Friday, May 22, 2009

This Time Six Years Ago...

I had been a mother for about 7 hours.

Bo loves to hear about when he was born and when he was a baby.

I never tire of telling him about it.

After yesterday's post I got an email from my mom, noting that I hadn't subjected you to the more gory details of my delivery.

Truth is, that stuff didn't happen until today.

So here it is...

Just kidding.

Suffice it to say, it was a very difficult delivery, Bo was over 9 pounds, I was as yet unfamiliar with the art of getting a camel through the eye of a needle. That's what that means, right?

My doctor, bless her sweet heart was very worried and really wanted me to get a c-section but I made her promise beforehand that she would do everything she possibly could to avoid it. Both my sisters had very difficult first deliveries, so we were prepared for it to go that way.

At one point I was pulling on a towel to help with the pushing, there were about 9 people all standing around me, half of them yelling at me to push, push harder, give it all I had, you simply have to do better than that, etc.

Then this tiny little slip of a nurse climbed up on my bed, on her knees and pressed down on me and literally pushed Bo out.

I had checked out and gone to my special place where people were telling me I was so pretty and could they please get me some more chocolate dipped strawberries? I barely noticed the nurse, and since everything was so chaotic, the addition of this unconventional method of getting a baby out, was barely noticed.

I didn't know I was done. I heard J cry out, "That's the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

I heard someone say, "You're done, Nobody, he's out!"

I pulled myself up on my elbows and looked across the room to see this gigantic baby laying on a table, flailing his appendages around, not making a sound.

He was huge and I was sure my perspective was skewed so I didn't say anything at first.

My mom, was sitting in stunned silence, unwilling or unable to move, I'm not sure.

I said, "He looks so big!" My doctor said he was the biggest baby she'd delivered in her private practice (she was 29 at the time) and my mom said, "That's the biggest baby a Smith girl has delivered!

It struck me how she seemed to say that with pride. All I could think was, "Why did I have to earn that award?"

Bo didn't cry. He was just sweet and content.

Still is.

It's amazing to me that six years later I can still look across the room at him and be overcome with joy and pride. That he's mine. That we did that. That he came to us. That our hearts were every complete before he came.

Before we had Bo, I learned that J was a little nervous around newborns, particularly small ones. This kind of worried me. I imagined him skillfully avoiding Bo until he was well into his second year of life.

The nurses bundled up Bo and J tucked him into his arms and was completely at ease.

Second only to holding him in my own arms, I loved to see Bo nestled in J's arms.

About 40 minutes after he was born, it was a little after 3 am. The nurse suggested that J go get me some fresh fruit before the cafeteria closed. In this hospital, you had to go through the garage from where we were, to get to the cafeteria.

I was busy getting "mended" and J, being the good and attentive husband and father, carefully tucked Bo into one arm, waved to me and said, "I'll be back with some food!"

The nurse jumped up and said, "You can't take the baby with you!"

And then sat down and laughed until she cried. It of course didn't occur to either of us that perhaps our 40 minute old newborn shouldn't be hauled through a parking garage and off to a cafeteria, with a one-armed hold.

J has been a better father than I ever could have dreamed for my children, and Bo has been all a mother could ever hope for in a child. And both have had six years to prove it over and over.

Happy Birthday Bo. To know, know, know, you is to love, love, love you. Just to see your smile, makes my life worthwhile....

17 comments:

Mrs. O said...

So sweet! Every one of my babies (but the one that weighed 7 lbs) had to have a nurse push down on my stomach to get them out. On my last one I just asked to nurse to push right "here" - worked like a charm.

Plain Jame said...

Why is it that we hold our birthing stories like a "war story" - showing a few the "battle wounds" (my 10 inch stretch marks) and reminiscing about the day with each memory so vivid?? Honestly I love talking about the births of my babies! I didn't realize this before I joined the mom club that it's actually fun to hear how another human joins the world.
Thanks for sharing. I am suddenly scared about having a 10 lb baby soon...
Of course, happy bday to bo!

Coordination Queen said...

Happy Birthday to Bo! I love that the nurse had to push on your stomach to get him out. That is great!

omar said...

I thought for a second that I was going to have to make good on my earlier threat. Phew!

I'm glad I'm a man, because NO THANKS to the camel and the needle.

Lisa said...

Happy Birthday Bo!!

omar said...

And on behalf of kids number 2 and 3, I hope that they each enjoy three-day birthday celebrations on your blog as well.

Unless, of course, you're admitting that you love Bo more.

S said...

Omar:)

He had the biggest little hands! I can totally see J tryin to leave with the baby! I have never seen security take down a new father with his newborn in a garage before. Could happen!

Klin said...

Awwwww! That was awfully sweet and fun to read. My first was 9 lbs. 6 oz. So was my 2nd. The thing about big babies is that you worry less about breaking them :)

Klin said...

Happy Birthday to your Bo!!!!

Super Happy Girl said...

Awww, happy birthday Bo!!!
You lucky dude :) You've got awesome parents (and a mom with gorgeous red hair)

"...You simply have to do better than that..." Funny just follows you Nobody :D

Emily said...

I'm so glad you remember "all the gory details" of each birth. . . and the details leading up to each birth. . . days in advance.

Because you capture so well what every mother feels.

I crack up every time I hear that story of J taking off with Bo in football hold to the cafeteria. . . Oh, I'm glad you both became parents!

Anonymous said...

My first was 9 9 and we pushedfor over 3 hours. not that I like how we got here but my next two were sections...much easier recovery for me...
but i totally agree about not worrying your going to break a nine pound babe...my middle one was only 8 pounds and he was scary for the first several weeks

Charlotte said...

Loved your birthing story. My favorite part was trying to take the baby to the cafeteria!! I had a 9 pound baby. Luckily he was the only epidural of the bunch.

Code Yellow Mom said...

Love this stuff! And you and Bo,too. :)

David LOVES to tell everyone he can how our babies are each bigger than the last - like it's a badge of honor or somethin'. I think he's seriously hoping for an 11 or 15 pound girl this time, just for the bragging rights. And I just stand there and watch whoever he's telling picture me delivering a camel.

Ah well. At least he's started limiting telling people our babies' birth weights to conversations that are already about birthin' babies. That's a good step in the right direction. :)

Suzanne said...

I have only had scarily small babies so I can't commiserate, but my mom had 2 big ones: one 8 1/2 and the other almost 10 pounds. Everyone used to joke that she birthed linebackers! ;)

Isn't it weird how in labor there is so much going on and so much pain that it's hard to remember a lot of details? I wish I'd known about the place where people would tell me I was so pretty and could they please get me some more chocolate dipped strawberries? ;)

Thanks for sharing your story. I want to see pics! :)

Becky said...

Great! I love hearing birthing stories!
Glad you guys had him and glad we met you guys!!!

Yvonne said...

Happy Birthday to your sweet little bo.

I LOVED THIS POST. (I will never read that phrase in the scriptures again without thinking of you ; )

My first was 8# 3 oz. and my last was 9# 3 oz, but then I'm a big woman.