It really doesn't feel like Gabe is one year old today. Maybe it's because he's the baby and he's not supposed to grow up. Maybe it's because he still seems so little since Ruthie seems so big. Or, maybe it's because he wasn't supposed to turn one for another five weeks.
April 21, 2008 was such a whirlwind of a day. I woke up that morning with a couple of very clear signs that he was ready to arrive. Of course, it was 5 weeks too early, so I chose to semi-ignore the signs and go about my day. But, I went to work very nervous and remained in that state all day long. Immediately after school, Jon and I drove to the doctor's office for some word of something. The nurse who checked me said this, "You are 75% effaced, but you're not at all dilated. Don't worry. Go home. You may have no more than a week, but that baby won't come tonight." Jon was very relieved to hear that and kept reassuring me that we still had some time, but I knew that she was wrong. I knew that Gabe was coming that night.
As soon as we got home the nesting began. Okay, it wasn't actual cleaning- more of quickly putting together a bag for the hospital, writing instructions for Ruthie and the dogs. Just in case I was right. At 11:00, Jon went to bed. He thought I should go to bed, too, but I just couldn't. Not yet.
It was about 11:15 when I felt the first contraction. The next one came right about 11:20 (If you remember with Ruthie, I don't have long drawn out labors). That's when I called our friend Anne and said I might need her to come over. Then I said I'd wait a little bit longer and that I'd call her back if I was sure. At 11:30 I called her back. Two more contractions had come- strong and exactly 5 minutes apart. I was sure.
Then I went to wake up Jon. He wasn't very happy, saying it was too soon and he was sleeping. I said, "This baby is coming right now," and another contraction racked my body. Jon got the point!
The next 20 minutes were a little chaotic. I had my car keys and I was ready to go but Jon really wanted to drive his car. Fine. However, he could not find the keys. A contraction came- no keys. Another contraction came- no keys. Next contraction- still no keys. Timing these contractions, the 5 minutes is long gone. Now we're down to three. I think I actually started crying at this point, telling Jon that he could either take the keys to my car or I was driving myself. Again, he got the point. Anne hadn't yet made it over, but there was no time to waste. We locked our sleeping Ruthie in the house and threw the keys in the mailbox!
Now, this is the part where Jon always starts his version of the story- he really likes this part. This is where he gets to tell how he sped down the dark, empty streets running red light after red light!
I have no idea what time we actually got to the hospital- I just know it was sometime after midnight. It was then that I discovered the horrors of having not yet gotten in my pre-registration and I started crying fit #2. The "nurse" at the check-in looked like a teenager and didn't seem to care at all that I'd had a very fast first labor and that my contractions were down to 2 minutes apart. I begged her to get me upstairs but instead I was directed to pee in a cup. Seriously. Then, I had to endure question after question after question- which seemed to take forever since I would stop mid-word to breathe through a contraction.
Finally, after what seemed like forever later, a nurse came downstairs. I explained to her that my first delivery was fast and that I was not dilated at 3:30 that afternoon. When she checked, I was dilated to a 6. She got me upstairs immediately.
After that, it was all so fast. On the table, meet the nurses and doctors, eat a few ice chips, push a few times. And then there was Gabe. One nurse said that I got to the delivery room at 1:20am. She said the total time I was in there until Gabe came was 22 minutes.
It was April 22nd, 1:42am.
Happy birthday, Gabe!
