Our Little Buddy

Mason's Story

Part 1

To understand this story completely, we are going to have to go back a little ways before July 18, 2010. About 9 months back. Things were going well for our little family. Our daughter Talia was about two and a half, and Brogan our son was 15 months. We were very content with our two little kids and we didn't think we were ready to get pregnant again for quite awhile. One day around that time I woke up feeling very sick, I thought I must have the flu, but my only symptom was nausea. I didn't think too much of it, and went on with my day, by the early afternoon I felt much better. I was relieved until I woke up the next morning feeling sick again, this lasted for a few days until I realized, uh oh, I must be pregnant. I was feeling sick, and irritable and very tired, all the normal pregnancy stuff. It was too early for a test, but I thought  I was an expert since it was my third pregnancy, so I told Craig, guess what, were pregnant! He was less than amused thinking I was joking, but I was convinced. Without going into too much detail, about a week and a half later I found out I wasn't pregnant. I thougth I would feel relieved since this isn't what "we had planned," but I felt very sad and disappointed. I called Craig to tell him what I thought he would take as good news only to find that he was sad too. When we realized how we felt, we realized it was probably time to have another baby. Well, that felling lasted about a week before life crept back in and we thought we were crazy for wanting another one so soon, but wouldn't you know it, it was already too late. Our baby was due July 30, 2010, and we couldn't have been more excited. My first doctors appointment was at 14 weeks, and much to my surprise we were able to find out what we were having, a little boy.

 As much as I hate to admit it, I don't remember too much else about the pregnancy. I am blessed with very easy pregnancies. I do remember feeling much more tired, but that was due to having two toddlers I was chasing around all the time. I was able to continue working, catering weddings up until about 7 1/2 months, feeling good the whole time. I have never been one who is very cautious about my pregnancies, I go about business as usual as if nothing is different, and I feel very blessed to be able to do that.  At every doctors appointment, things were right on track. The baby was growing good, and he was an extremely active baby with a very strong heartbeat.

 Craig and I never really decide what we are naming our children until after they are born, but we have discussions about names the whole pregnancy, and usually have a few picked out that we like about mid pregnancy. Not this one, he didn't like any of the names I liked and  I didn't like any of his. When I was about six months along, I had a dream. We were in church and it was the babies blessing day. I remember Craig being up there about to start the blessing, and me sitting in the chapel and being so nervous because  I had won and gotten the name I wanted, (I didn't know what the name was) and  I just knew Craig was gonna change it. I remember in my dream him saying the name Mason Craig Allen, and  in my dream I was relieved, he hadn't changed the name. The funny thing about that is that Mason wasn't even a name I was considering. From that point on, when people would ask what we were naming him, I would say, "we're thinking about Mason, but not sure yet." Eventually that name faded partly because Craig wasn't in love with it, and partly because I had decided I wanted another "B R" name to go along with Brogan. By the end of the pregnancy we had all but decided on naming him Brickman Russell, after his two grandpas. Well, we all know what we ended up naming him, but I 'll finish the details when I get a little further along in my story.

Towards the very end of the pregnancy, the "I can't get comfortable no matter what stage,"  I was spending a lot of time up at my grandparents cabin in Strawberry because it was cooler up there! I was supposed to be seeing the doctor every two weeks, but in July it was difficult to get in cause I was gone so much. I had seen the doctor mid June and didn't make it back until July 15th. On that day I remember feeling very annoyed that I was going to the doctor. I had the whole attitude of "this is my third, I don't need any more checkups, I'll let you know when the baby is coming." I still felt him moving all the time, and  I could tell he was starting to "drop" so I knew he would be coming soon. I walked into the office, greeted my doctor, and layed on the table so the doctor could check for the heart beat. He found it right away. It was strong, 143 ( I think) After that he asked how I was feeling, I said "good," he said, "everything looks great, and  I'll see you in a week."  I was relieved to get out of there so quickly. Little did I know that that would be the last time I ever heard my babies heart beating...

A little advice...
I don't feel like I have "regrets" but if I could do it all over again  I would do some things differently, so to all the mothers to be out there...

Take pictures! I know it's hard, and the nine months of pregnancy aren't the most flattering months, but what I wouldn't give for pictures of me (and Mason) through all the stages of pregnancy. I have some, but not nearly enough. I didn't know that that would be the only time I would get to see Mason growing.

I know it's hard, but love your pregnancy. Especially in the end  I know it can be hard to not complain about how uncomfortable it is, and how tired you are, trust me, I did my fare share of complaining! But try to enjoy every moment, I wish  I would have done that. Most everyone will have more moments to enjoy with your baby, but what if you don't? I wish I would have cherished that time we had together, rather than looking forward to the day it would be over. I know am extremely blessed to have easy pregnancies, and some of you are probably thinking I don't know what I'm talking about, but I would take the hardest pregnancy imaginable if it meant  I got to take my baby home with me. And I know there are women who would take all the sickness, tired achy muscles, and sleeplessness, if it meant they could just get pregnant. So please, be sensitive, you never know what trial someone else is facing.

OK, I'll get down off my soap box, I don't mean to offend so I hope no one takes it that way, but this is my blog, and  I'm just saying how I feel.