Monday was a very eventful day for us. Starting sometime either Friday or Saturday I started having contractions, but they weren't too bad. We rented movies on Saturday and Eric timed them but they were very irregular and eventually subsided. I was having pain around my lower back and front but it felt more like a bladder infection or something. On Sunday I didn't get any sleep I was in so much pain. On Monday I went through the day trying to find a spot that was comfortable for me. It felt like I had a really bad infection so I called my mom to see what I should do. She said to call and ask the people what I should do. It was around 6 p.m. when I called and they told me it sounded like one too and to either come in or wait until Tuesday and see if I could make an appt. I was in tears so I told Eric to take me up there so I could get an antibiotic. We went up there, they took me to an observation room and checked me to make sure everything was ok. The first nurse checked and said she thought I was at a 6. I was totally blown away, I had no clue. She said she wanted to make sure so she called in another nurse, that nurse said a little over a 6, so they called in the dr. The dr checked and said I was an 8 and 100%. It was so unexpected, I told Eric to call my mom. He called all the family, both sides. I felt really dumb cause I had no clue I was in real labor lol. So they took me to a room and got me set up. By the time we got to the hospital and got in a room it was around 7. By 8 I was to a 10. The dr said "well it must be nice to be in labor and not know it" lol. I would have been ready to push but they decided to go ahead and let my body get used to it so they told me to just work through it. I did and around 9 I started pushing. My family was on their way and even though Eric's mom had said she was going to wait until the next day she changed her mind and called and said she was on her way too. We all figured the baby would be born before anybody got there, but that was ok too. I pushed for about an hr and about 5 mins before he was born a nurse came in and asked if my mom could come in. I said yes so they let her in. I couldn't believe they made it and just in time! At 10:32 p.m. Monday 28, our little baby boy was born. His name is Ryan Tommy. We named him Ryan after my brother (Matthew Ryan) and Tommy after my Daddy. I think it suits him perfectly and mom said he looks like a Ryan Tommy. I think Dad would have loved to have his grandson named after him. He's so precious and I am so thankful that he came into our lives when he did. He was 2 hrs 28 mins away from being considered "full term", so 36 wks 6 days. He's perfect. He weighed 5 lbs 15 oz and was 18 1/2 inches. He's our little pride and joy and the whole family is so in love with him. Grandpa Tommy missed him by 18 days. He was born exactly 2 weeks after we burried him, but I know he's up there watching over our little guy and is the proudest Grandpa in the world.

Daddy, he was so wonderful the first night he stayed up so I could get a little sleep (very little, but still, such a sweet thought)
I couldn't be more proud
Grandma Peggy, she's so proud
Uncle Matt, he was asking me when I was going to bring him to see him right after he was born lol
Aunt Meagan, she's a wonderful Aunt

They're a little late, but obviously for a valid reason. Here are some pictures from the baby shower.

They made the original cake too small so they had to order another one, they are both so adorable though

Me and my SIL seeing who could drink out of the bottles the fastest, neither of us won

My mom trying to figure out how many pieces of TP would fit around my tummy

All of our gifts, people were so nice, we got a ton of stuff

My sister's decorations were so cute, and creative, she's wonderful

Eric (yes, he came), me, my sister, and SIL

My dad had a wonderful sense of humor, he was sarcastic but not in a mean way, just really funny. He wrote a poem a long time ago, both my brother and I were still living at home so it had to have been at least 8 yrs ago. For some reason when he wrote it I folded it up and have carried it in my wallet ever since. I thought it was halarious at the time, but now I'm so thankful that I decided to keep it. He wrote it about my brother, so I'd like to explain before I put the poem up so you can get it. My brother is a big fried chicken and potato salad fan. He always loves it when my mom makes that, it's his favorite meal. He can put it away for sure. We always had to grab ours first before mom called him or else we were very likely not to get any lol. My uncle read this along with stories that some of the family members had written about dad at his funeral. It just goes to show the kind of man dad was. So here's the poem:

Chicken

Chicken, Chicken, where did you go

Don't tell me, Don't tell me I already know

We all had a piece, except this one

He had 12, twelve this bum

Chicken, Chicken I cried last night

Just one more piece for my delight

But someone had 12, at least 12 I know

Cause all I can see, is the bottom of the bowl

Chicken, Chicken, what a horrible sight

God, he's in the kitchen we all cry

We had a piece and that's all we get

Cause Matt ain't through nope, he ain't through yet

Chicken, Chicken, Just one more piece for my delight

But Matt had 12 so I guess it's "goodnight"!

Cause the bottom of the bowl is all that I see

That, and one little punk who left none for me

P.S. I hope you get gas buddy

We're back home, we got home yesterday. We stayed an extra night with my mom and sister since yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr Day and Eric didn't have school. It was so hard leaving my mom. I posted about it last month, but they celebrated their 29th anniversary only 12 days before Dad passed. I really can't believe that he's gone. I don't think it has hit me totally yet. I kept waiting for him to show up and say "Pud, you gotta minute?" the whole time I was there. Yesterday was very rough for me. I have been trying to stay calm for the baby so I think I've kinda put myself in denial about everything. I also want to be strong for my mom, she has been with my dad since she was 14 years old. I miss him so much and I can't imagine life without him. Everyone adored him, and for good reason. The funeral had a wonderful turnout and the community came through in a major way for my family. We had so much food we didn't know what to do with and people were just so generous, it was very heart warming. It touched my heart to know that people thought so highly of Dad, even though he wasn't able to get around much the past few years. We went to church Sunday and the preacher talked about Dad and how much he contributed to the start of the church and then he had us stand and asked mom and us to come up so mom could say a few words. It was neat that Dad got the honor he deserved. I just wish he were here to see. In the past year and four months I have lost 2 grandpa's a great-grandma and my daddy. Three of those were in the past 7 months. The only one I didn't really know all that well was my great-grandma, she lived in Wyoming. I'm ready for the birth of our baby, a new life and many blessings for the year to come.

I had a dr appt today, she said the baby is down and now I have appts every week until he's here.

Would you all please keep my brother in your prayers? He had to have a physical for a job that he applied for and (I know this will be hard to believe, but I kid you not) his blood pressure was 200/115. He carries his stress in a big way without releasing it in any kind of fashion. The dr told him if he doesn't get it taken care of he won't make it to 40. I guess his kidneys aren't processing protein right. He got some medicine for it, and he's started exercising daily so hopefully he'll get it down very soon.

In loving memory of my wonderful Daddy, Tommy

My dad's funeral was yesterday. Since it had to happen, it went really well and it showed the person that my dad was. The preacher did a wonderful job at making it very personal. He knew dad for about 16 yrs and had lots of stories about him as well as the one's we told. My dad had a wonderful sense of humor, even in his all his pain, and with all the stories we were still able to have a laugh. So, Dad went out in the same style that he lived his life and that makes me very happy.

All of our family is still in town, they will be leaving tomorrow morning. I think that once they are gone it will really hit home that my dad is gone. I keep hoping and praying that this is a terrible nightmare and he will come walking through the door at any moment. The only comfort we have is knowing that this isn't the end, Dad is out of pain and with the Lord and he is waiting on us and watching over us. He promised he would be there for his grandbaby and I know he will in spirit. He told my mom not too long ago that nothing would keep him from his grandson, he doesn't break promises. I thank God that He put Dad in my life. Without Dad I wouldn't be me and my family wouldn't have turned out to be the wonderful family it is. He set a wonderful example of how to be a dad, husband and friend and we all learned a lot from him. Everyone has been so supportive and generous to our family and you can definitely see the impact that Dad had on everyone. I just wish he was here to see it himself, he wouldn't believe it. We are staying here until Sunday to be with my mom and sister. As I posted a few weeks ago, my parents were married 29 years. They were together since my mom was 14 years old (now 44) and my dad was 19 (now 50) so going on 31 years and the longest they had ever been apart in all those years was 5 days. Mom said that just a day or two before he passed she told him they still had to go out to eat for their 29th anniversary and Dad said "I'll be there Babe". So, she said she's going to go sometime and eat their dinner. My wonderful dad loved his family more than anything and there will forever be a hole where he was. Thank God this isn't the end.

My dad passed away this morning, please keep my family in your prayers.

The baby shower was Saturday and it went so good. My sister did an amazing job at putting it all together. I'll post pictures later.

My dad is very sick and needs all the prayers he can get. He has had a very difficult time the past 16 years and it's only by the grace of God that he's still with us. The short of it is that he got injured 16 years ago on an oil rig and ended up on disability. Throughout the years he has had many health problems but about 4 1/2 yrs ago he had liver failure and the dr sent him home and told my mom he wouldn't live more than 2 yrs. Well, obviously drs don't know everything and God has blessed him because he's still alive. Well last Thursday he fell, we went up to make sure everything was ok and ended up taking him to the ER that night. After some blood work and a LONG weekend, he had a dr appt yesterday. The dr said it's his liver again. He gave him some medicine and we are waiting on the blood work to come back (should be tomorrow). Eric and I had to come home today, I have a dr appt tomorrow. My mom is in her last semester at college (I'm so very proud of her) and was supposed to start her internship yesterday. Dad can't walk on his own right now and so she had to postpone it, she's now supposed to start next Monday. So, if you could all just keep my dad (and mom) in your prayers I would appreciate it so much. I know that God isn't through with him and that dad still has a lot left to do on this earth before he goes.

Don't have much time right now, but would like to ask all of you to be praying for my dad. I would greatly appreciate it!