Braxton Cole Glaze

The story of Braxton....

Braxton was conceived on Jeremy's surprise 30th birthday party in Vegas, so you know that saying"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...." Yeah well what happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas for us!!!! We could not be more excited that the conception of our 1st child happened in one of our favorite places much less the weekend of both mine & Jeremy's bday! So what else can I say except we have a crazy now 17 month old who we adore more than anything in the universe!!!!

My pregnancy was very good, might I say even easy. I was that woman who was scared to death of being pregnant but always wanted kids I just did not want to go through "the being pregnant part." People always told me I was silly for thinking that way and now I know they were right it was not that big a deal. I know it was God who helped me/us through the pregnancy because it really did go all too well. Jeremy said on many occasions that I was a champ; that if I didn't have a belly(among other things but we ill not mention) you would have not known I was pregnant. We did have a hi-cup or two along the way which in the end was made out to be nothing more than a good scare. At 12 weeks when my blood work was taken I found out that I am a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis ( a very serious disease which normally leads to an early death due to undeveloped lungs and many respiratory problems) this was the first time that I was made aware of this and now we had to go to a genetic specialist to have Jeremy tested and for counseling..... First let me clarify something, I am only a carrier I am not sick, but the issue at hand was that if Jeremy was also a carrier than Braxton would have the disease. Thank the good Lord above that Jeremy's test was negative, so all is well. I do want to say, if you have or if you do visit one of these specialist in the future my opinion is that they go about it all wrong. They counseled us first and then ran tests on Jer. So here we are first time parents sitting in a genetic counselors office on that couch listening to her go over all of the possibilities and even mentioning termination. WE WERE SCARED TO DEATH... But once again, Jeremy is not a carrier so we were all good! Our next venture with the pregnancy was about 28 weeks or so. We were headed to the doctors for our visit and then the plans were to head to Disney World with the Glaze family for spring break. Well plans were halted because my goofy doctor, yeah my doctor, didn't know how to take my blood pressure so the reading came back high & she sent me home to rest and then come back the next day (when we were suppose to be in FLA) to have another BP taken. Turns out everything was fine and we immediately left for Disney after day 2 of doctor visits! The reason I blamed my doctor for this was because the last leg of the pregnancy (2 days before my c-section) we were again at the doctors office for routine check up ( Braxton was diagnosed as Macromesia"BIG BABY") and pre-op visit and "good ole" doc took the BP and she was off by a mile so much so that she had me lay there & rest for 10 minutes and made the comment "that if my blood pressure did not drop we were going straight to the hospital to deliver, but stay here & rest and the nurse will be back in a few to check your BP again...." Jeremy & I were FREAKIN OUT!!!!!!! How the heck was I suppose to rest & remain calm when something like this was just said. Well I did and the nurse came in and what do you know my BP was normal! What a good doc I had!!! She really was great just didn't know how to get the correct BP.

Anyhow, 2 days later on June 4, 2008 at 1:25pm Braxton Cole Glaze rung in at 9lb 9oz & 22 inches long. The biggest baby that had been born in the hospital. We were so proud. I know that sounds huge but he really wasn't that big! I am so very thankful for the c-section, it was sooooo GREAT!! God answered all of my prayers! I could not believe that was our son, he was precious and from the minute I saw him I loved him like I had not loved anyone before. I was a mom now and it is amazing!

The next days to come were quite a roller coaster. Everything was great with Braxton, except it was hell getting him to nurse which was all my problem, talking about feeling inadequate. I was not producing milk fast enough for my big guy. We had to supplement with formula which turned out awesome. Then Brax being a boy came day two, that's what we coined it "Day 2" because it was the worst day of our lives. Little man was cut (I think it hurt Jeremy more than it did Brax) which was completely unbearable (but necessary) to know your child is enduring such pain, we felt so helpless. Then we had soooo many visitors (don't get me wrong we were grateful, just exhausted) my parents made me laugh which killed my insides and therefore I was in tears squeezing the daylights out of sweet Jeremy's hand and then the nurse wanted me to pee in a cup and to me at that point was just impossible. All in all, Day 2 was just that Day 2 a lot was said, learned, forgotten, and later forgiven! We made it through and if you ask me we did it with shinning colors that just got a ittle dim at times....

Next was my blood pressure, that stupid BP. My BP truly did become elevated post delivery so that meant we were there for the long hall, Braxton was discharged before I was. We watched people come & go. We were there for 4 full days and I mean 4 full days! It all worked out in the end when we finally got to come home.

I am grateful to an amazing hospital staff especially Mrs. Carolyn, the lactation specialist, the most helpful, kind, caring & loving person we have met as a family! All of the staff were incredible in so many different ways and we can't wait to visit again!

I also owe the world to my wonderful husband. He truly was amazing while we were in the hospital. He took care of me in ways that i am not sure my own mother could, for this I owe him the world. Jeremy is a trooper he endured so much and all the while did it with a smile of his face and like it was nothing. Believe me it was something, that man, my husband is truly my gift from God. I couldn't have got through those 4 day without him by my side. We continue to learn new things about each other and especially about Braxtpn, but its in moderation now and not all in our face in the heat of the moment!! Jer your a rock star and I love you more than you will ever know. Thank you for all you did, do & will do for us in the future!