today's post has something to do with a baby. but not just any baby, my baby. my first baby.
he was born one decade ago on august 20, 2001.
there are so many details i remember about that first pregnancy. the nausea. hanging my head over the toilet, but never getting sick. wishing desperately that i would with the hope that i'd feel better. the countless OB appointments, just to make sure things were ok. the cravings--cheetos, black licorice, ice cream, strawberries, more cheetos. we nicknamed my bump "baby cheeto." i ate so many cheetos! i also ate a lot of strawberries, so many that i broke out in a rash one day. and yep, i went to the OB for that, too. the weight-gain. oh, the weight-gain! 85 pounds. that's the equivalent of a 5th grader, in case you were wondering.
i vividly remember the day we found out he was a boy. our little exam room was packed with family, eager to see an image of the first baby, grand-baby, great-grand-baby, niece/nephew. afterwards, we went out to celebrate finding out that it was a BOY... with food and a giant cake, of course. i remember pulling over and parking in the target parking lot to call someone and share my exciting news. i think of that moment every single time i drive by that target.
i walked a lot during the end of that pregnancy. long walks with my hubby, enjoying our last weeks together alone,
secretly hoping to induce labor. the day we put the stroller together, we took it with us on our walk. we put a teddy bear where our soon-to-be baby would sit. ha ha!
on august 19th, the night before taylor was born, i recall sitting in the driveway and whining to the neighbors "this baby is never going to come out." a few hours later, while i was settling into bed, i felt a pop and found a quarter-sized wet spot on the sheet. i thought "this is it!!" i was so excited i couldn't sleep. i tried to read a book, but i was too excited to concentrate. i watched some tv, but not even that could distract me. nothing was happening and that frustrated me. so i got up and ran laps around the coffee table. i did jumping jacks, too. all the while timing contractions and checking for signs of ruptured membranes. nothing. i finally went to bed at 3 am. i got up with joe at 6 the next morning. "should i call the doctor or should i wait and see what happens?" the only reason i hesitated to call was because i had been there the week before thinking my water was leaking and they told me i would definitely know. but here i was and i didn't know anything! those weeks/days before your due date are so exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.
i called L&D for some advice and the not-so-nice nurse on the other end of the line basically said to come in if i wanted to waste everyone's time. i decided to go
back to bed and sleep to L&D and get checked out and then joe and i would go out for breakfast after they sent us home again. i was so hungry too, because i could hardly eat anything at night due to heartburn. my tummy grumbled the whole way to the hospital. we parked and walked leisurely into L&D. then we sat and waited. and waited and waited and waited. it was over an hour before someone talked with us and took us to a room. then we waited some more. another hour passed before a doctor came in to examine me. i was ready to just go and get my breakfast. hungry preggo = grouchy patient.
when the OB finally came in, i immediately apologized for wasting her time. i told her how i thought my water had been leaking in small amounts randomly for a week and that i was told i was just peeing myself. (loved that). i also told her i was very hungry and that we were going to go get breakfast after we left. this very nice OB didn't make me feel like i was wasting her time though or that i shouldn't have come in, which made me not so grouchy anymore (but still hungry). within 5 seconds of looking at me, she said "OH YEAH your water is leaking. go put this on while i get the nurses to start your paperwork. you are having a baby TODAY!" the floodgates of emotion opened and the ball started rolling. mommyhood was right around the corner.
9 hours and 9 minutes later i was holding and pink, flat-eared, cone-headed, wailing bundle of joy. i was sooo happy and sooo hungry (never got that breakfast or anything else for that matter). i scarfed down something (??) and then snuggled my new baby. my first born son. the little boy who made me a mama.
it's been 10 years (and a few weeks) since that day. being his mama is an honor. it's not always easy. in fact, it's the hardest job i've ever had. but i love being a mom--i love being
his mom.
happy (belated) birthday to my boy taylor!
new baby
coming home!
then: party of 3
now: party of 6
birthday boy with birthday breakfast
birthday sign and birthday mini-nerf gun
birthday cake
birthday lunch with a friend and ben
birthday dessert (yes, that was all his)
my 10 year old :)
man, i feel old!
