I didn't find out I was pregnant with Aldon until I was about 2 months along. I was living with my sister at the time- she is in the Army and was working out of Detroit while I was 2 hours away in Hastings with her 3 kids (aged 2, 3 and 4!). With how busy I was, I really had no idea anything was off until I went to the doctor's for an ear ache and, of course, they ask all the questions and then it dawned on me. Needless to say, after peeing on several sticks just to make sure I wasn't crazy, I was pregnant. Keegan was there with me when we took the test. He really is the greatest ever, most 20 year olds wouldn't be able to handle all of that so calmly (I know I wasn't!). We hadn't been dating that long (as in, just a few shorts months. At first I wasn't looking for anything too serious right away, I just ended a long term relationship and was sort of seeing someone my sister knew from the Army, but that didn't work out) we knew there was no doubt that the baby would be with us forever.
Meanwhile, my sister decided to move her family closer to Detroit. So, me in all my newly pregnant glory packed up and moved even father away from Keegan. While we were living there I had my first baby doctor appointment and saw our little sprout baby (I hate when people refer to babies in the tummy as "it." Since we didn't know boy or girl, he became Sprout baby :)). Truly a crazy thing! I wasn't one of those saps who cried, but it definitely was something.
So time went on and I got bigger and bigger ;) In May we found out that we were having a boy. I planned on not finding out so the tech told Keegan the sex and then kept it a secret from me. Of course, 5 minutes later I begged him to tell me. Right away I knew I would name him Aldon, it's a name I've always loved because it was different but not weird. Also, one of my distant cousins has a son named Aldan (though they pronounce it differently than we do) so I kind of stole it. Keegan gave him the middle name Matthew after his father.
I gained about 40 pounds during my pregnancy. I was so sure I was going to have a huge chunky baby. But, instead, on October 29 I had a tiny tiny tiny 5 lb, 12 oz little boy :) I had to be induced because my blood pressure started going up and was in active labor for about 9 hours. I loved it. My whole family came down to BR and so did Keegan's and we were just hanging out, waiting. Funny (but maybe TMI) moment: the doctor had to break my water, and I was not aware that every time I had contractions after that, more fluid would gush out. For a good hour I was thinking I was constantly peeing myself. It felt just like it! haha. Then, the doctor did a check to see how things were going... and felt my son's nose. Needless to say, that isn't supposed to happen and I was sent straight to surgery to have a C-section. I despised the thought of having a C-section. I had such an easy pregnancy so I figured labor would be a breeze too and nothing would go wrong. Wrong. I had such a hard time accepting it. I never really talked about it cause then people give you the "Oh, you should just be happy you have a healthy baby" speech. Bullshit. Of course I'm happy my baby is healthy, but when you have such high hopes for something for sooo long and then it works out the exact opposite, I believe you're entitled to a pity party.
Recovery was killer for the first 2 weeks. I definitely pushed myself wayyy too hard (what else is new). I was so upset that I wasn't technically the first person to hold my baby, plus the crazy hormones that I cried a ton. In private. Then there were times I could cry for no reason and be laughing at my stupid self for crying and I think poor Keegan was probably afraid of me at this point :P I also beat myself up a lot because that first week the highlight of my day was getting out of bed, therefore I couldn't help much with a new baby. Kinda felt like I missed out.
Moving on, though. Aldon never cried. We thought we hit the baby lottery! It's amazing I even showed up for class or got the stellar grades I did because every second was spent with him. He probably got so sick of me but he can deal with it, I waited ten months to see him :) Even from birth he has been the perfect combination of Keegan and I. It's not like looking in a mirror like people say, but it is really cool to look at your baby and see yourself and your partner. He has my eyes (though his are still blue), and my nose when I was a baby. The structure of his face is like his father's though. And the facial expressions he makes perfectly match his dad's baby pictures. My favorite part: his toes :) He has the cutest, tiniest most perfect baby toes. I know that's such a weird thing to fixate on, but I love them :)
We get, I don't know the exact word for it I guess, discriminated? well, that's close. We get discriminated against a lot for being young parents. Every trip to the pediatrician's comes with some remark from the nurses about how young we are and how surprised they are at his health and development and that we're "actually" good parents. Or that I "actually" breastfeed. Uh duh, he's my son and regardless of my age I'm going to do everything I can to make his life the best. I knew I was going to face hurdles like that, so while it kinda stings for the most part it just rolls off. At the end of the day, I still have the world's cutest baby and they don't :P
He's grown so much now. Probably around 14 or 15 pounds by now and over 2 feet long. It's so amazing to watch him. Everything fascinates him! Just the other day he was staring at my face while we were playing and reached out to grab my nose. When he touched it he squealed so loud and got the biggest grin on his face :) He's starting to understand that the things he does have an affect on the world- like when he "talks" Keegan and I talk back and he can get a reaction out of us. Or, how when he pulls the cat's fur the cat meows ;) His personality is totally his own. Yet it's also traits of ours.
I've always been a worrier, but now it's extreme. I know I can't shelter him, but the thought of him getting knocked down on the playground or missing me while he's at daycare drives me crazy. I suppose it's a "mom" thing...
I can't imagine not having him. He fits in so perfectly and is our entire world. "The best thing that could have happened to me" doesn't even begin to cover how it feels to have a baby. I love him so much I don't think I can have another. I miss pregnancy at times, but I don't wanna share my love with another baby. I swear there can't be enough in the world after all I've given to him :)
My little cutie patootie just woke up from his (short-lived) nap, so I'll end this novel with a thought:
A new baby is like the beginning of all things- wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. --Eda J. Le Shan
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