Monday, February 28, 2005

More Info

On the way to the hospital I took your daddy's hand. He didn't know what I was going to do considering how every two minutes I was climbing out of the seat. He got scared and tried to yank his hand away from me afraid I would squeeze the life out of it. I got the better of him and wouldn't let his hand go. Then, as my intention was the whole time, I kissed it.

When we got to the hospital your father went inside to get me a wheelchair. He promptly came back with one but then let me out of the rental van while he went to park. I assumed I was supposed to wheel myself back in, which I couldn't do, so I ended up pushing the chair back inside before sitting in it in front of the security desk. A nurse who was going off duty saw me and offered to roll me back to the labor area. God sent that angel to me cause I wouldn't have made it on my own. She left me in the care of another nurse and then left. I was put on a bed and the nurse came in to check me. She left with a puzzled look on her face and came back with another nurse who proceeded to check me again. You don't want to know what it felt like, trust me. When the second nurse recovered her hand she said, "I feel a head!" From there they realized that I wasn't kidding when I told them I was in labor and everything went into warp speed. All of sudden we couldn't move fast enough. Your father was on the phone trying to get some info about our friend's pediatrician, I was changing and trying to give the nurse all my info, another nurse was trying to reach the doctor. I got back in the bed and one nurse and your father sped with me through the halls to the delivery room. What a guy! In the delivery room I was so ready to go, I was begging the nurse to just let me push. She told me that I couldn't push til the doctor got there to take care of things in case something happened. So I breathed and I climbed the walls with each contraction. I have to mention that the contractions were not painful as I expected them to be. For me, it felt like I had to have a bowel movement really, really, really badly - a very uncomfortable feeling. Imagine having to use the bathroom but there not being one in sight and you have to make a concerted effort to not push or allow any pressure on your abdomen. I did think to myself though that if the feeling got any stronger I wouldn't be able to take it. Fortunately, it didn't get stronger because I was ready to start asking about that epidural. Anyway, the doctor came in all calm til he saw for himself that you were on your way whether he was ready or not. One nurse held one leg, your father held the other, the doctor told me when to push (which was easy to figure out cause I told him when a contraction was coming - he didn't even have to look at the monitor), and Joe Millionaire was on the air. The doctor really was watching it in between my pushes. My water didn't break on its own, the doctor had to break it. He also decided to give me an episiotomy. I so wish he hadn't. Oh well. I pushed and I suppose I felt that "ring of fire," I don't remember so much now. Then out came your head, and before I knew it out popped the rest of you.

I wasn't prepared for what happened afterwards - no one warned me. I got chills like never before. I couldn't even hold you cause I was afraid I would drop you. My mother, your grandma, turned up just then with her friend, Martha. They had literally just come back from a road trip to Orlando. Well, my mother was the happiest grandmother alive that night. She held little you and you looked around at everything going on around you. Of course, his proud daddy held you too.

This is the part of the story my husband would love to forget. My mother took all sorts of pictures. Needless to say, they were not all publish-worthy. The next day, every single picture found it's way into one of my co-workers email inboxes, which were then forwarded to all of my other co-workers.

The story continues...

My Angel

While at a stop light this evening:

Me: Sidney is my (pause to check the light)

Sidney: ...angel.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Beside Us

I haven't told you, but we have some really cool neighbors. We didn't have a party for Sid's 2nd birthday because, well, we don't have the money at the moment. Our neighbors decided to take it upon themselves to get Sid a birthday cake, some ice cream, a #2 candle, and a balloon. They don't know how much I (we) appreciate the gesture. They are good people.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Things NOT to teach your child

Normally, when I'm ready to bathe Sid I just tell him to get naked. How he does it is up to him. Most times he tells his father to help him and then he waltzes into the bathroom with nothing on except a diaper hanging halfway off. Well, a couple of nights ago wasn't much different. He was naked except for a shower cap and he was waiting for me to call him. In the meantime he decided to amuse himself in front of the closet mirror. It was the funniest thing to watch him stand there in front of the mirror pinching his nipples and laughing. I didn't teach him that, really, I didn't!

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

He made her day

My mom came over today to bring me some soup that she made and ended up staying for dinner. No problem, my husband cooked. Just after she got here, Sidney made a point to say, "Pretty Grandma." I just know that made her day!

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Oh Lord, How Wonderful You Are!

this is an audio post - click to play

Today's my birthday

this is an audio post - click to play

Sidney is 2 Today

this is an audio post - click to play

Today You Are 2

Happy Birthday to you, baby love.

2 years ago today, you were born. Actually, at this time two years ago I was home having contractions. What a day to remember...

It was a holiday - President's Day - so I took the opportunity to get up early and take my car to the dealership for them to fix some things. I started having contractions but didn't know that's what they were. By 6 pm I was doubled over every minute, literally. I called your daddy to come take me to the hospital so he rushed home from his voice lessons and off we went. Well, we tried to be off but I stopped a few times while trying to rush to the van. Oh, the van was a loaner from the dealership. How fitting that God would give us a van just in time to tote you and all your stuff around. Anyway, the nurses couldn't believe that it was your head they were feeling cause I was fully dilated and ready, oh so ready, to push you out. But we had to wait for the dr. Once in the delivery room he seemed to be taking his time until he realized you weren't waiting for him. So you were born during Joe Millionaire, about 8:25 pm. Not bad for, what, five contractions worth of pushing.

There's so much more to the story that I know I'll tell you later. Not for you to feel guilty, but just so you'll know.

You're 2 yrs old now. You're my little man. You're so amazing. Some things about you:
1. you have bright eyes
2. you have above average intelligence for a 2 yr old (what can I say? I'm biased)
3. you talked before you could walk (you could almost sing the whole alphabet before you turned 1)
4. you recently started telling me what not to tell you to do
5. you bang your head in the mattress to put yourself to sleep...
6. ...while singing
7. you're an excellent singer - better than a lot of choir members
8. you don't like plaintains
9. you know when you're tired and hungry
10. you tell me when things are too loud or too bright
11. you like to play games
12. you know how to be polite when you want to be
13. you go crazy when you see your sister (in a good way)
14. your father gives you crazy haircuts
15. you've been to Canada twice and Jamaica once (quite the traveler)

Monday, February 14, 2005

You Kissed Me

I asked you for a kiss and you gave me one one the cheek. I couldn't resist asking for another just to see if you'd do it again. You did, but this time on the forehead. This made me think you were playing with me so I asked again. You came foreward and squarely planted one on my chin. I had to ask you one more time, I had to push my luck. You didn't disappoint me. You carefully aimed and kissed me right on the nose. I hugged you tight and you hugged me back. I wish feelings could be recorded somehow. I would relive that night over and over and over....