March 31st, 2019

Two Fridays ago I cleaned out the rest of my pending items at work. I delegated some tasks, went through my outlook inbox and gathered up all my amex receipts to work on my reconciliation report over the weekend. I was worried my doctor would put me on full bed rest come Monday at my 36 week ultrasound and appointment so I wanted to tidy up as much as possible in the office. I told my boss I would be in earlier than usual on Monday since the appointment was at 8. He smiled. "We'll see," he said.

The next day, Saturday, Alex and I went to Maggiano's for brunch. The Manager asked when I was due. "Two weeks!" I said. She brought Alex a bag of chocolate mints half way through our meal and told him to take them to the hospital to share with guests. She said she hoped I made it to my due date and wished us good luck.

After Maggiano's we went to Kroger and bought the remaining items needed for my go bags. We finished packing the bags, I cleaned up the kitchen, we watched Aquaman. I scolded myself for only working three hours in the afternoon. I'd have to make up 3 more hours Sunday afternoon before small group and I wanted to make lemon scones. My mom called. She asked how I was feeling. How's the swelling? How's your energy? Are your go bags packed? She told me I should sleep on towels on a trash bag in case my water broke. I murmured "mmhmm probably" when the truth was that sounded uncomfortable and my water wasn't going to break so I probably didn't need to take that precaution.

We went to bed around 11, far too late to wake up at 7:30 in order to make it to first service Sunday. I would be tired but maybe I could squeeze a nap in in between the scone making and amex reconciling and small grouping.

At 4:20 I woke up uncomfortable on my right side. I began the scoot - shift - scoot - shift of maneuvering my body weight from the right to the left side to try to get comfortable again. I stopped mid scoot. Something was happening. I felt the mucous plug release and suddenly I was awake. I got up and ran to the bathroom - the fastest I have moved in months. The rushed movements woke Alex. "Are you ok?" he yelled. "Ummm yeah... my water just broke." I laughed. I made it to the bathroom before the amniotic fluid gushed out. I didn't need that trash bag and towels after all. But holy crap, my water just broke.

I called the after hours line for my Doctor's practice and left a voicemail for the on call physician while Alex rushed around the house packing everything in the car. He was remarkably calm for how totally freaked out he was. I gave him my phone so he could talk to the Doctor when he or she called back. And then I did what all women in labor do - I took a shower.

I hadn't had any perceivable contractions or any other signs of early labor so I figured I had awhile until anything started really happening. We left the house around 5:30. Alex asked me every five seconds if I was ok. I had my first discernible contraction getting into the car. The drive to the hospital is about 25 minutes. By the time we got to the hospital the contractions were more severe but still not take-your-breathe-away severe. We went to the Birthing Center and started checking in at the front desk. It was 6:00 now. A nurse came out and asked me if I was sure my water broke. "Absolutely, 100% sure." After a few more questions she said they needed to get me checked out immediately. "The on call Doctor for your practice will be here at 7. You'll be the first on her schedule."

We were taken to room 9. Two nurses came in to monitor the babies. They had a hard time finding Baby B's heartbeat. I wasn't worried. I could feel them both moving. They kept asking how bad my contractions were. They looked worried. "We need to check your cervix." Now, if you've never had the pleasure of having your cervix checked then count yourself lucky. I was already extremely uncomfortable, what with the weight of the babies and the contractions that didn't seem to take a break, but rather were one steady low rumble of pain, and this pressure which was unlike anything I had felt in the prior weeks.

The nurse's face went white. "I feel something hard." Not something you want to hear when you have a stranger's hand in your lady parts.

The other nurse checked and confirmed, "I think it's a foot. Get Doctor Demos in here now."

A Doctor I had never met, Dr. Demos, came in in a matter of seconds. She introduced herself and performed her own check. "Well, you have a foot in the birth canal and are 6 centimeters dilated. I'm sorry, you can't wait for Dr. Allen. We need to do the cesarean now."

It was about 6:20. One of the nurses handed Alex a pair of scrubs and told him they would come get him when he could come into the operating room. Minutes later I was in the OR hugging a pillow while nurses worked around me to get my temperature and blood pressure and check my heart beat and the babies heartbeats while the anesthesiologist got my back prepped for the spinal. I was shivering. It was too cold in that room. I felt exposed, yet comforted. The same nurse that first felt Zara's foot was with me the whole time, holding my hands, telling me what was coming next. I couldn't say any words. My mouth was dry, my lips were chapped. I just kept nodding at everything she said. There must have been fifteen people in that room all working together quickly to get everything in order to get these babies out.

The lower half of my body started to go numb. Alex was suddenly there by my side. I heard someway say, "Dad, you can sit right here."

Dad. It sounded weird. Like who are you calling Dad?

The anesthesiologist was behind my head the whole time. He was giving us a commentary without going into the gory details. He told me I'd feel some tugging and tearing but I shouldn't feel any pain. I felt no such things. It felt like a cat was walking on my stomach, stopping to knead a little like cats do before they get comfortable. I was waiting for the first cut, the first tear, the first anything when Dr. Demos held a baby above the sheet and said "Here's Baby A!" Well that was quick. Before I could process what was happening she held a second baby above the sheet. Their birth times were 6:54 and 6:56 am.

Several nurses were tending to each baby getting them cleaned off and checking their weights and temperatures and I'm sure other medical things they have to check, along with getting their first foot prints on little birth mementos. Once everyone was satisfied that the babies were healthy one was placed on my chest and the other was given to Alex. I think I was handed Zara but I'm honestly not sure. Tears streamed down my face as I was overcome with the shear WOW of it all. It happened so quickly. A nurse took some pictures for us - "Your first family photo!" she said.

And just like that, I was mom. Alex was a dad. Violet and Zara were born.





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