Happy Birthday Macy! December 29, 2010

Today Macy turned 1. Although we had her party two days ago, and I am pretty partied out (and so is she) today felt really special. All day long I was thinking, "Our baby is ONE." I was remembering a year ago today, and how incredible Macy's birth was. My mom always told us our birth stories on our birthday. It would usually be at the dinner table and we would hear what time we were born, what her and dad said after they saw us, what we looked like, how special that day was... I knew the story was coming each year and I really liked hearing it and still do, but today I understood a little better why my mom does that.

You just don't ever get sick of telling the story! The finding out, the waiting, the anticipation, the anxiety, the fears, the pain, the absolute MIRACLE of it all! Makes me cry to remember it. Macy was so wanted and loved from the second we found out we were having her, and that it would be a girl and then met her. Gabe and I would do anything for our precious daughter and it's such a gift from God to have her in our lives to love and enjoy. I can't believe how much joy this year has brought us with Macy here. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me, becoming a mom, it's my dream come true.

I will never forget the day Macy was born and how incredible it was... This is the e-mail I sent out about a week after she was born recapping the day and plan on making Macy hear this every year in "remembrance." :) Hope you enjoy.

Hello everyone!

Most (all) of you have already heard but just in case...

Macy Megan Gustafson was born 12/29/09!!!!!!! She weighed 8 lbs 7 oz and was 20 and 1/2 inches long.

Here's the short version of the story. I had been having contractions for about 3 days, mostly at night, but they were never close together and would taper off in the morning. Monday night I went to bed early and kept waking up every hour to go to the bathroom (nothing unusual about that at 9 months pregnant) but having horrible contractions. Every time I went to time them, it was 17 min apart, then 9, 12, 24... I just kept telling myself this isn't it...this isn't it... and fell back asleep until another would wake me up.

So I lasted until 6AM when Gabe came upstairs to check on me. (He had worked the day before, was a nervous wreck that I would go into labor any second and had stayed up the whole night worked up and worried). He told me he was ready to sleep and I said, "NO! You have to take me to the Dr! I can't stand this!" He asked if we could at least stop for coffee on the way and I say yes, sure, whatever! So I shower and Gabe runs around the house like a chicken with his head cut off getting the whole car packed and we had EVERYTHING, I'm talking the birthing ball, a comfort bag I'd repacked at least 4 times with a hand-held fan, new socks, massager... He even unhooked the ihome so I would have access to the playlist I'd spent days compiling. I get in the car and Gabe says he forgot a belt and has to feed the cat and I'm literally frozen with the car door open having a contraction. I was clutching the door freezing to death and couldn't move!!! Needless to say, I re-nigged on the coffee offer and told him I had to get to the hospital NOW and please don't hit any bumps! We got to the hospital at 7AM, just in time for a nurse shift change and they took us back to triage. I didn't have a contraction for about 20 minutes and was praying they would believe me that I was even having any!!!

The nurse asked me what my pain was on a 1-10 scale and at the same time she said, "Like a 4?" I blurt, "SEVEN! VERY SEVERE!" My poor husband was thinking, this is going to be a loooong day if my wife thinks she's at a 7 on pain and maybe not even in labor! They finally checked me after I'd had two contractions, about 7:45, and the nurse says, "My dear, you are dilated to an eight." I sit up, shout, "EIGHT!" and start doing a dance telling Gabe to get my mom in there!~~~~ He calmly says to me, "Honey, this is going to be a long day. I want you to be like this (motioning a flat line with his hand) and right now, you're like this." (motioned up and down up and down). He then says, "We don't even know what an eight MEANS!" I'm like, "I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS! IT MEANS I'M ALMOST DONE WITH THIS!!!!!" Still so excited they weren't going to send me home! So I walk out to the waiting room and tell my mom I'm at an eight and she did the little dance I was expecting Gabe to do and we all went back. I was admitted about 8AM and was dilated to 9 shortly after. It wasn't long before I was pushing and had Macy at 9:39AM. There wasn't time for a cone-head, any drugs or even unpacking the car!!!!!!! Gabe was a WONDERFUL coach, my Mom got to see the whole thing and even got Macy's first 2 minutes of life on video. I am over the moon in love with her, and Gabe. Mom stayed with us for 5 days and left yesterday afternoon. Gabe and I are really enjoying settling back into "normal" life and figuring out this parenting thing. I feel great and wanted to share our amazing week with you all. Happy New Year!

Love,

Molly