@ Home with Blake

We have not updated in a while! I guess once we got closer to the due date the nerves crept in and we forgot all about the blog. I haven't written on here yet, Rebecca has done all the work, but now that we are home I want to keep this up to date.

Let me start by saying what a wonderful gift God has bestowed upon us. I definitely feel "born again" after witnessing our son being brought into this world. MIRACULOUS! AMAZING! Words simply can't describe the feeling.

Blake Metcalf Eskew came into the world on May 29, 2008 at 10:51 A.M. at Greenville Memorial Hospital. He weighed in at 7lbs 7oz. and was 21 inches long. Not bad considering mommy was never too big to begin with.

The whole labor process started on Wednesday May 28th...
We were going to the OB because Rebecca was already 4 days past due. She had been 2cm dilated for close to 3 weeks and any progression meant we would be going in for induction. Luckily, we saw Dr. Keller that day and she said to pack up and be at the hospital at 5:30 that evening. So... we went home and took care of the dogs, called the family and went to O'Charley's for our last meal before we became parents. We ordered a lot, and ate very little due to the nerves.

We got to the hospital and Dr. Moore came in around 9:30 that night to give Rebecca some Cervodel. He said there was a chance it would throw her into labor and at 1:30 A.M. Thursday morning she was in full force labor. Her contractions were very close together and she was not getting a break in between them. We tried to figure out if this was what was supposed to be happening or not, and we tried to relax by watching The Holiday. Rebecca is a tough girl, not a complainer at all, and at 3 AM her contractions were not getting any better. I ran to get the nurse and she took the Cervodel out, and said it would take about 30 minutes for her to start getting a break. That did not happen so at 4AM we made the trek across the 6th floor into Labor and Delivery. Mrs. "I'm gonna do this naturally" got her epidural a little after 5 AM, THANK GOD! Almost instantly she went from severe pain to no pain. Dr. Moore came back in around 6:30 and Rebecca was 7 cm and he proceeded to break her water. Then he came back in around 8:30 and she was 10 cm. We were ready to rock and roll, but he made her sit up for about an hour and a half so the baby could drop as far down as possible. He told us he'd be back in 45 minutes and we'd start pushing. An hour and a half later he showed back up and it was gametime. All in all the pushing lasted 25 minutes. The most amazing thing I have ever witnessed in my lifetime was seeing that head and then the body of our son make its way out of Rebecca's belly.

What a truly AMAZING experience.

The next few days were a blur. Family and friends came by the hospital and visited the house when we arrived on Saturday. Thank God for Rebecca's mom, who stayed and helped us until that next Friday. I mean here we were, brand new parents, given this perfect little baby boy, and we were sent home and had no clue what it was going to be like. All I could tell, instantly, was that Rebecca was going to be (and already was) the perfect mother. Me... I had no clue what I was doing.

Now that we are home and settled in, getting on schedule, and starting to figure this family thing out things are getting better by the moment. Blake has filled our hearts and our home with so much love and joy! Yeah, its tough, and we break down (mostly Rebecca :o) because it is so overwhelming, but I wouldn't trade the late nights, no sleep, dirty diapers, or crying for anything in the world.

Blake is a great baby. He actually sleeps very well and cries very little. I will have to say he's got my laid back temperment, but he looks a lot like his mommy. To us he's PERFECT!

It's a BOY!!!

We had our big ultrasound appointment on January 14 and we found out it is a BOY!! They took all of his measurements and everything checks out as being right on track. We have decided that he will be named Blake Metcalf Eskew and will be called Blake. We are very excited and are now eager to begin working on the nursery (at least mommy is).
I am now in my 24th week of pregnancy, the last week of the second trimester, i can't believe how time is flying by. I have been very lucky thus far, I have had no problems at all except for the occasional aches and pains but nothing to complain about. I was lucky enough to remain in my regular clothes until the new year where things just didn't feel good anymore so I am in maternity clothes now and have learned to enjoy all the extra room and comfort.
Being pregnant has been a wonderful experience and an amazing one to say the least. I think the most amazing part is the bond I already feel with this baby, at first things are new and different getting "bigger" was definitely hard for me to swallow but now I have actually starting enjoying being pregnant and I think I will miss certain aspects when its over for sure.
Dad has begun to read to the baby at night and its amazing to feel the response from the baby when he begins to talk, its like he is saying I recongnize that voice, needless to say Josh is over the hills excited.

Ultrasound #2 11/12/07-Its a Boy???

We had a 1st trimester screening done on Monday to check for Down syndrome, Trisomy 13 and 18 (the most common types of chromosomal conditions). They do this by measuring the fluid filled space at the back of the baby's neck, examine the nasal bone and test my blood for certain levels of protein, all this together will give us a risk ratio of the baby's possibility of something being wrong, the doctor said the baby looks very healthy at this point so we are praying for good results which will come in a few days. The baby is very active, moving around the whole time they were doing the ultrasound, I blamed it on singing on the way to the doctors office. We heard the heartbeat for the first time which was amazing, 170 beats a minute, I know I know... looks like a girls heartbeat (at least that is what my mom tells me); however looking at the ultrasound I think it may be a boy, take a look let me know what you think!!!
Josh and I are doing fine, my tiredness still drains me from time to time and my jeans are not feeling so great anymore, but all in all I cannot complain. Josh stays busy with teaching and coaching but he is very excited about the little Eskew to come. We have decided on names, if it is a boy he will be Blake Metcalf Eskew (Blake for my brother and Metcalf for Josh's grandfather) and if it is a girl she will be Charlotte Louise Eskew (for my grandmother Louise-her name and Charlotte for where she grew up). Friday we mark the end of my 1st trimester and the beginning of the 2nd so we will be happy to get to that point and out of the "critical" time period, time is moving so fast, next time I turn around the baby will be here!!

Big Brother and Big Sister

For those of you who know us, you know our dogs are just an extension to our family, and they are considered our children in the non-human form (although I think sometimes they are a lot smarter than a lot of humans I know)!! Marley (the little white poodle) is 10 years old and Berkley (the big golden) will be 2 in January. They have both brought much joy and excitment to our lives. Marley attended pharmacy school with me and then was adopted by Josh once we were married. Berkley was a late Christmas gift to Josh in 2005, but I will have to admit she is definitely a "mama's girl." We are excited to see the interaction between the baby and the dogs (and yes there will be much interaction). My prediction is that Marley will be a little jealous at first and Berkley will be the protective one. Only time will tell.

First Doctors Appointment

Today we had our first doctor's appointment. Everything is perfect with baby and mommy. We were able to see the heart fluttering on the ultrasound and the baby was moving its arm and leg buds (must be the coffee)! It was an amazing experience for both mom and dad, and it definitely gave us the visual confirmation that there is actually a baby in there. WOW!!!