The Story!

The main characters in the story.

On April 30th, I had my 36 week appointment (although I was only 35-1/2 weeks). I felt pretty good because I was 1.5 cm and 70% effaced. I knew that my body was progressing and that was what mattered in my head. I still hadn't really started preparing for a new baby. I had stopped babysitting the week before and was still bugging Richard to finish the project in the loft so I could put my house back together. Every day that week, I had slowly started putting books on the new bookshelf. I talked about my plans of what I wanted done in the boys' room. I made lists but got little done on them because the weather was nice and I wanted to have some fun with Nelson. We went to Farm Country one day and to the Dinosaur Museum another. We also went to story time at the library and played with friends here and there. That Saturday I went to a friend's baby shower down in Provo and finally got out the space bags with the baby clothes. I went to church on Sunday and talked to some friends in the hallway about how I hoped my water would break again with this baby. I had said multiple times that week that I was going to go early (positive thinking), but I always followed that statement with "But, not this week because I'm not ready for him yet.". Everything leading up to Monday seemed like normal life. I had been extra emotional and my feet were huge on Sunday - things that could have hinted towards what happened the next day...

Monday started out like normal. I said family prayer with Richard at 5:30 before he left for work and then went back to sleep in my loyal recliner (I slept in the recliner the last four months because of hip and sleeping problems). At 7:00, Nelson woke up and I went into his room to get him. I started having a conversation with him when I realized liquid was going down my leg. My water broke with Nelson also in the morning, but I still had the same thought, "I have no bladder control - I'm peeing my pants!". I told Nelson that I needed to go to the bathroom and then we would get him his milk. I cleaned myself up, got his milk, and turned on Curious George. After Nelson was situated, I grabbed my phone and headed back to the bathroom. I started bleeding then and knew that my water broke! I tried calling Richard and got no answer on his cell or work phone. That's when I panicked! Not only was I going into labor four weeks early, but I could not get a hold of my husband! I called my Mom in tears. She told me to call my neighbor, throw a bag together, and get to the hospital. Within minutes my sisters were calling me telling me that they would take over calling Richard - something I knew would not result in anything. Richard had two huge projects due at work in the next couple of weeks. He had worked 15 hours overtime the week before and still felt panicked about work. When he works on the projects, he goes into a lab where phones are not allowed. I sent him an email hoping he would be by a computer. I had no idea what else to do, but I knew I needed to get to the hospital.

Nelson and I walked across the street at about 7:40. I had packed a bag quickly for myself and grabbed some clothes and diapers for Nelson. Nelson was so happy to go to Lucy's house so early in the morning and happily greeted Spencer at the door. Brittany had hopped in the shower after I called and speedily came down the stairs when she heard my knock. She put on her shoes, and we were out the door (without her putting on her make-up first, that's how I know she loves me).

On the drive there, my sister called and I recommended to her that she should look up Richard's work number online and talk to a receptionist or someone. I remember talking non-stop on the way to the hospital - I was nervous about having the baby early and not knowing if someone could get a hold of Richard in time. I was starting to have some contractions.

We hadn't registered at the hospital yet. I was going to do the early registration that Friday after my doctor's appointment. They told me to just go upstairs and register later. (Brittany ended up taking my insurance card and ID downstairs and registering me while I got checked.) The first person I saw when I walked into the labor and delivery area was my doctor! What a great sight! They checked me and confirmed my water had broken and I was at a 3. They took me to a labor and delivery room to start hooking me up to everything. Right after we got into the room, Richard FINALLY called! A security guard had found which lab he had last gone into and went there to tell him his wife was in labor. (He admitted later that he didn't really think I was in true labor until he called my phone and Brittany answered it and told him I was already in a L&D room!) He was on his way! It was about 8:30 when he called, and he got to the hospital at 9:15. Brittany left to relieve her husband from kid duty, and I got my epidural. An hour after I got the epidural, I was at a 9 and the nurse started prepping for the delivery. I couldn't believe how fast everything was happening! (It was a good thing, though, because my doctor was leaving at 11:00 to go home for the day, so I would have had a different doctor for the delivery.) My doctor came in at about 11:00 and ten minutes later, we had our little boy! They had a team of specialists in the room that they took him to immediately. Within a few minutes, they brought him to me and said he seemed great and that they thought he looked like me! They still took him downstairs for some testing after I held him for a couple of minutes! Like a wrote in the previous post, he was borderline on some of the tests. He took to eating right away and that helped him pull through without any extra help.

We feel very blessed that he was so healthy! At his first doctor's appointment, he is continuing to grow and doing great! I am also very thankful for wonderful friends who helped me when I wasn't quite prepared for what was happening! And, lastly, I am so thankful Richard got there in time! You would think that Richard learned his lesson and would give me the lab's phone number or he would check his email more often. Nope! Still just as hard to get a hold of at work this week! Hopefully Brittany will still live across the street in a couple of years...