Nonetheless, once the two of us made it past the "get to know you" phase, things have been a blast. I can't wait for summer, so we can spend the days together again. (And yes, I plan on signing us up for Musikgarten again, and we plan on adding Waterbabies to our course schedule.)
Until those sweet summer days arrive, and I sit here trying to blog about a year ago and keep from blubbering through the entire post (FYI, I have written and rewritten this post 7 times and over the course of three weeks).
Wednesday, February 6, 2008 
As the picture to the right shows, I was enormous by this point. I am proud to say that I didn't turn in to a complete cow, but I put on my full 30 pound limit. Anyway, I had my last prenatal visit on this afternoon. (I had been going every week since December after my fall and subsequent night in the hospital.) When Dr. Fein arrived, he asked how I felt. "Enormous," I replied. To which he said, "You are the third patient to say that today." I didn't care because I was distracted by the movement in my belly. Andrew had a case of the hiccups, which made my belly bounce noticeably under my tightly stretched shirt. All I cared about was when I could get unenormous.... He did the checkup and said he was a little concerned because Andrew had nearly doubled in size in four weeks, and there was no room in my short frame. He said that Chris and I needed to come in on Monday, the day before my due date, to discuss "options", i.e. C-section, inducing...
Friday, February 8
Friday was a blur of eating, peeing, and waddling. To be honest, many of the past few weeks played out in the same way. Needless to say, I was not teaching any lessons to earn me teacher of the year, but I sure did sit in that rocking chair like a pro. (Getting out of the rocker was troublesome at times.) All day long people kept asking if I thought I was going to be back next week. Do you feel like you're going to have the baby this weekend? Really? Really? Since I have had sooooo many babies, I know exactly what it feels like when you are about to have a baby. Idiots. At this point, I was not Polly Positive. I thought I was surrounded by idiots. Idiots that ask the same stupid questions and use the bathroom when I need it. I always responded the same. It was the same response I had when people asked at the beginning of the school year, "I plan on working until I have him." Why take time off before, when I need the time off after for maternity leave? I did leave that day with everything ready for my sub. (I had been leaving my plans out like that for the past two weeks.) My sub was very sweet and had been volunteering in the library several days a week to get the flow of things. I called her to let her know about my Monday morning "options" meeting with my doctor. I told her the appointment was at 8:45, so I would be to school around 9:45. She agreed to start the day for me, and I left school for the weekend.
Friday Night, Pseudo-Valentine's Day
Chris and I assumed that our Valentine's would be a little crazy, so we decided to celebrate early. We planned on a romantic Italian dinner and a movie. Halfway through the manicotti, Chris could tell I was checking the clock. Yes, I was having contractions. No worries. I had been having Braxton Hicks off and on for months. Regardless, we agreed that a rental would be a safer bet. (At least a rental would be great after I had some desert.)
Saturday, February 9
Oddly, neither of us remembers this day at all....
Sunday, February 10
We enjoyed a lazy Sunday morning and slept in until about 9:30 or 10. Eventually, I rolled out of bed and made my way to the potty. After what I thought was a normal little piddle, I thought to myself, "Hmmm. What the is that?" I don't know about anyone else, but I read and heard stories and even saw pictures; however, I wasn't prepared for the passing of the plug. Yuck. I showed Chris- Double yuck, I know, but that's our relationship. Plus, I think your husband should know all the nasty stuff you have to do to and all the sacrifices you make, so that you both can have a beautiful baby. Anyway, it gets grosser. (Boys, cover your eyes.) We agreed it was the plug, and I told him, "I think something's happening today".
We went for a walk to give Andrew a nudge in the right direction. The right direction meaning down. Down and out. The walk was fine. The belly turned the corners about 10 seconds before I did, but we walked. We walked at our super fast 2 mile per hour pace.
After the walk, we were our super lazy selves and laid on our couches watching TV. I went to he bathroom about a jillion times, and each time I thought I had been just a little too late. I kept thinking, "Did I pee my pants?" Again, boys you were warned. I decided that pregnancy was not so great after changing my underwear 3 times. I took a shower since apparently I couldn't kept anything in. During my shower, I started to think about what our nurse in the birthing class said. Maybe Desperate Housewives wasn't right? Maybe a bucket of water doesn't fall out from between your legs and ruin your neighbor's rug. Stupid TV. Anyway, I started to realize that my water was breaking. I reread all my literature on what to expect, but I just didn't feel confident. I was not going to be the girl in the other zillion movies that heads to the hospital just to be sent home for a false alarm. So, I did what any rational person does when there water breaks and they feel contractions, they hit Google Images for pictures of what it really looks like for "broken" water. Luckily, I had no luck.
After some discussion, we called the on-call doctor, and without seeing me in person, she agreed that what was happening was worth grabbing the suitcase and heading to the hospital. Once the, I checked in and described what was going on to the nurse, and I politely told her that I had soaked my pants again. Her response, "You just bought your ticket to Labor and Delivery."
She handed me a gown, Chris took a seat, and I quickly undressed. Then, the bucket of water full. Picture this: I'm wearing only cute sparkly flip-flips... and now I am standing in awful. Chris and I immediately laugh, and he won't come anywhere near me to help me get the gown on. (Needless to say, the flip flops didn't' make it out of the hospital.)
As if we needed confirmation at this point, we were told that i was in labor. It was about 3:30 pm. Unfortunately, the sonogram should that Andrew was not engaged, and there was chance he would get tangled in his umbilical cord. Great news, I get to lay down and stay there. I'm sure glad we took Lamaze because you can't use your positions and diversion tactics laying down. Everything went well until they gave me Pitocin. Ouch. I had no delusions of the perfect, drug free birthing experience. Chris and I were going to work through what we could and take meds if I needed them. Chris went in and out of sleep on a cot and I texted to pass the time. The text of the night was to Rachel, "Contractions suck." She enjoyed it. I didn't.
Monday, February 11, 1:59 am
About 10 hours later, I needed meds. I asked the nurse to get em the epidural. She said the doctor would be there in "about an hour". Don't ever estimate with someone in labor. I responded, "About an hour? The clock says 1:59. I would like someone here by 2:59." At 3:00 am I got my epidural and fell fast asleep. Dr. Fein woke me up a few hours later to say that I wasn't progressing and he was worried about Andrew's head being stuck. We all agreed that it was time to do a C-Section.
If you remember earlier, Chris and I had an appointment to meet with the doctor on Monday morning at 8:30 am to discuss options.
Monday, 8:45am
On the morning that Andrew and I met, I was very tired. After a very tiring night of labor pains and then the transition to the operating room, I lay there waiting for Andrew. I remember lying there staring up at the curtain that blocked my view of the C Section. I felt some tugging from the doctors, and I remember being angry that Chris was about to miss everything (later I was told he wasn't allowed in until the very last moment). I saw Chris walking in, and then I looked back up at my curtain. Over the top of the curtain, I saw the tiniest, red set of fingers stretching up and over the edge. At that moment, Andrew was real and here and mine. I cried... I'm crying now. I love my sweet boy.
Once I saw the fingers and had my realization that I was a mommy, it hit me that he wasn't crying. Time can play tricks on you. When you are having the time of your life, it flies by. When you are counting breaths during labor pains wishing for an epidural, it ticks by. When you wait the agonizing moments to hear the first cry, the fear is indescribable. Andrew took only a few seconds to cry (like most babies), but I remember the panic that rolled over me as I waited to hear his sweet voice. And then he cried. Yippee!
Ironically, the anticipation and the joy that first cry brings quickly fades to the dread of the cry when bring the newborn home.
Right now, it's 8:30pm on February 27... 3 weeks from when I started this post. I love that sweet baby.
:)
Anne
