Welcoming Zavier!

My son, Zavier Alexander, was born at 11:20 am on Monday, March 10, 2014. After 41 weeks of pregnancy, he arrived happy and healthy weighing 7 lbs. 12 oz. and at 23" in length. He is a lot of work, but he is indeed my pride and joy!

Let me tell you this: Zavier was not a planned pregnancy. His father and I had only been dating a few short months when I found out that I was pregnant via grocery store test. It was even more of a shock having had taken the Plan B contraceptive pill and being on other birth control medication. Yet, baby boy still ended up gracing our presence, so I know that he is meant to be here and will do amazing things in this world!

May I also tell you that pregnancy was NOT my thing. I was not the type of person whose biological clock was ticking. I didn't need to have children (at least not yet) and I was content in my little apartment, traveling the world on teacher grants while dating back at home. Thus, carrying a child was a bit daunting for me. It drove me crazy to hear people say, "I loved being pregnant," and began to understand even less the women who said that they were "trying." I was trying not to. And all of the "perks" that went along with being pregnant did not become me easily. For example, I had a full blown period for the first trimester which landed me in the ER at 12 weeks. Morning sickness became me, my feet did indeed swell, I was always tired, could mostly stomach only fruit so became iron deficient and carried my son an extra week while working until my due date during one of the snowiest winters in 15 years...So, no. Pregnancy was not my thing.

Labor, though, was a different story. I managed to stay at home until I was almost 7 cm. dilated, mostly because my pain didn't seem that severe. In my opinion I was merely having bad cramps that came on frequently- nothing different that what I'd experienced during my adolescent years once per month. In fact, my boyfriend didn't even realize how far along I was until I my wailing every 2 minutes sent him into a mad dash across the apartment to get us to the hospital. I received my epidural immediately upon reaching the room. I didn't feel nay a contraction afterward, and pushed baby boy out at the command of the doctor's view of the monitor. Beautiful, beautiful 6 hour labor...but the only reason I would do that pregnancy again is for THIS baby boy who obviously has a purpose on this Earth. I may just be a "one (kid) and done" chick if I can get the birth control thing right this time...and I will.