My pregnancy had gone very well over all, even though it started like a very well written soap opera... I suppose we will just cover some of that as well... because the birth itself was very VERY short (Atticus was born within 20 min of arriving at the hospital)... but the beginning of the pregnancy was a kinda funny story itself...
I was 20 years old, not really planning on becoming pregnant any time soon (I have polycystic ovarian syndrome... My Dr. had let me know on multiple visits that it would be very very difficult for me to get pregnant, when we decided to... and not to get discouraged...), and working overnights at a local pet boarding facility. One night, I got to work and became violently ill... so sick I actually apologized to my co-worker, took a dog bed, and curled up in one of the kennels to sleep for the night (in between the dashes to the bathroom to throw all my insides into the toilet)! This went on for a week. Luckily, my manager and co-worker were very nice about the whole thing. I worked what I could... clocked out, and slept what I couldn't. Throughout this whole thing it never once dawned on me that I might be pregnant... my cycle had always been irregular... I was convinced I just had the stomach flu... and I knew I HAD to work...
Everyone knew before me. My grandmother constantly told me I was pregnant. My husband and mother joked around, but made sure to take moments to tone down the play and remind me that I might want to take a test. It wasn't until a few days before my 21st birthday that it really hit me... what if I really WAS pregnant? I remember sitting there with my husband, and agreeing that I would take a test before making any plans for my birthday... as "I obviously wasn't going to be having any drinks if I were pregnant... not that I was..."So then it happened... I remember buying a test, and laughing on the phone with my best friend... that I was just buying it so that everyone would shut up... and what did she tell me? "Call me when you get that positive. You might want someone to talk to. I'll be up waiting." Luke, my husband, works nights as well... so on my day off, I waited until he got home to take the test. I went in, took it, and left it on the counter... left the room for a moment, and then came back... HOLY COW! THEY WERE RIGHT?
I ran into our bedroom, and chucked that test so hard and so fast across the room... it hit Luke right in middle of his forehead. "What was that for?" I just stood there, letting everything sink in... I was going to be a mom... this was really happening! Of course, this is something we wanted down the line... but it wasn't something I was expecting then, and now... but it was a warm feeling... a welcome feeling... its what I had wanted my whole life...
"We told you so. Why don't you go call S'len, and we'll talk about it once you sort out your feelings." ... I have the best husband in the world... and he knows me so well...
Since everyone knew before I did, everyone was excited! oh, and my 21st birthday? It still went down in the books for the best, most memorable birthday ever. It was the day I got to see my baby for the first time. I got to hear his heartbeat. I received the full knowledge that I was going to be a mom. I was going to have little hands tugging at my pants, begging to be picked up... I was going to have pictures hanging on my fridge...I couldn't wait...And then we went out to dinner. Have you ever gone out to a fancy restaurant with your grandparents and your husband? Have you ever had said company get drunk off wine while you watch from the sidelines? How about a 30 min drive home where you listen to "Teddy Bear's Picnic" on repeat while your grandmother sings along? No... I'm not sure many people have... but it made me smile. I had so much to look forward to!
A week later I found out my mother was pregnant as well... and a few weeks after that, my sister called... pregnant as well... This whole pregnancy was going to be a dramatic roller coaster of unknown fun... As weird as it was, it was also nice to have family who were going through the same things to turn to... "My legs feel funny! Do yours feel funny?" "I've been cramping like crazy! Is this normal?"
It was an odd roller coaster, but looking back... I wouldn't have had it any other way.
I was very lucky. I had a very uncomplicated pregnancy once the morning sickness was gone. I'm not sure I told very many other people (in fact I did complain more than I should have), but overall I LOVED being pregnant. I loved going to work, and knowing that my baby was going with me. For once in my life, I loved the way I looked... I loved my bump, and I loved going places and knowing that other people noticed... I loved being pregnant.
I remember getting home, and my husband asking me if I were ok... I remember reassuring him that I was fine and that I would call him if I thought I was really in labor. He gave me a hug and kiss, and went on to work. Hours went by... I would have 2-3 min between these contractions... and then 17 min between these... I would call my Doctor's office, and they kept telling me "just wait until they're regularly at least 5 min apart. Then call us, and head to the hospital". Mine never regulated. 5 min here... 2 min here... 1 min...19 min...3 min... 33 min... all night long... All the while I was trying not to think about anything... I just kept cleaning... and organizing... and cleaning some more. Finally, I text Luke... "I think the baby's coming, but I can wait for you to get home... contractions are still pretty irregular in time...but pain increasing..." He left work immediately.
He got home, and I told him I was going to try to sleep. Maybe it was a false alarm... but the books said if I could sleep through them than I wasn't in active labor... or maybe they'd go away, and I'd know for sure the baby wasn't coming yet... I really did not want to go to the hospital without knowing I was in labor for sure...
Somewhere around 4am on October 17th, while laying in bed, my water broke. I immediately woke up. I thought a balloon had popped... but I didn't have any balloons in my house... than it hit me... I was soaked... I called my grandmother, who I wanted to take us to the hospital. Then I proceeded to change my clothes and underwear 4-5 times before it dawned on me to just put a pad on, and get everything outside.... but as soon as I put that pad on, I was in so much pain I couldn't do anything else. I had forgotten to call my dr. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CALL MY DR!!! ... and I called her... while laying on the floor... in the middle of my hallway... crying... and all I could do was whisper "Cassandra Miller. 4-30-89. Go. Hospital." on her answering machine.
When my grandmother arrived, my husband had to carry me out to the car. I was in so much pain. We didn't think we'd make it to the hospital. I was afraid I was going to have my baby in the car. Hesitantly, my grandmother ran a few red lights... but we made it to the hospital. My husband went and banged on the door... and somehow, they got me into a wheelchair, and into the building.
They finally got us into a room. I was screaming through contractions at this point, and the nurse was a real b*tch. I kept telling her the baby was coming... and she just kept going "oh, honey... this is your first baby. He's not coming for a little while. We'll get your meds going really soon"... and she proceeded to try to get me to answer medical questions to calm me down... seriously?!?! I finally got the nurse to check me... to see how dilated I was... I remember a momentary chuckle in my brain when I saw her eyes light up as she ran to the phone... "I need the doctor from the 2nd floor... no, her doctor's not going to make it...no, no time for meds... no, not even an IV... no, I can feel the head!!!"
...that 2nd floor doctor? He never made it... The stupid nurse had to deliver my baby... I wasn't even allowed to hold him right away because he came out blue, and I remember hearing them talking about his breathing... that something wasn't right! I remember the few moments of panic as I asked them over and over "is he ok?"... I asked everyone if he was ok... but he had also torn through the placenta... and they had to manually pick all the pieces out... it was awful, but I didn't care because all I could focus on was my baby... and making sure he was ok...
... and he was... he was perfect... and he was finally handed over to me... I just looked at him... he was perfect... all 6lbs, 12oz...
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| Yes, those dates are incorrect - the camera doesn't know what its talking about |
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| Atticus and his daddy. Dates are still wrong. |
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| Atticus and his mommy. Trivia Fun Fact- the rubber band was shaped like a giraffe. I wore it the whole pregnancy. The other one is a Kangaroo- the theme of my nephew's nursery. |
Somewhere in this process, my best friend, Saralen, showed up... straight from an overnight shift at work, and stayed until we had to send her home because she could not stay awake any longer. An Luke's best friend, Nick, showed up too... he had arrived shortly after we had, and waiting in the lobby until I was decent enough for him to come in. Friends like these are irreplaceable. I know this paragraph doesn't flow as well as the rest of the story, but they deserve to be in here... because they wanted to be there, and they will always mean the most to my husband and I. Those friends who are just as important as any family member. We love you.
Our stay at the hospital was brief... and went without any further compilations. We left as soon as the hospital guidelines would allow us to. We were anxious about getting home to start our family. Nervous, anxious, but oh so ready.
I'm sure at some point I will tie up the end of this story a bit better.... but for now, this is it. This is the exciting start to an exciting adventure... 3 years into this journey I'm still just as excited as I was when it started. I love my little Atticus. =)
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