Grayson's BIRTH day!

I have been meaning to post Grayson's birth story for ummm... the last month and it just hasn't happened yet!  Sooo here we go...!

My due date, January 29, came and went all too quickly and I was still pregnant.  Four days later (Tuesday, February 2) we were scheduled to be induced.  Although it is an old wives' tale that full moons cause women to go into labor, I am a firm believer.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday night were all full moons.  Each of those nights I had strong contractions about 15 minutes apart.  They taught us in our birth classes to wait until contractions are 5 minutes apart for 1 hour before going to the hospital or they might just send you home. 

Each night Casey and I decided to get in bed early, trying to get as much sleep as possible in case it was "the night" that I went into labor.  We'd be full of anticipation only to wake up the next morning with the contractions slowed to every 45 minutes.  By my appointment Monday morning I was convinced Grayson was never going to come out and we were just going to be induced to give him a little help the next morning.  I'd been dialated 2 cm for 4 weeks and made little to no progress during that time.  By my appointment Monday morning I surprisingly progressed to 3 cm (must have been all those full moon contractions!) but I was still sure nothing was going to happen before 5:30 am.

Casey and I went to dinner with his family Monday night to celebrate our new family member coming the next day.  During dinner I started having really strong contractions but didn't time them or think much of it since I'd had them the past 3 nights. 

Casey and I went to bed really early in anticipation of Grayson's birth day the following day.  We both struggled a little bit following asleep due to the excitement of meeting our sweet son. 

Starting about 12:30 am I timed my contractions at 5 minutes apart.  I decided to wait and see if I could make it to 5:30 since we were planning to go to the hospital then anyway.  Needless to say, as soon as I began dozing off another contraction would start so I was left timing my contractions as Casey snoozed. 

He finally woke up about 2:30 am and I immediately asked him if my Lamaze breathing, tossing and turning were keeping him awake.  He quickly responded with a firm "NO" and rolled over back to dream land.  Not a minute later another contraction coupled with intense breathing began.  Casey turned and asked, "why are you breathing like that?"  Umm did we go to the same birthing class where we learned this technique? :)  I told him "I think this is it!  I have been having intense contractions every 5 minutes apart for the past 2 hours!"  He then suggested I take a shower in case we needed to head up to the hospital.  I did just that and quickly noticed the contractions were much more bearable standing or sitting up as opposed to laying down.

Casey was still sound asleep when I was finished showering, so I decided I would just get ready and let him rest as much as possible since he worked on Monday and we were sure to have a long day ahead.  Two hours later I heard his alarm and he hopped out of bed, ready to meet his son.  We loaded our bags into the car and were off to the hospital around 5 am, eager to meet our little angel.

Apparently full moons really do put women into labor because the labor floor was CRAZY when we got there!  Thankfully I had a scheduled induction and was able to get a room.  There was another lady who was scheduled for an induction but had to wait in the waiting room because all the labor & delivery rooms were occupied with women in labor!  Crazy! 

Anyway, I told the nurse when we got there I thought I'd been in labor since about 12:30 am as my contractions were pretty strong and 5 minutes apart.  She said, "oh, that's great!", put us in our room and told me to change into my robe and she'd be back.  Two hours passed where Casey and I wondered what we were supposed to be doing because nobody came to check on us and we were just hanging out in the room.  We spent time praying, reading, taking pictures and talking.  It was such a sweet time for us to prepare our hearts as best we could for the blessing we were about to receive. 

A nurse finally came in around 7:30 am to get things started.  I answered an endless list of questions, she hooked me up to a fetal and heart rate monitor and started an IV.  Around 8 am she checked my cervix before having the anethesiologist come in to begin the pitocin and get my labor "started".  Mind you, I had been in labor for close to 8 hours at this point. :) 

She checked my cervix and her immediate response was "OH MY GOSH!!".  Umm, not exactly what I was expecting to hear her say so I asked her if that was a good OH MY GOSH or a bad OH MY GOSH!  She then said, "you are dialated 7 cm!!  You are about to have this baby, we are not going to induce you!".  Casey and I were both so shocked and so excited!  He immediately began calling our families to tell them they might want to come up to the hospital sooner than we expected. 

My doctor came by about that time to break my water as he thought they induced me 3 hours earlier.  When the nurse told him the situation he graciously decided to wait until I'd recieved my epidural for fear I'd have the baby without it if he went ahead and broke my water.  THANK GOODNESS!  That epidural is such an amaaaaazing thing.  I highly recommend it. :)

Well, I continued to progress very quickly and the time came to begin pushing.  Grayson was stuck under my pubic bone, so I pushed for about 1.5 hours with little progress.  Once he was born we discovered the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, so each time I pushed his heart rate dropped drastically.  Since he was in the birth canal for so long I began swelling really bad.  The nurse decided to call in my doctor to help out with the delivery since we were starting to run into complications.  He came in and quickly decided to use forceps to help Grayson out.  About 3 pushes later and I heard the greatest sound I have ever heard in my life. 

There is truly nothing like hearing your baby's precious cry for the first time.  Oh my word, I really cannot put into words the feeling of the first instant seeing, touching, kissing and hearing your baby.  It is really an out of body experience.  Casey and I were rendered speechless with tears of joy streaming down our faces.  Time stood still for an instant as we praised God for trusting us with this most precious child.  We still daily comment how we can't believe He trusted us with Grayson, His child.  What did we ever do to deserve such an incredible gift?  Of course, nothing.  It is by His grace alone he has continued to bless us.  And we are forever and ever thankful.  We love our sweet baby boy with all that we are and had absolutely no idea how full of love our hearts could be.  Oh, thank you Lord for giving us a tiny glimpse of your love for us.

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the LORD is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."  Psalm 100:1-5

P.S.

... does that countdown REALLY say only 8 days to go???   Oh my word I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!!!!  We moved our induction date to February 2, one week later, so Grayson will have his full 40 weeks to decide to come on his own. :)  I can't wait to post a picture of his sweet face!!!!

3PM

Casey and I are involved with a great group of young married couples at our church.  We meet twice a month on Sunday nights and discuss the gospel and life. 

When we first found out we would be moving back to Midland after graduating from Tech, we were excited but not sure what our life here would look like.  Sure, we knew people from our childhood but we didn't know a lot of people our age who lived in Midland.  I was initially apprehensive and a little nervous about moving back.

We immediately got involved with our church, Stonegate Fellowship, and haven't looked back since.  My orthodontist, Dr. Henry, was a leader in our new members class and invited us to their COM group.  Not knowing a single person in the group, we went eager to make friends.  From that very first night we visited their group we have had the most encouraging, loving, incredible friends.  They all made us feel so welcome and as if we had been there all along.  Casey and I were in awe of their hospitality and open arms.  We jumped right into the group and have been so blessed by the friendships we've made there.

When we joined the group, most everyone had an infant or was expecting their first child.  Casey and I were far from starting a family of our own but it made no difference in our friendships.  Slowly other couples began joining the group who were about our age without children.  We began to notice after ever COM function the couples without kids were the only ones left hanging around.  This is where the No Kids Club began.

There were five couples about the same age with the same plan to begin a family - at least a couple years away.  We began getting together regularly and kicked off our "club" with a trip over Memorial Day weekend to Fredericksburg to float the river.  Much to our surprise, Casey and I found out the DAY BEFORE we left on our four day rendezvous that we were expecting Grayson.  We decided to wait to tell this HUGE news and went on the No Kids Club trip anyway.  As you can imagine, the theme of the weekend was all about NO KIDS.  Ha!  It was so fitting that we saw this guy while stopped at a gas station.  This instantly became the motto of the No Kids Club! 

Fast forward two months. We revealed to the No Kids Club that a couple had broken the ONE rule of the NKC... NO KIDS!  They couldn't believe it, but had the most incredible response that Casey and I will never forget.  They all simultaneously agreed to PRAY for us and our baby every day at 3PM from the day they heard the news.  WOW.  Casey and I were so floored by their goodness and thoughtfulness to daily intercede on our behalf.  What an incredible group of friends.

We have felt the power of God through prayer throughout this entire pregnancy.  He has been so good to us and we are so very humbled and thankful.  We know we are surrounded by an incredible support system and are so so thankful for our friends and family who have been and continue to lift us up in prayer.  We definitely feel God's power and thank you for praying for us.  He is so good!!

So all that being said, 3PM has been such a special time for us to lift up our sweet baby Grayson daily.  My good friend Sommer (who is responsible for our smooth transition to our COM group and Midland!) sent me this prayer at the beginning of my pregnancy.  I love that these are PROMISES to us from the gospel.  I am praying these verses over Grayson as we wait eagerly to meet him sometime in the next few days. :)

Acts 19:20.....I thank you Father that Your Word prevails over Grayson,
Isa 54:13.......that he is taught of the Lord and will continue to be
Prov 13:1......the fruit of godly instruction and correction.
Prov 2:6........Father, give Casey and I counsel and wisdom in bringing up Grayson.
1Pet 1:14......I pray that he is obedient, not conforming to the things of the flesh,
1Pet 1:15......but holy in all conduct,
1Pet 2:2........desiring the pure milk of the Word that he may grow.
Jas 1:19........That he is swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.
Heb 13:5.......That his conduct is without covetousness,
Heb 13:5.......and he is content with what he has.
Heb 13:16.....May he not forget to do what is right and to share.
2Pet 3:18......I pray that Grayson grows in the grace and knowledge of our Lord,
1Thes 4:1......and abound more and more in how he should walk and please You.
1Pet 5:5........That he may submit to his elders, and to one another,
1Pet 5:5........being clothed with humility.
1Pet 5:7........That he will cast his cares upon You, Father, for You care for him.
Jas 1:22........I pray that he becomes a doer of the Word, and not hearer only,
Ps 1:6...........effectively sharing his faith,
2Tim 1:7.......not having a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline.
2Tim 1:9.......Father, You have saved Grayson and called him with a holy calling,
2Tim 1:9.......not according to works, but according to Your own purpose.
2Tim 4:18.....Deliver him from every evil work and preserve him.
1Jn 5:18........Because Your protection keeps him safe, I pray that the wicked one does not touch him.
Ps 91:11.......Give Your angels special charge to accompany, defend, preserve
Ps 4:8...........and provide safety for Grayson day and night.
1Jn 2:5..........Because he will keep Your Word, Your love is being perfected in him.
1Jn 2:15........I pray that he does not love the world or the thinkgs in the world,
3Jn 1:11........and that he does not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
1Jn 1:7..........I pray that he walks in the light as You are in the Light,
Jas 4:8..........cleansing his hands and purifying his heart.
2Tim 2:22.....May Grayson follow after righteousness, faith, love and peace.
Heb 13:18....May he have a good conscience and desire to live honorably,
Prov 3:4........having favor and high esteem with God and man.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

TWO WEEKS from today we will be holding our precious baby boy in our arms, Lord willing!!!!! 

I had my 37 week check up yesterday and everything looked great!  I am dialated 2 cm and 25% effaced.  Grayson has dropped and is getting ready to make his way into the world!  We are absolutely THRILLED and cannot wait to greet him!!  So for now we are just waiting...

He could pretty much be here any day, but we decided to set a date to induce.  It has been a really difficult decision for Casey and me to make.  We are continuing to pray for discernment in our decision.  I would love for Grayson to come on his own and he very well could!  We set the induction date for January 26, exactly two weeks from today.  It is so exciting thinking he will for sure be here in two weeks, but then again I worry if this is the right decision.  I don't feel entitled to decide his birth day!  I know there are both advantages and disadvantages to being induced and SO MANY people do it.  I'm not worried about the safety or anything at all, I just want Grayson to come when he's ready.  Anyone have any advice either way?? 

This new momma is going to need LOTS of help.  :)

Baby Shower & Revealing Baby Z's Name!

Just before Christmas a few of my friends and Casey's mom's friends hosted a BEAUTIFUL baby shower for us.  We have been completely humbled by the generosity, love and support of each of you, our family and friends.  What a blessing to have friends and family to share our joy and excitement of expecting new life with.  We cannot adequately express our deepest gratitude, appreciation and thanks for all you have done for us to make this time so special!  We love you all!! 

Casey and I eagerly anticipated this day for a long time.  We decided on Baby Z's name in October but decided to keep it to ourselves for a while.  We spent time praying over his name and asked God for discernment while deciding before making the announcement.  He was sure to answer our prayers and gave us confirmation and peace over his name.  We were so excited about it and couldn't wait to reveal the name at the shower!  We shared his initials, JGZ, and had all the guests guess his name when they arrived.

Every last detail was so thoughtfully planned and the shower was just absolutely gorgeous! 

These cookies could be the death of me.  I think I probably ate almost every one of them. :) YUM!

Thank you sweet friends for coming and showering us with your love and generosity!!

Once everyone made their best guess at Baby Z's name, I made the announcement.  I read all the guesses aloud and loved seeing what everyone thought his name was.  The most popular guesses were James, Garrett and Gage.  I brought wooden letters that spelled out his name and we scrambled them up on the piano.  While I was reading the guesses out loud, some listened and others tried to unscramble the letters to reveal his name!

My sweet friend Meagan guessed James Grayson, the closest guess!  She's the ONLY person to guess Grayson the entire time we kept his name secret! 

John Grayson Zachry is his name.  He is named John after his daddy (Casey John), who was named after his great-grandpa.  My great-grandpa was also named John, and Casey and I both grew up hearing stories from our dads of what incredible men they were and the great memories they had of them.  We loved the meaning of John, "God is gracious," and felt it was fitting to name our son after the men who have had such a great influence on our families and helped shape them into what they are today.  From the time we found out we were pregnant and started brainstorming names we loved the name Grayson.  Of course, we read the entire book of 100,000 baby names to make sure there wasn't one we liked more, but had such peace after asking the Lord to show us his name.  Hopefully it won't cause too much confusion as he will go by his middle name, Grayson. :)

You would have thought Casey died and went to heaven when he saw we recieved this stuffed deer mount as a gift.  He wasn't so much concerned about a car seat, stroller, crib, etc. but he HAD TO HAVE this deer for the nursery! :)  Oh I love my precious hubby to pieces!!

My sweet friend Wynne was out of town the weekend of our shower throwing yet ANOTHER shower for a friend in Waco and running in yet ANOTHER marathon with her family in Dallas!  We were both so sad she couldn't be there as we were so anxious for the name reveal!  I think she was more excited than anyone to find out. :)  She was so sweet and sent these precious socks and card to the shower.  I LOVE these and have heard they're the best socks for babies!!  Can't wait to put them on Grayson's sweet little feet! :)