New Year's Eve memories

This past new years was fairly uneventful.  Jeremy came down ill and spent most of the day in bed.  We all joined him early on, around 7 or 8 o'clock.  The New Year came around and we really didn't have anything of value to remember it by.  But this got me reflecting on past New Year Eves that were much more exciting, particularly, the last New Years Eve before Micah was born, New Years Eve of 2007.

I spent that New Year's Eve watching the New York ball drop on Tv while very pregnant with Micah who was due that day!  I knew then I was going to go late and my little Peanut would now be born in 2008.

The next day my sweet friend Nikki Wilcox, who was pregnant with her third boy and due two weeks later than me, rang me, or emailed me, can't quite remember which one to see if I was ok.  Nikki went past her due date with her first son Luke.  SO she knew I'd be disappointed.  She was right, I was!  Nikki was also a huge source of encouragement to me as I was about to have my 1st all natural birth.  She was about to have her third natural birth.  I mean natural as in NO DRUGS at all.  These midwives do not even have access to an epidural.

Two friends baby belly to baby belly. In front of our birthing centre, in Alexandria VA.  Nikki had a home birth, I had a birth centre birth right here. We both had totally natural births with wonderful midwives.  We both named our boys Micah.  Pretty special.

Yep, VERY pregnant!  This pic was taken December 11th, 2007.

Six days before my due date, on Christmas day 2007 Jeremy took me out to DC to see the national Christmas tree.  It was so refreshing to get out and enjoy alone time with my man.  It was also good to get my mind off my huge belly and when Peanut will come out!  It didn't help that he was a very active baby and continued to give me plenty of kicks.  This was probably our last date night, just the two of us before we became parents.

The National Christmas tree which stood in front of the White House.

Surrounding the National Christmas Tree were individual trees that represents each state.  Here is our Virginia State tree.

Me in front of the Capitol building.  My jacket barely fit anymore.

I love the reflection of the Capitol building in the water in this picture.

Me in front of the Washington Monument

Six days after my due date, I got Jeremy to take a pic of me in front of our tree.  I loved having the tree still up.  I enjoyed looking at the lights at night, and our special ornaments.  It really helped with the wait for Peanut to be born.

Still pregnant on January 6th, 2008.

On the 20th of December we thought it was the real thing.  So we went to the birth centre hoping to come home with a baby boy on our waiting carseat.  But it was a false alarm so the wait continued.  I was frustrated with the many false contractions I continued to have for the next 20 days till I gave birth.

The day before I went into labour, Jeremy drove us to Harpers Ferry in West Virginia.  Since we lived in Leesburg Virginia, it was only a half hour away.  During the last month of my pregnancy with Peanut, Jeremy would often take me for drives to get my mind off waiting for the birth on his days off. He would drive me around to look at beautiful fields of white blanketing snow, we looked at other people's Christmas lights, and country scenery.  We had many great chats. Sometimes Jeremy would just listen to me while I whinged about being tired of being pregnant. He would try to talk me out of being down, or just listen.  What a MAN!  I had a LOT of false contractions.

Our last outing before parenthood, two days before Micah was born. 

We spoke to a lovely couple on the small bus trip down to Harpers Ferry from the carpark.  Of course they asked 'when are you due?' the classic question asked to every mother, especially when she is in the third trimester.  I think as your belly grows their eyes grow bigger the bigger when they talk to you.  At least they did not say 'it looks like you are about to pop!'  How do you even answer that?  Anyway I told them I was due.  I was overdue.  But I did not mind this time, I was happy to be out with my man in an unusually warm day.  I think it got up to 80 degrees that day so we bust out the shorts.  Woohoo.

Maybe I could encourage Peanut to meet the world by walking, up the mighty hills of West Virginia!

The view from the top made the walk worthwhile. I was so out of breath!

That night I was pretty hungry.  My baby belly was a very convenient table.

I needed a good dinner as I went into early labour at midnight the next morning.  

 This post is to be continued when I finish up the story with Micah's birth.  So stay tuned!