Gratituesday~Happy Birthday Ben!!!

Today my precious baby boy is 1 year old. I am not exaggerating when I say that this has been the fastest year of my life! I have been so richly blessed with 3 beautiful children! Thinking back to 1 year ago today, I still can't believe how Ben decided to make his 'grand entrance' into this world. 1 year ago today, I got to experience what a completely natural child-birth feels like; I got my first ride in an ambulance; and I fell in love. All before 7 am. While I was pregnant with Ben, I had such an ideal scenario of his birth in my mind...I never would have imagined the chaotic climax to our story. It was quite a story. At around 5 am that morning, I woke up feeling very uncomfortable. I was having contractions, but I figured if I really was in labor, this was just the beginning. I thought I should try to get some sleep. For about 30-45 minutes I tried to sleep, but finally I decided to wake up Brian and ask him to help me time the contractions. They were about 8 minutes apart at that point. Brian got up and started getting his stuff together and calling/emailing his office to let them know he would not be coming in. I got up and got in the bathtub to try and help me feel better. I really didn't feel like being alone, though, so I got out of the bath and went to sit in the office with Brian while he wrote emails and made phone calls. He called The Birth Center and spoke to the midwife who said we should meet her in an hour. He also called my parents to tell them to come on over to be there with Hadley and Avery. While he was making phone calls, I tried to get up off of the futon in the office to go get dressed. I really struggled to get up and I began to realize I was going to have a baby soon! I went to my bedroom to get dressed, but the contractions suddenly were so intense and close together, I could barely get a break between them to get my clothes on. During this time, my parents arrived and my water broke. Brian called the midwife back and she told him to lay me down in the van and drive to the birth center as fast as he could. Brian and my dad began trying to get me to the van, but I did not feel like I could walk that far...and I knew if I got in the van, I would have the baby on the way to Gainesville...that is NOT what I wanted to do! They got me as far as the front porch before I begged them to call 911. Brian was on the phone with the midwife and when she heard the panic in my voice, she told him to get my back inside and to prepare for the baby to be born. My dad called 911 and I made it as far as the foot-end of our bed before I collapsed. Brian sent my mom to get towels, but before she could make it to the linin closet and back, Benjamin Brian Woodall was born at 6:57 am...I know the exact time because I was staring at the clock when he was born! Brian had the unique opportunity of delivering him. We wrapped him in blankets and towels and I held him close to me until the paramedics arrived. They checked him out and suctioned his nose and mouth. They cut his umbilical cord and cleaned him up a little. Brian was on cloud 9...he was definitley on an adrenaline high. The paramedics loaded me onto a stretcher and took me and baby Ben, along with Brian to the hospital. I am so thankful Ben was not born with any problems. I am thankful that Brian got the opportunity to deliver his son. I am so very grateful for my precious little son.

The Bradford Telegraph ran a story on Ben's unusual birth...to see the story, click here


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