Five years ago this morning, I became the mother of a little girl. My due date was September 11th but due to having had a C-section with Hudson (after a long day of labor), I was scheduled to have one with Claire as well and that was set for September 4th. Obviously we didn't make it to that day. This girl has always had plans of her own and the day she came into the world was no different.
If you want the details of her arrival, read on. If not, scroll to the bottom of this post.
Here's how it went:
- I woke up the morning of my 37 week mark with a huge contraction a little bit before 5:00 a.m.
- Called the hospital after a few more contractions and the unintelligent younger nurse who answered the phone said that since I was a C-section patient and my contractions weren't time-able, I should rest and things should calm down (told later by a more experienced nurse that the girl should have had me get there immediately...she went to find out who I had talked to).
- As per instructions from the same nurse on a second phone call, we didn't leave for the hospital until contractions were 5 minutes apart.
- Had to drop off Hudson at the home of Max's brother on the way.
- Headed for the freeway to find it dead stopped (due to a Coke or Pepsi semi-trailer crash...do you locals remember that? I do.).
- Took city roads until we could get on the freeway where it was moving along. Hubby drove a wee bit over the speed limit as I was crying out and screaming a bit. Okay...a lot over the speed limit and crying and screaming a lot.
- Arrived at the hospital with contractions 30-60 seconds apart.
- Got all set up and the nurse checked me...dilated to a 9, 100% effaced and somehow my water still hadn't broken. It did so about 1 minute later.
- Begged for an epidural (every contraction felt like someone was hitting me in the lower back with a sledge hammer - now we know that it was that pesky tumor).
- An anesthesiologist came in the room within a few minutes and gave me the world's fastest epidural - put the needle in, gave me 2 shots and left. No need to leave a line in since things were moving along.
- My doctor came in and said that we wouldn't be doing a C-section since 1) I was only at 37 weeks, 2) the baby was a girl and much smaller than her brother, and 3) I was so far progressed at my 36 week appointment (at a 3 and 60% the week before - apparently that doesn't happen for women who have only delivered by C-section). I think he said, "We can do this."
- I didn't totally believe him. I was kind of freaked out.
- Less than an hour after arriving at the hospital (45 minutes?) and 3 pushes later, my baby girl was born.
- Claire weighed only 7 lb 2 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long (I know that's probably big for being three weeks early and about average size...but she seemed tiny compared to her 8 lb 14 oz and 21 1/2 inch brother and was the only one out of the 10 babies that my mom, my sister, and I had that was under 8 lb).
Claire really gave us a run for our money that day and has done so on a regular basis since then. She only does something when she decided she's going to and even then, everyone has to wait until she's good and ready. Thankfully she doesn't usually make us wait long. She looks a lot like me but with more of Max's coloring. She was a very easy baby in a lot of ways but unlike her ultra-social older brother, she was extremely shy and quickly let us know who she would and would not go to. She was and still is all girl with a love for all things pink, girly, soft, and/or sparkly. At the same time, she's definitely our more adventurous child. Sometimes we have to just close our eyes or turn our heads and hope she survives whatever she's doing...and she always does. From the minute she was born, she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger approximately 500,000 times and that hasn't changed. Not only does she look like me but she's a lot like me in terms of personality. That's probably why she's SO good at pushing my buttons at times. In spite of how crazy she makes me at times, I love her more than I know how to express. I am so grateful to have Claire for my daughter. It's hard to believe it's already been this long...
Happy 5th Birthday, Boo!
I'll try to post an official "5 Years Old" picture a little later today...
No comments:
Post a Comment