Finnegan's 1st Birthday!

Finnegan's Fish Birthday Cake! (so much fun to make)

Finn Opening His Presents!

I can't believe that today Finnegan turned one! This past year has simply flown by! As I looked at him today I couldn't help but remember just whhat was happening this day exactly one year ago...so bare with me as I reminence!
Due to the fact that Finnegan wasn't growing as well as he should have been during my pregnancy, and the fact that I was so sick that I only gained 14 lbs. during the pregnancy, we were induced two weeks early. Eric and I went to the hospital at 8:00 in the morning and got hooked up to all the monitors and a nice I.V. full of Pitocin. By 9:00 the contractions were pretty painful, but bearable. Eric read...I watched t.v., and we made calls to friends and family. The hours dragged by and Lisa came to sit with me, and tease me about the strength of the contractions saying, "Oh-that looks like a really painful one...GOOD!" (She's lucky the I.V. line kept me tied to the bed!) :) Finally at 4:30 I was almost 5 cm and my midwife decided to break my water. That's when I requested my epidural. I am a firm believer in the whole pain relief thing! Well, at 7:00 I was fully dialated and ready to push, but oops-the epidural had worn off...and I mean COMPLETELY OFF! I had to deliver with NO PAIN RELIEF! I don't think that it would have been so bad if I had been prepared for it, but with the other three I was blessedly unaware of the pain.
Well, at 7:33 I finally delivered. Usually the doctor lays the baby right on your chest, but they couldn't. The umbilical cord was really, REALLY short. After they cut it and we were all cleaned up they had nursing students and other nurses come in to see the cord. I didn't know what the big deal was, but the cord was only 10 inches long...extreemly short. We think that this was part of the reason he had growth problems in utero.
We looked at him, a tiny 5 1/2 lbs. of red wrinkled baby and I thought "Wow, he looks like an irate leprachaun." Thus we picked the one Irish name that we liked...Finnegan, or Finn for short. His middle name is Richard after my little brother. For weeks we had people ask us if that was his real name, but now his name and his personality are a perfect match.
We are so very blessed to add this special little soul into our family. He makes everyone around him smile and laugh. I must have done something really great to have earned the wonderful family that Eric and I have created. So, on this day, the 21st of February, I wish my youngest child a very Happy Birthday! I love you Boo!