A Year Ago

A shout out to baby girl Noelle Ernstberger on her first birthday yesterday!  I cannot believe that she is a year old.  How fast the time flies.  Happy Birthday Noelle!  You are such a beautiful little girl!

As I read Ashley's blog the other day (for those of you who don't know, Ashley is a college friend/roommate/sorority sister and she is one of the funniest people that you would ever meet) I reflected back on a year ago.  She was induced and I remember talking to Nate about how crazy it would be to know that in a day you were going to be a parent.  That your life was going to be changed forever.  That the biggest, most important day of your life was going to be that following day.  I couldn't imagine what that would feel like. 

Of course, at this point I was pregnant as well and I had no idea that in a little over six months I would find out exactly what it would feel like.  How wonderful, overwhelming, and completely terrifying that feeling was.  The night before you KNOW you're going into labor is one of the most fascinating days because every emotion that is out there you feel.  Concern for your baby, excitement to be a Mom (or Dad!), anticipation for who that baby is going to look like, fear over him not having any hair (yes, that was my first question once the head was visible...don't judge).  Will I be able to breastfeed?  Will he have my nose?  Will I be a good parent?  Wait, I'm just a child myself!  How am I supposed to raise one?  And most importantly, will he be healthy?  Can I bring him up to be a good, decent man?  Will he ever know just how much I love him?

I have recently been working on an entry that tells about the day Cooper was born.  I read a friend's blog and she did this, and it made me realize that most people don't know the entire story of his birth.  And while it wasn't terribly eventful (thankfully!) it's still something that I'd like to share with my friends and family.  It's taking me a while to write it as it was a long day and I'm a bit chatty, but I will get it done and I hope that you all enjoy it.