The Evolution of Grant's Arrival

HE'S HERE!!!! Grant Harrison Buria arrived promptly at 0259 on Sunday, May 20th 2012.  What an incredible and enjoyable (yes I said enjoyable) experience the whole evolution was! It all began on Friday, May 18th when I left work slightly early because I simply was not feeling well and could not hang at work any longer.  We had dinner plans and I knew I couldn't back out so I spent the afternoon napping on the couch until it was time to get ready to go out.

Feeling quite crampy and uncomfortable, I pulled it together, slipped on a dress, did my hair and my make up and headed to Morgans in downtown New Bern.  We had a lovely evening out with our close friends in the area but I still could not shake the uncomfortable feelings I was having.  As we got in the car to head home I told Ricky that I really thought our little man could make his arrival within the next 24 hours.  Ricky had planned to ride in a Century (100 mile bike ride) the next morning and I suggested that perhaps he should consider not going if the cramps continued.

We headed to bed around 10:00pm and I was awakened at 2am with sharp pains in the same area that I had felt just hours prior.  These pains or contractions continued every 20-25 minutes throughout the night.  I woke Ricky up multiple times and his response each time was try to sleep through them because our nights of getting lots of sleep are coming to an end.  At 4am the alarm went off for Ricky to begin getting ready to head to his bike ride.  After the contractions that I had been having, he of course decided that it would NOT be a good idea to travel an hour away for a 5 hour ride.  My anxiety began soon after when I realized that not one article of baby clothing had been washed in Dreft, the Pack N' Play was still in the box, the car seat was still in the nursery (the base was buckled in the Armada) and the diaper bag/my bag was only partially packed.  At 6am Ricky, in normal fashion rose to the challenge and began taking care of all of the items that had not been completed.  He even was out mowing the grass at 6:30am because he knew it could be days before we'd have a chance to tackle that chore.

To make things even more interesting,  my adult Sunday school class had planned a baby shower for my friend Jennifer and me for Saturday morning at 10am.  To go or not to go, that is the question.  I called Amber ( my sister-in-law who also happens to be a Labor and Delivery nurse) to see how quickly she thought I may have this baby and what I should expect during the day.  She recommended that I go to the shower, but not drive there and rather have Ricky take me and and drop me off.  She also suggested that I continue to do everything as I normally would, and only to go to the hospital if I was experiencing unbearable pain or if my water were to break.

The ladies from my Sunday School class. Thanks for coming!:)

I went to the shower and I am so glad I did, because it was so nice.  It was relaxing and intimate and everyone was very generous to us once again.   The ladies that were there, truly care about Ricky and me and it was evident on this day.  The only aspect that wasn't relaxing was that my contractions kicked it up a notch.  When I wasn't laughing, smiling and partaking in the delicious food, I was doing squats in Melisse's kitchen or crouching on all fours in the living room, trying to breathe through the contractions.  It definitely added a little spice to the shower and one I'll never forget.  Everyone suggested that we go about our day as normal and just enjoy being a couple for one last day.

My friend Chrissey, Connor and me.

Melisse (in the middle) hosted the shower for my friend Jennifer who is due in July, and me. Thanks Melisse!

My friend and running buddy Cailin. 

We headed home and continued to prep for the baby's arrival.  By 4:00pm I felt like if he arrived, we would have prepared as best as possible.  At 5:00ish my friend Michelle stopped by for some assistance with a job application/ resume.  I assisted her in editing her application in between contractions.  I think she was pretty shocked at the whole situation and kept asking if she should go.  What she didn't realize is that having something to focus on, really helped me breathe through the contractions and consequently made everything easier.  As long as I was on all fours the contractions were pretty bearable.  Amber called around this time to check on my progress.  When I explained what the day had consisted of, and that my contractions had been every 7 minutes for the past 3 hours she suggested that I head to the hospital to avoid being too far along to receive an epidural.  

We arrived at the hospital around 5:45pm and I was admitted soon after the nurse checking my progress.  I was 5 centimeters dilated (10 centimeters is the goal), 100% effaced and my anionic fluid was leaking, which meant that my water had probably broken.  This is was really about to begin and was about to begin quickly!

My L&D nurse's name was Jill and she was so attentive and super sweet.  She administered my meds and ensured that I received my epidural in a timely manner to avoid feeling any additional pain.  She made the whole process enjoyable.  My progress took off and I was 7 centimeters within a couple of hours and I had reached 9 centimeters by 10:00pm.  My water had not broken by 11:00pm so they had me curl up on an exercise ball to pop it internally.   At 1:00pm I had reached 10 centimeters.  The doctor came in at 2:00pm and let me know that I would probably have the baby within an hour.  When I was instructed to, I began pushing and 15 minutes later, Grant Harrison was born.

I have heard that the moment your child is born is the best moment in life, and I am now a believer.  I just cannot believe how much I love him and how special he is to Ricky and I already.  He is perfect and we could not be more blessed to have him in our lives.

38 weeks-last of the series.

Last Pregnancy Photo before Grant arrived.

In the triage room after they decided to admit me.    

The delivery room, prior to the epidural.

Totally in love!

Happy Birthday Little Man! The staff was wonderful.  

Best moment of my life.

Wow.

Warming up for a bit. 

Ricky's first baby diaper change.

First bath, he loves the running water but the wash cloth bath, not so much.

Finally in our room, relaxing.

My life as a FRO comes to an end.

In December 2008, I was hired to be a Family Readiness Officer...my dream job.  I was thrilled for the opportunity to work with Marines, Sailors and family members on a daily basis to assist them through the trails and tribulations of all that comes with serving in the military.  After working for three Commanding Officers, 2 Marine Corps units and assisting countless Marines, Sailors and their family members, my time as a FRO came to an end today, May 18th 2012.  All three and a half years were amazing.  Of course there were stressful times, days where I wondered why it was my dream job, and moments where I wondered if I made a difference in the lives of those around me, but in the end I wouldn't have traded my experiences for anything.  

A coworker/friend of mine, Angela invited Ricky and I for dinner tonight at a local downtown restaurant. Upon arriving, she surprised us by inviting tons of our close friends and co workers to join us for a farewell dinner.  It was so relaxing and enjoyable, except that I was feeling crampy throughout the dinner.  I will not be surprised if the little boy makes his arrival before the weekend concludes.  

They presented me with a great gift of an inside joke photo from my time at MWSS-274 and all of the Family Readiness Officers at MCAS Cherry Point signed the matting.  Some of the comments were tear jerkers and as if I wasn't going to miss everyone enough, to read their genuine thoughts, it just made me even more sad to close this chapter behind me.    

Will I do this job again?  Time will tell.  For now I am going to try my hat on as a mom and see how the next several months go living in Springfield, VA.  I am not in any hurry to begin the job search but if I feel like I'd be a better mom, getting out of the house for a few hours a day, I will certainly pursue it when the time comes.  My goal at the moment is to stay home for 6 months and see how I feel at the end of this window.      

I have heard that I will fall in love with this little guy and going back to work will not even be a consideration...I won't be surprised if they're right. 

It's Raining Books

I was fortunate yet again to be showered or maybe it should be referred to as dowsed or down poured on, during a party thrown just for Ricky, Baby B and me.  We were blessed with the opportunity to see and visit with so many close friends and family that we do not have the opportunity of seeing very often due to us living in the south.  Several of the guests we hadn't seen since our wedding, almost 5 years ago! This in itself was such a great gift, not to mention seeing them during such a special and memorable time in our lives.  It meant a great deal to us that many of our family and friends traveled great distances, some as many as 5 hours round trip.  Those that were unable to make it, ensured that our gifts arrived in a timely manner at the shower for me to open and share with everyone.  It really was humbling to see how many people truly love and care about us.      

The shower invitation requested that guests bring a book instead of a card.  This was particularly wonderful because our little boy only had about 10 books prior to the shower, and since we'll be reading to him every day, 10 books could get really old.  The theme throughout the shower to include decorations, favors and food options all were illustrations of various children's books. 

We just could not get over how generous everyone was to us.  After the shower we inventoried everything, and we could not think of anything else that we could possibly need.  This little boy is one blessed and loved baby and he won't even know it.  The shower was absolutely incredible! It was apparent that every detail was closely selected and a lot of love and effort was set forth to ensure that this shower was amazing.  THANK YOU MOM, MRS. JAN and MRS. ANNETTE! 

Below are just a few photos from the perfect day!

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie cookie favors with chocolate chip cookies and Alice and Wonderland teacups tea light candles.

Hungry Caterpillar fruit platter- (the apple is the head)

Happy Parents-To-Be!

Best Grandfather in the world!                                 

Anita made Baby B an afghan. :)

Ricky the recorder.  Great job too, I might add.

All smiles. :)

My friend Kerry and me.   She used to live around the corner from us in New Bern.  She and I went through 2 deployments together as her husband and Ricky were in the same squadron.  It was great to see her!

Marian and I have been friends for 10 years! Roommates in college, sorority sisters, bridesmaids and best buds.  So glad she was there.    

My second cousins.  We haven't been together in years! :)

My Mom, Tucker, Mrs. Jan, and Mrs. Annette-the individuals that made the shower possible.

  

My Better Half Has Returned!

So I am sure that everyone has heard that Ricky "Rico" returned to NC on Tuesday (April 10th). Originally he was supposed to return in May causing this to be a 9 month deployment. I was ecstatic to learn that the unit relieving them would be heading out a month earlier so he would be returning in April. The countdown began in February when I learned of the news. The only trouble with countdowns is that the date of arrival seems to change a number of times before they actually land. This time it only changed once...from Monday to Tuesday. Below are some photos of the homecoming.

Ricky is flying the jet that is the second one from the left in both photos.

If you look closely you can see Ricky in the right seat flying in the plane.

The greatest feeling of all is getting that first hug and kiss...these were taken after he took off his gear which reeked of jet fuel. But I must say the follow on hugs and kisses were just as wonderful.

Heading home and it feels great! :)

Each time Ricky returns I always try to have his favorites at the house. This is easy since he loves everything! The trouble is, I ended up literally buying the grocery store and our pantry and refrigerator practically burst at the seams. The one request he always has always been pizza...specifically from Mario's, our local authentic New York pizza shop. He was also greeted at the hangar with a 12 pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer from our friend Ken-also a favorite of his.

Four hours after the wheels touched on NC soil, we were off to a doctor appointment for my 32.5 week check up at the doctor's office and Ricky's first baby appointment. Two hours later we had to attend a birthing class which lasted 3 hours. I must say I felt a little guilty but then again for the past 7+ months I have been going to doctor appointments by myself. Despite having a hard time staying awake in the class, I think Ricky really was happy to be there with me to experience the last 2 months of this pregnancy together.

I still cannot believe he's here and as usual deployments/homecomings go, we fall back into our old roles and responsibilities and its as if he never left. I am just so excited that this weekend's plans are to hang out and just enjoy being a couple again. I sure did miss him, but if you can believe it, I think I have fallen just a little more in love with him...and I thought it wasn't possible. ;)

The Shower's on Full Blast

The past two weekends have been simply amazing for me and I feel like words cannot express the gratitude I have for my amazing friends. I must tell you what an incredible experience, being a military spouse has been thus far. The military culture as a whole, is an interesting an unique cross section of society that tends to exist throughout all the world where ever military bases exist. The characteristics that I am referring to include loyalty, closeness, immediate understanding, kindness, openness, and the ability to walk in one another's shoes prior to judgement. The relationships that are formed between those in uniform and those in civilian attire, married to the ones in uniform are pretty similar but also have their own uniqueness. Those wearing the uniform often form a brotherhood or mentor/mentee relationship but both groups (spouses vs military) form relationships that most closely resembles a family. A family that does not judge, is quick to lend a hand and is supportive in all and every situations. The members of the family do not expect anything in return for their generosity and/or assistance, but are disappointed when they find out that help was needed and they were not notified. Its just an amazing part of our society to be a part of.

Why did I feel the need to go on such a tangent about military culture? The past two weekends I was thrown two AMAZING showers by some of the most beautiful women I have ever met(both inside and out). These women just happen to be military spouses. Of course women in the civilian world throw wonderful showers and are too, beautiful people, but the level of closeness I have for these ladies is like nothing I could ever describe. We have only known each other for 1-4 years, yet the amount of information and level of detail they know about me is as if we have known each other for 8+ years. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful ladies every day. They are the reason this lifestyle comes so natural to me and such a rewarding way of life.

Shower #1 consisted of primarily a guest list that included my work friends...my current co-workers, spouses of co-workers, and anyone else that may have come in contact with me during my time as a FRO with the Marine Corps. Everything from the light blue tissue poofs, brunch and foamy punch-It was delightful! My dear friend Samantha (who happens to be Ricky's Family Readiness Officer, our neighbor and close friend) threw the shower with my friend Angela (who is also a FRO). They both just go out of their way to make me feel loved and special. Samantha has been my rock during the deployment as she too has a deployed husband. I don't know what I would have done without her during Ricky's deployment.

Shower #2 consisted of my friends and family in the local area, ranging from other VMAQ-1spouses, church friends, friends I have met while living in NC and my two sister-in-laws and niece. Five close friends and Ricky's sister Cathy, collaborated efforts in a creative "Baseball Theme" shower. We are decorating the little man's room in vintage baseball using colors ofrustic navy, red and khaki with wooden baseballs, old gloves and vintage artwork so they made sure to help add to his room. My friend Jen (who used to live next to us) drew us a gorgeous picture of a glove, bat and ball which she had framed. It will go perfectly in his room,tying everything together. The shower was perfect and extremely detailed-I just loved everything!

Everyone was extremely generous to us during both showers and I just cannot believe the amount of love and kindness that is going to surround this little guy. He just doesn't know how blessed he is! We couldn't be happier with life and I hear its about to get a lot better! ;)

(32 weeks and counting!)

A dozen remaining

This weekend I hit the 28 week mark so we have 12 weeks left until we get to meet our sweet little boy. I have arrived at the third trimester and I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown. On Friday I had my glucose test which has been troublesome for several of my friends, requiring them to return a week later for the three hour blood test and all you care to drink flat orange soda. I was relieved to hear that my blood sugar count was 105 (it has to be under 130 to not require more tests). Everything has gone according to plan thus far and I couldn't be more blessed to have had an enjoyable pregnancy. Let's just hope that he continues to be an easy baby upon making his debut! My countdown for Ricky's return has begun...T- 29 days until I get to race onto the flight line and jump into the arms of my best friend and better half. ;)