One

This is more "historical documents", but it has to be said....

One year ago this evening, Geoff was out of town on business, baby #5 was due in about a month (we never knew the sex of a child before it's birth), and the four children and I were heading to the Church for Cub Scout pack meeting where Eric was being honored with his Arrow of Light. During Pack Meeting, I waddled myself up to the front to say some nice things about Eric (as instructed by the Cub Master) and we had a good meeting. When it was over, a friend of mine who was a little further along with her pregnancy than I was with mine, were marveling at how us two very pregnant women were putting up chairs while several men stood around and chatted. We decided it was probably good, so as to bring on labor. Ha, ha, ha, we laughed.

Got home, put all the kids to bed. As I was leaving the last bedroom, a contraction came out of nowhere and stopped me in my tracks. I held on to the stair rail for support until it passed.

I felt a little bad and the pain came regularly, but I was sure it would pass. Geoff wasn't in town and it was a month early, there's no way this was labor! I took a shower in order to help with the pain. I laid down in bed and called Geoff on the phone. I told him that contractions were pretty hard and close but I was sure they would go away after I slept for a while. We talked about him getting on the last flight that left at 10 pm. I said whatever. At about 9:45, I realized that I needed to call the doctor and get to the hospital.

Awesome neighbors came over. Diane stayed at the house with the kids while I got in the car with Mary. She sped to the medical center, trying with no avail to keep the Pilot from bumping all over the place. I think she called Geoff while we were driving, but I'm not sure as I was pretty wrapped up in myself at the time. We walked into the maternity ward at 11:30 pm. I stopped at the nurses station bent over a contraction, and a nice voice (couldn't see her face) asked me if I wanted an epidural. I nodded fervently in the affirmative. She said: "as soon as you get in that room right there, you can have one." I wanted to run. The contraction passed and as I entered the room, I announced that I was taking my pants off because it was coming. I lay on the bed as nurses and techs moved frantically around me. Poor Mary was witnessing it all. You know at this point you don't care who is there. At one point, one nurse caught my hands and demanded that I look in her eyes and breath to keep from pushing. It worked (for a minute), she was good.

Thirteen minutes after we walked through the hospital doors, I had a bouncing baby boy. I fell in love at first sight (okay, first sight after he was cleaned).

I never got that epidural.

Until Christian was actually born and in my arms, it didn't dawn on me that Geoff was missing the birth of our child. Poor guy. He felt terrible. Even if he had made the last flight, he wouldn't have made it on time. The doctor barely made it for this one. Fifth child.

Geoff rented a car at about 10 pm when he got the call that I was on the way to the hospital. He made the five hour drive in four and got to the hospital at about 2 am, thanks to adrenaline and Clay in California with a two hour time zone difference.

Can I say again, I ADORE this baby! Happy 1st birthday, Christian.