11 Years Ago, Right Now!!!

11 years ago right now I was in labor...well, slow labor. I remember it so well!!

I got up in the morning and realized I was leaking. It was like I would pee and not be able to control it. Weird. So I grabbed a big box of thick absorbant pads and went to the office with Allen (of course, right?! LOL) Everyone there who I talked to was aghast that I was even there. Not many of them had any child birth experience so no one has much advise. I called the doctor and after we watched the broadcast and got a few other things done we went to the doctor and she confirmed that my water had in fact broke. She said to go home and go to the hospital when things were moving a little more.

So off we went. We hadn't bought much for our baby. We had to move out of the place we were renting in May and couldn't move into the house we had just bought until August 29. I really didn't feel like buying things as it just meant moving more stuff....so that afternoon I said to Allen, "What do you figure we need for this baby?" We went to Wal-Mart and wandered around and tried to decide what we should buy. Looking back we just laugh at the stuff we bought....nothing really that useful! No clothes. One wimpy little blanket (more like a burp cloth), and some baby powder and vaseline. I really wasn't sure why babies need vaseline or baby powder ...and as it turns out we still have both those containers we bought 11 years ago! :0)

While we were at Wal-Mart we ran into my Vice Principal. She was also aghast that we were shopping while I was in labor....but gee, what's a girl to do??

Then we went out for dinner, and then back home to my parent's house where we were staying. Allen had just come home from a trip to Arizona and was so tired - so he went to bed but I couldn't really sleep. By about midnight I felt like things were probably serious enough to justify going to the hospital - so I woke him up and off we went.

Turned out I wasn't that far along but they kept me there because my blood pressure was kind of high. Keeping me really meant that they put us in a room and forgot about us. Poor Allen was so tired. I was not interested in having my forehead dabbed or my back rubbed. I told him to sit on the chair in the corner and stay there. Poor guy. At one point I decided it was time for some pain relief and sent him down to the nurse's station. He came back and told me they were busy and would get to me soon and I told him in no uncertain terms to go back there and tell them I needed something NOW!

I finally got my drugs - and not long after that it was time to push. By 8:30 our little girl was here! We didn't know if we were having a girl or a boy. I remember being so surprised that it was a girl! I really wanted a girl and was almost afraid to make my wish known in case it didn't happen.

And when I look back, the traits she had as a baby she still has now. She was wide awake as soon as she was born. She would look around the room and gaze at everyone with a look like, "Well, I'm here. Let's get the party started!"

I remember lying in the hospital with her and being so excited to get to know this little girl. And getting to know her has been such a joy. She's still ready to get the party started wherever she is. Her enthusiasm is contagious. And she's good at everything! She hopes to go to the Olympics one day and I won't be surprised if she really does. She's good. She's smart, and she's darn cute. And even people besides her mother seem to agree!

I was so excited to be a mom. I would hold her for hours. I'd hold her when she was awake because she liked to be right in the action. Then she'd fall asleep and I'd think, "Well, I can't put her down now....I'll just hold her while she sleeps." Then she'd wake up and want to be held.....and the cycle went on and on....and it was so fun! I loved being a new mom. And I still love being your mom.

We love you Jill!!