Month 12 Archives

Dear Henry,

I am just so sad that you're one. I'm sad for me, that now you're turning into a little boy, and my baby is growing up. But for you, little one, I'm so excited. You are getting to explore this world in ways you've never dreamed, by crawling and talking and eating. As usual, I'm left wondering where the time went.

For this month's remembrance of you, I'm going to tell you the story of when you were born. You may not want to read it, but I need to get it written down before I forget myself. You know how I've been getting in my old age. I think I need some ginkgo biloba.

This is how it began. There were months of my legs swollen the size of tree trunks, bloody noses, carpel tunnel syndrome, heart burn, and being absolutely sure you were going to come early. I sat in my chair watching the Twins play baseball, and played my Sudoku puzzles, counted my contractions, and wrote the time in the margins on the page of each puzzle. For weeks, I'm telling you, I just knew you were coming at any minute. But no.

Then one normal, unsuspecting Tuesday rolled around, the day before your due date, I got out of bed, and a milky fluid ran down my leg. (Sorry for the graphic material, but these things need to be told.) I didn't think anything of it, hopped in the shower, and was off to work. After a few hours, I was thinking about what happened and I called auntie Gina and she said she thought my water broke and I needed to call my doctor. Well, I wished I hadn't called her at all, because I just knew it wasn't that. So then I called the all knowing Gma-E, and she said, "I'm sorry Honey, but yes, I think you're water did break." So, I went home, waited for Papa, and we headed to the hospital.

During the drive, we were both wondering, "Is this it? Is this that drive that everyone worries about because you don't want to be stuck in a snow storm or in traffic?" Well, it was our drive, and it was a beautiful, sunny Tuesday afternoon at 1. Just as I thought, my water did not break, but my doctor sent me to the hospital to do one final test to just make sure. Again, negative, but the doctor said, "Since you're due tomorrow, there's no reason you need to be pregnant any longer, so if you want to, let's have this baby!" So we did.

They induced me at about 7pm, we sat in the hospital room watching the Twins play, as usual. Daddy fell asleep, I sneezed at about 11pm and THEN my water broke. Contractions woke me up at about 1:30am, Daddy's still sleeping, and I immediately got the good drugs going. Woke up again at about 6am, the nurses said it was "go time." Daddy's still sleeping. The nurse told me it was time to push at about 6:45, and I told them someone needs to wake up THE FATHER! So the nurse shook him and said, "You better get up if you want to see this baby born!"

Three pushes later you were here! 7:03 am, Wednesday June 21, 2006, right on your due date. 7lbs, 11oz, and 21" long. Although it could have been a few minutes earlier if you didn't have the cord wrapped around your neck - TWICE! The doctor had to do some fancy footwork and she pulled you're little butt right outta there, no problem-o. Whew. 'Bout gave me and Daddy a heart attack. The doctor said you were even kicking as you came out you were so mad. I guess I'd be mad too if I couldn't breathe.

So that's your story, written in cyberspace stone. You can't deny it, or change it. It says a lot about who you are: you just couldn't miss one more Twins game, you're a fighter, and most importantly - you're punctual. That's my boy.

Loves, Mama