Happy Birthday Jarren!!!

( Jarren in 2006, since I did not have a digital camera when he was born and all his baby photo's have been scrapbooked.)

I can not believe Jarren turned seven on March 7th. He has been such a little angel and peacemaker in our family. He loves his brothers so much and takes really good care of them when I am busy with something else around the house.
Jarren was born March 7, 2002 at 10:10am weighing in at 8.5 pounds and 21 inches long. He was our biggest baby. I was in Labor for 12 hours, which began on the evening of March 6th when I had just settled into bed and was not feeling well and contractions on a consistent bases. About midnight we called the hospital and told them that contractions were about 5 minutes apart. Which they advised for us to come in. It had been snowing lightly that evening so the roads were a slick making John drive slower then normal. I had called my mother earlier that day to tell her to think about coming out since we knew that it would be any time. Glad I did, because she arrived about 2 hours after we got checked into the hospital. Things seemed to be moving along well, but after 6 hours I really had not changed much since I had gotten there. So the doctor feared that I had stalled and the doctor started pitocin to help me get my labor moving forward. I was very nervous , because of being told that I could not have an epidural do to the rods in my back for scoliosis. Yes, it turned out that there is a difference in labor pains off and on pitocin. I was not handling it very well. The nurse sent for a spinal. I was in so much pain to voice my thought on if they can not do a epidural how are they going to do a spinal. But the Doctor tried for about 30 minutes, with seven stabs to my back had to give up. I was told that when he left the room he had tears in his eyes, because he felt bad that he could not relieve my pain. Shortly after that came the contraction telling me it was time to push. Thank goodness, because all the pain seemed to go away until Jarren's head crowned. I only had to push for 15 minutes. I could not believe he was here and that I was a mom. Even with all the pain he was so worth it.

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For Jarren's birthday we kept things simple and had a party here at the house. Not sure if eight 7 year old boys is really simple, but it all turned out well. We played some games on the Wii, had pizza, played some more, ate cake, and opened presents. Jarren loved having his friends over from the neighborhood and from school. John was ready to run away when it was all over with.
The Cake!!
Eating pizza just before lighting the candle and singing happy birthday.
Jarren's friends Isaac and Dylan playing in their cake!
Jarren opening his presents.
One last group picture. Boys will be Boys!!

After all the party fun, we met up with my dad, brother Sean and his wife Natalie for dinner and more birthday fun. Jarren had chosen the Olive Garden.
Sean and Natalie at dinner.
Jarren the birthday boy!! Jacob next to him.
An more presents!!! can we say spoiled. Jacob, Jarren and Joseph with his stinky binky.