This time 7 years ago. . .

I was already in the hospital-constantly wearing a monitor keeping tabs on Ryan, laying on my left side until I couldn't stand it anymore, constantly consuming liquids and measuring the output, and praying for our little peanut to grow, and for my blood pressure to come down.

I went to the dr on Thursday was told my bp was too high, come back tomorrow to have it checked again, on  Friday I was told my bp was too high again so I spent the weekend laying in bed or on the sofa-my mom was visiting so I was really good-between she and Greg about the only thing I did for myself all weekend was go to the bathroom.  Mom left on Monday morning and I went back to the dr, expecting my bp to be down since I had rested like they told me too.

Not the case, the doctor said go home, pack a bag, get your husband, and come on to the hospital.  I still thought they would do some tests and maybe I would have to be on bed rest either at home or in the hospital for a few weeks until Ryan came.  They did tests and ultrasounds and monitored and told us that he would be better off to go ahead and be born because he was not getting the nutrients he needed to grow as much as he needed because I had pre-eclampsia.  So they gave me steroid shots to mature his lungs, put me on a horrible magnesium sulfate iv for my bp issues and we waited 48 hours for the steroids to do the most work they could do.

While this was going on my mother had driven home, made some arrangements, and turned around and came back.  Greg's mother changed her plans and came to our house instead of going to Wisconsin to visit Greg's sister.  So the two of them watched Scott, took care of our house, and dropped Scott off at friends' houses (and got lost driving around Greenville), spent one night on sofas at the hospital so as not to miss the big event-they thought they were going to have to take Ryan one night before the 48 hours was up but my blood pressure finally went down.

So on March 10th, the dr told me that I could try to deliver Ryan but to be mentally prepared (they had the OR all ready and waiting) for a c-section because they didn't want to stress Ryan's body unnecessarily.  It didn't come to that but we didn't care-we just wanted what was best for him.  It is hard even for Greg and I to believe that our big, crazy, fun, healthy 7 year old started out this tiny!

 The very first picture we took of him

 He weighed 3 1/2 pounds and was 18 inches long-Scott was only 19 1/4 inches long so no wonder Ryan's legs and arms looked so skinny.  His legs were about as big around as Greg's middle finger and the first blood pressure "cuff" they used on him was like a medium sized bandaid.  WOW-God has brought him a long way in 7 years and we are blessed to be his parents!

 This was in the evening after he had been born and was our first visit to the NICU to see him

This was a few days after he was born-our last visit to the NICU before I was released to go home.  Thankfully he only had to stay 16 days before he was able to join us at home.  People have asked was it horrible to have to leave him at the hospital but the nurses were SO wonderful-they love on those babies as if they were their own-telling me to call in the middle of the night to check on him or anytime!  I think having Scott at home to be with made it easier in a way-an almost 2 year can distract most anybody and our friends were so wonderful to keep him and cook for us that I saw Ryan for a long time everyday and Greg went to the hospital many nights to see him.  I took a picture of our family to tape up inside his bed and Scott colored a picture for "baby brubber."

We are so glad that God made you part of our family 7 years ago, Ryan!  Happy Birthday!