Introducing the cast of main characters:
Baby Incubator / Mommy: Karen
Big Daddy Hoffman / Proud Papa: Chris
Baby #1 / Cutest and Bestest Big Sister: Ally
Baby #2: Cora
Private Nurse, Nanny, Baby-Cuddler Extraordinaire, Maid, and Friend: Jessica
The background story:
Mommy was pregnant. She puked her way through the first 6 1/2 months. The next 2 months or so were still nauseating but definitely more tolerable. The last 3-4 weeks were even better except for the weird swelling/blood pressure episode which prompted extra tests and ultrasounds and labs, which made Mommy even more annoyed that the baby wasn't out yet. (Mommy is still working on nurturing the virtue of patience.) Baby #2 was due December 2nd. Mommy wished Baby #2 would come 3 weeks early to make up for when Baby #1 stayed in utero an extra week.
Mid-November came and went.
Thanksgiving came and went.
December 2nd came and went. Mommy started to anticipate another dreadful week of impatient waiting.
December 3rd came, and so did Mommy's friend Jess. We went and got some Thai food that evening since we were all still waiting for Baby #2 to make her grand entrance. Mommy ate a bland but tasty rice noodle concoction; she also sipped down 3 spoonfuls of Chris' spicy dinner on the off chance that it would promote labor. (I guess you need to be a believer first.) December 3rd went, but Jess stayed.
December 4th: Mommy had been put on the waiting list for induction on this day; if there was room in the hospital the nurses would call and she would come in and get the party started. Mommy had mixed thoughts about that. She really wanted Baby #2 out ASAP, but also wanted Baby #2 to come out on her own without modern medicine initiating it all. Turns out the L&D unit was full that day so we wouldn't have gotten in anyway except . . .
December 4, 2009: The Cora Lyn Show officially begins . . .
06:30ish-- Daddy initiates the routine conversation of "How are you feeling this morning? Anything different? Any contractions?" Mommy, feeling completely normal and annoyed at the normalcy, responds with her normal answer. She slept through the night without incident, only a few wimpy pseudo-contractions in the last half hour, but definitely nothing to get excited about.
Daddy is getting dressed for work. He says he's trying to decide which pants to wear today: the tan or the black ones. Mommy feels a little pop in her pelvis, and then a big gush. She says, "My water just broke." Daddy asks if she's serious this time, and then he says, "I guess I"ll wear my jeans today."
06:33ish-- We call Jess on her cell phone to tell her the news and she comes upstairs. Mommy is now having contractions, and they're pretty strong. (Talk about going from zero to 60 in a flash!) Karen takes a quick shower. Jess makes herself some coffee and takes a quick shower. Daddy loads up the car, warms up the car, and pulls Ally out of bed. Ally's still very sleepy but excited to be going to Ashlyn's house.
07:08-- We drop Ally off at Ashlyn's house. The contractions are stronger and about 3 minutes apart now. Mommy begins to wonder if maybe she shouldn't have spent those 5 minutes in the shower, but she doesn't share this thought with Daddy or he'd probably freak out. (She really should've bought Daddy that catcher's mitt.) Mommy's calm and okay with whatever happens 'cause she knows this will all be over quick, and they've got a licensed L&D nurse riding along in the back seat of the car.
07:15ish-- Daddy parks the car at the hospital. (How exciting! We actually made it!) We walk in, go up the elevator, and enter the Birth Center.
07:20ish-- Mommy jumps into a hospital gown and then remembers they never took a full-term profile picture, so Jess snaps one. The over-sized gown makes her actually look quiet pregnant. Then Mommy is placed on a monitor and checked by the nurse: 7cm and paper thin cervix. In normal people speak: Baby #2's reign over Mommy's body is rapidly coming to an end. In spanish speak: El fin se acerca y hay poco tiempo.
07:30ish-- Mommy gets a free ride to her hospital room in a pediatric wheelchair. (I would ask why they had one that size on the L&D floor, but I'm not naive. How sad for those girls.) Mommy hops into her new bed, and then the party really gets started.
07:35 and onward-- It's all a big blur. Mommy is hooked back up to the monitor and gets an IV. Mommy, Daddy, and Jess contemplate taking bets on who will make their grand entrance first-- anesthesia or Baby #2. Brian, the nurse anesthetist, wins the race. He places an epidural. Of course, there's only time for a small spinal dose to potentially take effect, but Mommy's grateful it's there.
Mommy lies back down and is checked by the nurse again: 10cm and very small lip on right side. In normal people speak: The exit is completely open for business. NICU nurses show up as a precaution since Baby #2 decided to poop while still in there. (You needed to know that detail, huh?)
08:16ish-- Mommy's feeling a lot more pressure than she had with Baby #1. She prays this is just due to lack of medication, but fears the culprit may be a larger Hoffman head coming through her pelvis. Too late to turn back now. Dr. Custodio (Daddy referred to him as Dr. Janitor, but not to his face; Ally refers to him as the green doctor and the vagina doctor.) shows up with a few minutes to spare.
08:18ish-- Everyone is in position now. The nurse and Jess support Mommy's legs. Daddy shows his support by holding Mommy's hand and patting her head. There's no time to laugh or tell jokes with this delivery. Mommy finds it hard to concentrate 'cause everything is happening so fast, but she manages to follow some of the directions and pushes during 2 contractions.
08:21-- Baby #2 officially arrives. All Mommy sees is her butt before she's surrounded by NICU staff, but it's a cute butt. And there was a strong cry emanating from the other end. NICU suctions Baby #2's lungs and then quickly scatters, so Mommy knows all's good. After awhile Mommy gets to hold the parasite she's been harboring for the last 9 months. She certainly is beautiful, 'cause she looks exactly like her big sister.
10:00ish-- Daddy goes and picks Ally up. When he walks inside Ashlyn's house Ally asks, "Did the baby pop out today?" When he says yes, Ally responds by happily jumping up and down and up and down with excitement. They go out for breakfast at Burger King and then head over to the hospital to meet the newest addition.
When Ally walks in the room she asks, "Mommy, is that your baby?" Then she crawls into the bed and cuddles up next to Baby #2 and Mommy. Baby #2 fusses a little, so the Cutest and Bestest Big Sister gently pats the baby and says, "It's okay baby. I love you." And then Big Sister gives little sister a kiss. Mommy will treasure that moment forever.
December 5th: Apparently we've started a tradition of being indecisive when it comes to names (and other things, too). Just as with Ally, we held off on officially naming Baby #2 until the next morning.
Cora Lyn Hoffman, welcome to our family!
Born December 4, 2009
Weighing in at 7 lbs, 12 ounces
20 inches long
Perfectly shaped, normally sized head
Born December 4, 2009
Weighing in at 7 lbs, 12 ounces
20 inches long
Perfectly shaped, normally sized head
1 comment:
Love the Ally/Cora exchange. Also, Dr. Janitor wins for the scrubs reference.
Now when are you coming to visit?
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