorts of ways. A foot here, an arm there, high and low – it was entertaining to say the least.

I went home and gave Anthony a really bad hair cut. I may have even cut his ear.

We had no idea what would arrive before morning.

9 years ago today it was September 23, 2005. Bella was 21 months old, Anthony was in his first month of law school, and I was very pregnant with Natalie. I had about 4 weeks to go. That evening we left Bella with Grandma and Grandpa and attended a church activity at the bowling alley. I bowled. Many people commented that I would put myself into labor but, I just laughed it off and had a good time. I did not go into labor that day.

9 years ago today I had never held my 2nd child.

9 years ago today I didn’t know what spunk was coming in such a tiny package.

9 years ago today I had never touched her soft skin or heard her sweet coo’s.

9 years ago today I had no idea that in two days she would be here.

Now 9 years later I know her laugh, I know her cry.

9 years later I know what an amazing little person Anthony and I were blessed with.

9 years later I know that there is so much more for us to experience with her.

9 years later I love her, I always have, and I always will.

My apologies for the number of photos that will be shared in the coming days. This is a photogenic and fun to photo child. I told her that we’d go out for just a few minutes for a few days so she could wear multiple outfits. Day 1 I got 13 photos that I marked for sharing, that is what you see today. I’m going to try to post a group from each photo day over the next few days. The stories will be about the days leading up to her birth, the pictures will be recent.