Little Liza Jane,
Happy first birthday! I canNOT believe a year has already come and gone since we first held you in our arms. What an adventure you have been! In honor of your birthday, and the fact that I haven't blogged since 2013, I am going to use this opportunity to reflect on the journey we started on 2 years ago when we began hoping and praying for you.
We started aching for another baby about the time your sister turned 2, but it was almost a year before you were made known to us. I can remember exactly how it happened, how we found out about you - We were in Spokane for your Great-Grandpa Blodgett's celebration of life. I had been keeping track of my monthly cycles very meticulously, but somehow that month (I guess with all the craziness of traveling and what not) I got off by a week, and didn't realize it until I was already a week late. I mentioned this to your daddy while we were riding the gondolas over the Spokane Falls and we began praying that it meant I was pregnant. At that time, we were staying out at Stoneridge Resort, and didn't want to raise suspicions among the rest of the family, so we waited to buy a pregnancy test until the next morning on our way back into town (everything was closed the night before by the time we had a chance to stop). The next morning we had plans to spend the day with Great Grandma Barbara at her place, and we agreed that I would take the test while we were there. Almost as soon as I took the test, it came out positive. I can't even begin to explain the excitement we felt! We shared the news with Grandma and Aunt Jill, but made them promise not to tell anyone else until we figured out how and when we wanted to tell them.
My pregnancy with you was pretty ordinary. I stayed sick from about week 6 until week 14. Around week 9, we flew up north to see my side of the family (and so I could run a 5k with BobPop!) and that's when we told everyone there. The whole first part of the pregnancy I was hoping and certain that you were a girl. I wanted Ada to have a little sister (plus we had all of Ada's old clothes and they were SO cute, I wanted to get to use them again!) But then I started trying to prepare for a boy, because I didn't want to be disappointed. Up until we found out you were a girl, I was expecting a little boy. The surprise and joy I felt when you were born and the doctor said you were a girl - I was THRILLED. (and since then have LOVED having 2 little girls. You were the most perfect addition to our family!)
On the day you were born, I woke up around 4am with my first contractions. They were pretty mild, but something in me caused a sense of urgency and I began preparations for your arrival in all the most important ways - I dusted the fan, baked cookies, took a shower, cleaned the house, and got us all ready for church. I casually mentioned to Daddy that I was having contractions but they were no big deal. (I didn't want him to worry or make us go to the hospital too early!) All throughout church and Sunday School, I was having pretty regular contractions but still mild enough that I could hide them from everyone. After church we came home and I got everything together and put in the car and made sure everything was squared away for Ada to be able to spend the night somewhere. We had already made plans to go to Aunt Tamara's house that afternoon for a house party and my contractions were still very manageable, so we went ahead and headed to her house. While we were there, they started to get a little stronger and I was having to focus more on breathing and staying relaxed through them. Around 4:45, I told Daddy we should probably head to the hospital. It was a such a blessing to have been with all the Banfield clan at that point because all the women laid hands on me and prayed for you and me and your delivery. What a gift! It also made things really easy with Ada because we could just leave her there and know she was in great hands. On the way to the hospital, we called my parents and let them know you were coming and they immediately changed plans, hopped in the car, and started the long drive to come meet you. We also had to make a stop by home because we had forgotten the cookies for the hospital staff and Daddy wanted to get his guitar (I had teased him previously and told him that he had to play and sing for me while I was in labor) While Daddy was inside getting them, my contractions shifted from being strong but manageable to being intense and almost unbearable. Daddy jokes that when he got back in the car was when he went into emergency mode and put the pedal to the metal because I was gripping the seatbelt and much more serious looking. The ride to the hospital was pretty intense, but Daddy did a great job getting us there in record time. It was about 6:00 when we pulled into the parking lot and went to check in. The lady at the ER desk (since it was a Sunday we had to go through the ER) was trying to get me all checked in but I was having contractions about every 2 minutes and couldn't talk through them anymore. At one point I remember asking her if I could just please take my skirt and leggings off because they were VERY uncomfortable. (Thankfully she said no!) A few minutes later some nurses came to wheel me up to triage, but about half way there they called over their walkie talkies for the other nurses to skip the triage and prep the delivery room because my contractions were coming so quick. By the time I got into the delivery room and changed into the hospital gown, it was about 6:15. I had told Daddy on the way there that I would feel like I'd succeeded if I was 8cm dilated, so when Dr. Lampley came in to check me and then asked if I was ready to push, I was very confused! He chuckled and said I was already fully dilated and could start pushing and that he would go ahead and break my water. I panicked and told him I didn't want my water broken and the nurses laughed, saying that if it didn't get broken beforehand that was fine, but that it may end up spraying all over the Doctor. I told them that was fine, let's do that right as my water broke all on its own. I pushed a couple times and at 6:22pm you were born! They placed you directly on my chest and you opened your eyes right away and just stared at me for the next 30 minutes. We were absolutely and completely in love. My labor and delivery with you was so quick and just how I had hoped it would be. I didn't have to have any kind of intervention and I didn't even have to have an IV! (Unfortunately though, I passed out a couple hours later due to low fluid so they had to put an IV in to pump me back up with fluid)
It is so hard to believe that all that happened a whole year ago! Our lives are so much richer now that you are a part of our family. We love SO much about you - your sweet hugs and kisses, your adventurous spirit, your wild antics, your quirky sense of humor, your love and admiration for Ada, your nighttime snuggles, your independent nature, when you sympathize with your sister, your love of baths and rocking horses... You are amazing. Even though I am sad that you are growing up and would love to keep you this size for a few more years, I am looking forward to watching you grow and seeing your personality develop and mature over the next year and coming years.
We love you so much little bumblebee. You really are sweet as can be!!
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