the birth of Curly Top, a love story.

Reading the blogs of other mamas has me traveling down memory lane, a lane on which I hope to spend my elder years as my mind begins to fail me. I would travel this lane for all eternity if it would not interfere with the daily needs of my ever growing, ever changing family.
Today, memory lane travels through my early 20's, a time when I was living in a beautiful townhouse with my true love. I was 41 weeks and 3 days past my edd with my first pregnancy. This pregnancy was a pampered one, being my first. I did not bend, lift, or move much. I ate for two and became fat, full of chicken wings and my little bundle of joy. On this particular day, I was weepy and in dire need of some progress toward holding my 'overdue' darling. My husband and step-son spent an evening with me at the drive-in movie theater. We saw the scooby doo movie and then I went home to bed. I awoke at 6:00 am on Sunday, father's day, to be precise and my water had broken. We dropped my step son off at his mother's house and then stopped at Walmart because I needed some slippers for the hospital. Next, we arrived at the hospital and I was admitted. Looking back, it was a shabby hospital, but at the moment, it was heaven. We called our families and they traveled an hour to be with us and spend the day with my step-son so that he could be with us when the baby was born. I labored with a full house. For 11 hours we watched tv, socialized, and managed pain. I have fond memories of this time, my father-in-law slipping on my amniotic fluid, playing cards, the guys watching golf and me taking it all in, just so drunk in my thoughts of holding my baby. During transition, I asked for and received nubaine for the pain. It made me high and happy and then I vomited, but it was ok because this is what the books said might happen. Then at 7 centimeters I got an epidural that was so effective my legs felt like cinder blocks. I felt no contractions and no urge to push. When I finally reached 10 centimeters, everyone cleared out except the hubz and my mom and I began to push. Now, no one told me about childbirth. My bff/sister in law had two c-sections and my other two bffs had c sections also. I read that It was a good idea to push in a squatting position so I demanded that I be allowed to try and almost fell flat on my face because of the epidural. I remember that they turned the drip down and I pushed for 40 minutes. I remember the hubz praising me and cheering me on, I also remember my mother's face as I pushed her first grandson into this world. When he was born, I held him and nursed him immediately. It was hard and emotional and the single best thing I had ever done at that point in my life. Our immediate family came into the room and passed him around, grinning for the camera and deciding who he looked like. Once alone again, I showered, ate and got a ride over to my new room where I was greeted by applause from over 15 friends and family members. My baby was here and life was good.
There were booby traps, slight medical issues, and some post partum anxiety, but that can wait...