The Birth

I remember it like it was yesterday.  Well, last week at least.   I'm still sleep deprived.

well, here's the short version:

6 lbs 11 onces. born at 11:54pm.  epidural AND a top up! From first contraction to birth - 28 hrs

The long version:

I went in on Sunday to have them gel me to ripen the cervix at 4:30pm...then went home.
Labour pains started at 8pm
Water broke at 11pm
Labour pains was every 4 minutes and lasting 1 minute long by 12:30. went to hospital
Was only 1 cm. They cannot admit until 3cm. walked around hospital for 2 hrs. Now only 1.5 cm. Went home
Tried to sleep and breath through the pain every 4 minutes.
Called in 7:30 am to hospital to confirm to come in for 8am inducement.
8:30 am at hospital
10 am epidural
Franklin is tired as shit and didn't do any dialysis the night before. He tries to sleep in the room.
He goes to get food from the caf.
He goes home at 2pm to do an Exchange (manual dialysis) and comes back.
He looks even worse. I'm still labouring on. He goes home at 8pm to do another Exchange.
At 8pm I am now at 6cm and they say it can start moving quite quickly now. Franklin's not back!!


My brother Alex comes to visit. He asks if I have a back up. He saw franklin and he doesn't look well. he's at home puking. Yikes!
Call Wendy (my ex-sister-in-law). He can't get a hold of her. double yikes!
Call Sila (Alex's girlfriend in Mississauga). Ask her if she wants to come, but, if Franklin comes back, he's my first choice.
Wendy and Sila both come. Alex is relieved cause he didn't want to come in, but would if I was by myself.
I get top up of Epidural cause I can start to feel the contractions and I don't want to wait until it really hurts and it's too late to get a top up.
11pm - Dr. says we are finally at 8 cm. We can wait a bit for the Epidural to wear off a bit. Nope!! let's try NOW! Ask the doc, if i'm a few minutes past midnight, can we fudge the birth certificate...nope.
All I remember is Wendy saying it's 11:15...11:30...11:45! 11:45! Wendy and Sila each hold a leg...I push...
Baby is born 11:54pm.



Call franklin....we have a son...waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh

I remember walking in that morning asking the nurse to knock me out and wake me when we're done. the contractions all night were painful. but, now I can't even remember any of that. I just know I can't stop looking at him and am filled with so much love.



i go home on thurs. franklin is holding the baby and fell down the stairs on saturday morning. jesus!! thank god the baby is ok. franklin is on the ground screaming. he can't breath. i call 911. i pray he hasn't broken his
back. thank goodness there's no internal bleeding or anything broken. he's just super sore and can barely move. greaaaaaaat.

anyways, time for a feeding! and another diaper change....agaaaaaaaain.

ttyl!

Your Wish is My Command

On one's birthday you can have anything you want. For some its birthday weekend, then it turns into birthday week, and I've even seen some people celebrate their birth month!  The ridiculous.  The selfish.  The outrages.  It's all yours for the taking.

My wishes used to be a getaway.  Montreal was a favourite.  The cottage was a good one too.  And of course the end of summer jam would top it off.  A nice dinner had to be in there.  And a great gift.  Jewelry preferably.  Oh how easy the husband had it back then.  The wish list these days are a bit different.

Now, for my son, unless he will physically get hurt, almost anything goes.  A sprinkled donut, pop rock candy, root beer float, time with his Godfather, 3 books to bed, stay up past his bedtime, on top of the Medieval Times, Spidey cake, and tons of presents, over the weekend.  It was nice to have our loved ones call and wish him a happy birthday.  He was so happy.  He doesn't totally get the concept.  He kept singing happy birthday mommy.  LOL

If it is your birthday, ask for all that your heart's desire.  You only get that once a year without looking like a total selfish jerk.

Question:  Reader, please leave a comment and share what was the best/craziest/cheapest/most  expensive/weirdest/worse thing you got for your birthday.  Should be some laughs :)

From Toddler to Little Man

My first born is growing into a little man.  As his birthday approaches I wonder what to do for his birthday.  Having watched all these crazy reality show about kid birthday parties, I know what I don't want.  We did a big dinner for his one month (tradition), but nothing big like that since.  We decided to do Medieval Times.  Swords.  Knights.  I sure hope he likes it.  With just immediate family we sit at 18 people.

It's bitter sweet having my son grow up.  Next thing he'll be going to school and I think I might either do a jig or die inside.   It's already choking me up sometimes to have a conversation with him.  To see his wheels turning in his head as he thinks about what he trying to explain.  He's so smart.  Sometimes too smart.  He's into the "why" stage.  He's just trying to understand why things are the way the are.  But, when you get the 10,000th "why", I now understand where "because I said so" originated.

I still have moments where the light bulb flashes bright and I can't believe I'm a mom.  What happened to the days where I'd go dancing each weekend, meet random people, hit the casino on a while at midnight, follow the charity casinos to play black jack, shopping sprees, etc

I've traded it for diapers, sleepless nights, random hugs of unconditional love, hearing "mommy", teaching, etc

Not better or worse.  Just different.  I liked being childless and the carefree life it afforded.  But, I love having my children.  Even when it comes with the poo emergencies, the 5:30am shows, loads of laundry, etc

Now to bake his birthday cake.  Blow up balloons.  Arrange rides for some of the family.  Make loot bags.