Today has been very busy and mentally busy as well. I woke up this morning with a sore throat, pressure in my sinus cavities and ears, and a deep cough. I rolled over and realized what time it was and nearly freaked out. The baby monitor was turned off, the door was closed (well as closed as it could be with a vera bag still unpacked from the last visit to the water park… they’ve been closed since Labor Day weekend…) and I hear the hushed sounds of my family up and enjoying the day.
My husband afforded me the opportunity to sleep in today. It’s one luxury I’ve not been able to partake since giving birth to Daylan nearly 362 days ago. Daylan was exclusively breast fed, never took a bottle, and always needed Mommy. But now she’s showing her independence.
I mentioned today was busy, and it was busy because Dustin and I were cleaning the house all day so that we can have a celebration of Daylan’s birth at our house tomorrow. While cleaning, I had to fight the battle of the “My House isn’t Good Enough For This” mentality. I continually just kept being grateful that we are celebrating the birth of our precious daughter.
So while being busy, I was mentally busy as well. I decided to reminisce and think about last year at the time. I had practically had a perfect pregnancy, most especially compared to my first son’s. For a month I was dilated to 4cm and 100% effaced. I was on bed rest until I reached 36 weeks. By 37 weeks to the day I didn’t care any longer. I was tired and antsy. I started researching natural ways of inducing labor. While sitting on the couch, I sent my husband to the store for fresh pineapples and mangos. I inhaled those fruits while bouncing on an exercise ball that evening and the following Friday day.
Saturday rolled around and I was fed up with being home. I told Dustin we were going out to lunch at Rock Bottom Brewery. I’d had a hankering for those nachos during this pregnancy. I started feeling just a bit off, but the three of us pile into the van and I drove us downtown anyway. I found a perfect parallel parking spot just one block away from the restaurant. The boys walk ahead of my overly pregnant waddle. During that waddle I feel even more weird. Almost nauseous and the pressure just seemed to be even more intense.
The hostess seats us and we tell her, jokingly that I was in labor. She laughed because our waiter was actually in school to be an OB nurse. Jokes flew around and then it got down to the food. I ordered the nacho plate for us to share, Dietrich got a pizza, and I ordered coffee to drink (no harm in helping labor along, if I really was in labor, right?!). I couldn’t get enough of the jalapeños. Once the nachos were gone (poor Dustin ate hardly any) I saw this amazing pic of an apple pie. WHOA that pie was fabulous. We all shared it, paid for our bill, and headed out the door.
On the way home we decide that my “weird feelings” were happening nearly 1-1:30 apart. At home I plop on the couch wanting a nap and Dustin suggests I call the on-call doc to see what we should do. Well that on-call doc was no other than my doctor. He told me to just come on in. I believe he knew I was in labor.
The car was already packed. It had been packed for a month. We just grabbed our electronics and Daylan’s baby book and left. Dustin dropped me off at the door and just took his time to park. I walked up to the 4th floor maternity ward to the triage. I really didn’t think I’d be kept. But my contractions were registering and they were very real and very measurable. I was just uncomfortable the whole time, I really didn’t feel the contractions much. About an hour of being monitored, my doc came in and checked me and said I had progressed already and he was just keeping me.
There’s more to the story of course, but in the end I met the most fabulous nurse, I had a wonderful supportive husband with me, I had a fabulous friend come on a moment’s notice to watch Dietrich in the waiting room until my parents made the drive down here to take over. In the end… I got blessed to be the mother of a sweet baby girl.
The journey we’ve been on this year is just a beginning to the relationship we will build all the days of our lives. It is a legacy she and I will create. Tomorrow, we celebrate this first year of this sweet child of God. Tomorrow, we celebrate her future.
