This time last year…

I was trying to decide if I should call/go to the hospital.

I awoke around midnight/1 am, the morning of January 11, 2007, completely uncomfortable. In fact, I had been experiencing that source of discomfort at various intervals throughout the day on January 10, and had even joked with a friend about probably being in labor (remember our phone conversation, Brenda?). I was only joking, sort of…

Then, when the pains kept coming in the evening, I started preparing things for maybe running to the hospital within the next day or so.

When I awoke around midnight/1 am, I remember being frustrated because I had been waking up almost every hour due to the discomfort. At this point in my pregnancy, I was sleeping in our recliner rather than in bed, due to being so uncomfortable.

I drank some water, used the bathroom, changed positions, but still, I was uncomfortable. Just for the heck of it, I decided to try timing the pains I kept feeling, which were getting more intense. Yes, by now, I had figured out they were contractions for certain, but I was thinking they were only Braxton-Hicks, and didn’t want to overreact as a first-time mom.

I’m trying to think back now, but I know I was surprised when I realized just how regular they were and that they were coming within every five minutes or so.

I called the hospital just to ask them what they thought I should do. They asked the standard questions – How far along? (almost 38 weeks) Do you know if you lost your mucous plug? (yes) How long ago? (over the past week/week and a half) Were things progressing at your last appointment? (yes – 3 cm, and I don’t remember the effacement) Any other issues? (I’m pre-eclamptic, and we’ve talked about possibly inducing labor, due to my blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, etc. I’m being heavily monitored and am on modified bed rest.)

The nurse pulled my chart and informed me she thought I better come in. By now, it was close to 2/2:30 am, and I went to wake up the Hubby.

I told him to take his time – the baby wasn’t about to just pop out. While he showered and dressed, I took care of Supercat, finished packing the last-minute items in my bag and grabbed the baby’s bag of stuff. I continued to time the contractions and watched and felt them get closer together while growing in intensity.

We drove to the hospital and by now, the contractions were only three minutes apart, approximately. And I was feeling pretty worn out from not being able to sleep and the discomfort. The hubby kept trying to time them for me while he was driving – they were lasting 30 seconds to 1 minute each time, at least.

(I might be slightly off in my timing at this point, as a year has wiped my memory out and the site I used to blog/journal, erased my “birth story.”)

After checking in, I was put in an observation room – one of the ones I had stayed in before, during my brief “complete hospitalized bed rest” stint in December (blood pressure issues, swelling, and baby monitoring). The bad part – the observation rooms are incredibly tiny, filled with lots of monitoring equipment and have no window. You feel like you are in a closet with a half-bathroom.

Sadly, dilation hadn’t moved much, if at all, since my last appointment. But, they could see on the monitors, I was definitely having some intense contractions. Due to my history, they decided I would stay put and they would talk to my doctor in the morning.

I sent the Hubby off to work, telling him to plan to be back later.

The kind nurse took pity on me, since I hadn’t slept more than an hour or two in the past 20 hours, and because the contractions weren’t easing up. She gave me a little pain medicine to let me sleep, promising me it was something they commonly used for pregnant moms, and that it wouldn’t hurt the baby.

I slept for just over an hour and it was wonderful. (Not nearly long enough, but wonderful!)

The contractions were back with a vengeance. So, I tried sitting in every possible position, my breathing exercises, walking up and down the halls, but nothing would help it.

Just when I thought I couldn’t take it any more, we got the word that my doctor wanted me admitted and that as far as she was concerned, the baby would be arriving that day.

The day went very slowly. I tried the whirlpool tub to alleviate some of the intensity of the pain from the contractions, I walked around, I breathed, and then they offered me an epidural again.

I truly wanted to give birth without an epidural, as I knew I wouldn’t be able to get up and walk around after it was administered, and the whole bit about having to be catheterized did not excite me. After much discussion (well, as much discussion as I could muster, as I really did not want to talk as I just was feeling miserable at this point), I was given an epidural – one of three that day (missed the first time, needle shifted a couple hours later for the second time, but the third time finally worked).

To sum it all up, Little Dude was born at at 10:50 pm, after more than 23 hours of active labor – and close to 36 hours if you count “pre-labor.” He weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz, and was 21″ long.

Little Dude had to be under observation his first night, and was taken away just after we got to see and hold him for a moment, as he had some difficulties adjusting to the outside world at first.

They did bring him back to us briefly that night, for just over an hour, which he and I spent snuggling, since he would not wake up to try eating at that point. The hubby had gone home after that, since I was supposed to just shower and rest, but instead I hiked down to the nursery to be near to my new little boy.

Little Dude was returned to me at 5:30 am, breathing much better, but still wearing his monitor. And of course, I hadn’t gone to sleep, due to the adrenaline rush, until 3 am, so I was exhausted but thrilled to have him back.

So, that was one year ago today. Little Dude is now a year old, and somehow, it feels like my love for him grows every day. (How is that possible, since I was already adoring him so completely?)

Our lives are quite different, now. We’re both frequently tired. We tend to start arguing a little quicker than in the past. My career aspirations to are still there, but slightly re-prioritized and on a bit of a hold. The hubby is still trying to find time to get the spring yard work done (from 2007), and there is snow on the ground now, so that is on hold. I am not certain what movie we last saw in a theater, we haven’t been to a mall to just hang out in ages, and going out to eat means more work to plan the outing than making life easier, nowadays.

Would we change these things? Not a chance. We both find ourselves smiling secretly at each other with pride whenever Little Dude learns something new. We have a little boy that delights in seeing us when one or both of us have been gone. We are receivers of the BEST hugs in the universe, and are occasionally blessed with a few kisses, too. We have someone that laughs at our attempts to make him smile, and who is always eager to play “climb on mommy,” or “attack the daddy.” Little Dude is eager, curious, stubborn and serious when it comes to observing the world around him. He is also funny, cuddly and full of energy.

I look back now, at one of my favorite snapshots of “my three boys,” from last February:

It is hard to believe how much he has grown! (Look at how tiny that foot was!)

Happy 1st Birthday, Little Dude! Mommy and Daddy love you very much! (And you are growing on Supercat, slowly but surely.) You are truly a blessing, and we give thanks daily that you are in our lives.

(Picture taken in December 2007. Little Dude was streaking across the house just prior to a bath, and was awfully proud of himself.)