Happy Birthday, Small Fry!

Wow!  How the time flys!  Small Fry is 1 year old today.

Small Fry - 1 Day Old

On his birthday, I thought I would tell you about the day Small Fry decided to come on out to join our family.

Before I begin, let me tell you a little about the day Sprout was born.  I woke around 2 a.m. feeling pain, and realized I was having contractions.  They were still far enough apart that I was able to lie down between them.  I woke Jolly Green Daddy around 5 a.m. when I could no longer track how far apart my contractions were.  He was not a lot of help, as he fell back to sleep.

I think I woke him again around 7 to help me time my contractions, this time he stayed up.  I showered and went downstairs for a bit.  JGD thought it would be a good idea for him to get a bagel as he wasn't sure when he would eat again.  So at around 9:30 he went to Einstein's.  No, he will NEVER live that one down.

We then went to the hospital around 10:30 when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart.  Where they made me check in at the desk (and yes I was having contractions).  Then I was sent to triage before taken a Labor and Recovery Room.  The nurse came in to check on me and realized from the monitor that I was having a contraction.  She was surprised, as she hadn't realized it until she looked at the machine.  Shortly after that, I was given some medicine for the pain.  This made me really loopy and I felt like I was flying over the bed.  They then gave me an epidural.  I felt NOTHING from the waist down.

Sprout decided to join us at 7:00 p.m. after a short period of pushing.  That didn't take long, but it took at least another 4 hours for the epidural to wear off and for me to get back to Sprout.

Sprout - 1 or 2 days old

I tell you this story because Small Fry's birth was NOTHING like that!

The day Small Fry was born, I had plans to pick my mom up from the airport in the afternoon.  She was flying in to help us and take care for Sprout when as I was scheduled to be induced the next morning.  Well, like his sister he decided not to wait (which I'm totally okay with, didn't really want to be induced anyway).  I woke around 6 a.m. feeling the same pains I had been feeling every morning that week.  They had been gas pains and were relieved in the normal way and showering.  I took a shower to relieve the pain and realized that these were not the same as I had been having earlier in the week and that they were coming and easing.

I used my iPhone to time my contractions (I learned!) and realized that my contractions were less that 4 minutes apart.  I woke JGD at 7:00.  He called a friend to come take care of Sprout.  I tried to get my stuff together (no my bag wasn't packed) and had a really tough time doing much.  My contractions were getting stronger.  I looked at JGD and said this was nothing like last time.  Then told him that I wanted drugs.  Meanwhile, I was wondering how I would get through the check in process and triage at the hospital the way I was feeling.  We tried to get Sprout as far away from me as possible, as I was not as I didn't want her to see or hear me.

A little after 7:30, my water broke and I realized that Small Fry was in a hurry to join us.  I called for JGD, who looked at me and then told me he was calling 911.  (Now, he is a firefighter and a paramedic.  They only call 911 for extreme situations!)  I thought that he had a good idea.  He then told me not to push.  I did my best.  Our friend was told to take my car and Sprout and head to her house, we would call them later.  They left just as the ambulance showed up.

As we live in the city my husband volunteers in, he knew the crew who came to help me.  The one medic on the crew look at me, saw that I was crowning and said that I had to be moved to the bed.  All I could think about was the mess that would make.  Couldn't I just stay on the bathroom floor?  They let me stay on the floor.  Small Fry was delivered in our bathroom at 7:57.  Now that is just under 2 hours from when I woke with labor pains.  My OB had told me that he thought I would go fast this time, but this was a little faster than he thought.

I was then taken to the hospital where we were labeled "Dirty," having delivered outside the hospital.  Then I was checked out by the OB on call and waited for a room upstairs.  When they took my upstairs to my room, I sat on the bed for all of 30 seconds before going to sit on the couch.  The nurse was a little surprised.  All of the nurses on the floor would come in to my room and make comments about being the one who delivered at home.  Even the woman who helped with the forms for his birth certificate and social security number had heard.  (Small Fry's birth certificate does say that he was delivered at home).  The pediatrician came in making jokes.  My normally very jovial OB was very serious when he came to check on me.  He likes things to according to plan, and obviously my little guy had other ideas.

That is the story of Small Fry's birth.  This is one that will live on forever.  Sorry, little guy!

Small Fry 11+ months

No matter how came to join us, we are very happy to have him here.  Happy birthday, Small Fry!