4 Years Old

Today is his birthday, this sweet, funny little man. 

He is such a joy in my life!

I remember this day four years ago like it was yesterday.

It was two weeks before my due date and I was ready to have my boy.

 The Pilot was wanting to go flying to a convention with a friend and since it was 8 a.m. and there were no signs of labor we decided that he might as well go.

So off he went and I decided not to waste a perfectly good Saturday waiting when obviously nothing was happening.

So,  soon - to- be "Big Sister" and I did some spring cleaning, washing windows, I think I even scrubbed and hosed down the siding on the back porch.

The Pilot called at about 11:20 (we checked our cell phone call times later ) to say that he was leaving soon, but was going to stop on the way to get fuel. Something about it being cheaper at a certain airport.

He said it would be at least two hours before he and his friend would land.

I remember I was making something for lunch when he called and I found myself a bit annoyed that he wouldn't be home as soon as I had thought. 

Looking back, I think maybe I subconsciously knew something was about to happen. I had even timed contractions that morning but couldn't establish a pattern. I had almost constant Braxton-Hicks contractions the last month of my pregnancy so I didn't try very hard.

So we had lunch and I put my girl down for her nap. (She seemed so big then, helping mommy wash windows and all, but she wasn't quite two.) 

Then I remember suddenly feeling very, very tired so I decided to take a nap also.

Now here is where the excitement starts!

I woke up at about 1 p.m.  feeling two sharp pings in my stomach, followed by a very hard, very painful contraction.

(I just realized that as I'm writing this, my stomach is getting tied up in knots, some things you just never forget I suppose.)

So I'm thinking, "Wow, my water broke and now I need to get an antibiotic." I had  tested positive for Group B Strep which is not a big deal, as long as you get a shot of antibiotics at the beginning of your labor.

I called my midwife and left a message and was debating should I call my mother to come be with Big Sister or wait awhile. My first labor was 10 hours long and I knew this one could be shorter but I had also heard of 2nd labors being longer.

I should say, I simply loved reading birth stories. I found some online sites that women had posted their stories on, and I would spend hours reading them. Natural, drugs, at home, hospital, unexpected, you name it, I had read them all.

My mother just happened to call me, and was at the grocery store a couple miles away. She later told me that she just left her cart full of food and came. I'm so glad she did.

I was confused because my contractions were about two minutes apart and very painful. I was wondering how I would be able to deal with hours of this - it was much more intense than the first time.

I still didn't realize how close I was to giving birth, I'm kind of embarrassed that I was so clueless.

I went upstairs to finish the last minute packing of my suitcase but had to stop so often because of the intense contractions. Things get a little fuzzy at this point but this is what I remember happening. My midwife called and told me to come in and I said I would have to wait for my husband to get home.

By the time my mother arrived I was starting to get worried, starting to clue in that things were happening way too fast.

After another call to my midwife, we decided to just go without my husband. All this time I was upstairs, downstairs, I couldn't hold still.

So I was lugging the suitcase down the stairs without waiting for my mom, she was getting Big Sister up from her nap so that we could go to the hospital. I called The Pilot's cell phone one more time, (I had been calling it almost constantly) and he answered! I think I managed to say,"I'm in labor, come right now" and then I hung up on him. He had just landed and they were taxiing to the hanger. He basically just left the airplane and drove home. He got home in five minutes.

 When I hung up on him, I was standing by the car in the driveway, my mother came out with Big Sister and I told her - we don't have to go - The Pilot will be home soon and I'll go with him.

 And then I suddenly knew that I wasn't going anywhere. My mother was pleading with me to just get in the car so that I would be ready to go. But I knew I couldn't make it. I hurried inside calling over my shoulder to her to call 911. I think it took a few moments for it to sink in for her, but she did call and was on the phone with them for the birth. 

The Pilot came in just before Big Brother was born, he actually delivered him, and I was so glad he made it.

 Big Sister was right there, and I heard her say,"Baby! Baby!" in an excited way. I was relieved that it wasn't scary for her.

   

Little Brother was a little blue and pretty quiet. The Pilot ran upstairs and found a bulb syringe to suction him out and then the paramedics were there.

By this time I was worrying about him since I didn't get my antibiotic shot and was anxious to get to the hospital. He did get oxygen on the ride in, and had pinked up nicely by the time we got there.

At the hospital, we sat there trying to piece it all together. By looking at my phone call times and when my mother called the paramedics, we decided that he was born at 1:40. Just about 40 minutes after I woke up from my nap. 

I am so thankful my mother was there, thankful my husband got to deliver him, and thankful there were no complications.

I felt great, that's what a 40 minute labor will do for you, no time for your body to get tired and worn out.

What I learned from this was that our bodies are amazing and when things work the way they should, childbirth is a beautiful, natural thing.

And that there was no holding back this boy, he was ready to meet the world!

So, Happy 4th Birthday to my sweet son, who from the moment he arrived, brought such excitement and joy and continues to surprise us still.