HarperDoodleDo (that's what I call you),
A few days ago you turned one. I told myself that this would coincide with my triumphant return to my blog, but, as has been the case since you were born, I am running (a few days) behind. You turned one year old on Mother's Day this year. Like I did with Em, I wanted to write out your birth story for you.
I hope that one day you will be able to forgive my waning attention to posting all of your life's accomplishments and that you will understand that having two kids under the age of two really requires a lot of hands-on time, and leaves very little time for internet time. We have it all documented on our cameras-your dad is quite the shutterbug.
I spent the last week of my pregnancy with you doing the normal things I always do. Taking care of your big sister Emerald, who was only 18 months old at the time of your arrival, took up much of my non-work time. And, wow, I was SO TIRED. Our doctor, Dr. Greer, scheduled a labor induction for me on Saturday, May 11, which was one day before your due date. Because Emerald was a late arriver and I didn't need an induction with her, I thought I could wait it out, and I thought you would also arrive a week late (around May 19 instead of your due date). I canceled the induction and made my peace with waiting to meet you for another week. On Friday, May 10, I attended a meeting/baby shower for us at my UAB job, went to the lab to do a little work, and came home around 2 in the afternoon. Your Memere (my mom) was graduating from Nurse Practitioner school that day, and I wanted to watch the webcast since I could not attend the graduation (due to being great with child and all...). I watched her graduate from our living room and was so proud of her. I also folded some laundry and ate TWO Edgar's Bakery cupcakes, which really left me feeling like crap. Pregnant ladies really know how to party-one day I imagine you will find this out.
I thought it might be a good idea to pack a hospital bag, even though this was dumb because I was SO SURE I would be pregnant for another week. I packed a bag for myself, and packed a bag for your big sister to go visit with Joy and Charlie Roche while we were in the hospital with you. I was so organized, but didn't really understand why, since it seemed silly to be doing all this a week "ahead of time". We had our neighbors, The Castello family, on "call" too, so that someone could take care of Emerald in case we had to leave for the hospital in the middle of the night. I was feeling somewhat stressed about this, because The Castellos had a trip planned and would be out of town around the time I was expecting you to arrive. Joy assured me that she would come pick Em up in the middle of the night if necessary, which eased my fears. So I was ready for you. And I was ready to wait for a week and have some down time. Guess what. I was also wrong. Very wrong.
That night, your dad and I made some talapia, brown rice, and veggies for dinner, and ate early. We put your big sister to bed around 7:45 p.m. We sat in the living room and talked about how we might get everything taken care of at the spur of the moment, since I had decided to wait for you to decide when you were ready to join our family.
About 20 minutes after we sat down, I felt a little strange, like maybe I had peed all over myself. I sat up quick and looked at your dad.
"Did I just pee on myself???"
Your dad responded with, "Well, I don't know...did you?"
I stood up and out came this gigantic gush of fluid, and I yelled, "I really just can't make it stop!!"
I ran/slid in fluid/waddled to the bathroom and got cleaned up, while dialing the doctor on call, Dr. Boozer. She called back and said they were ready for me when I could get to the hospital. I called Joy, and there was no answer. I called Amy Castello (Fifi), and there was no answer. Just our luck! Finally, I got in touch with Steven and told him my water had broken. He sent Amy right over to spend the night on our couch so Joy could get Emerald in the morning. We rushed out to the car, bags in hand--the ones I had just packed that day! I really was not in any pain at all, and I was elated and anxious to meet you.
Your dad had to move the Nissan Sentra (the car we had for sale) out of the way of the SUV so we could back out of the driveway. No sooner did he get the car to clear the path for the SUV, did a major fuse blow on the Sentra. We had to leave it parked in the bus stop for 3 days while we were at the hospital. We got to the hospital, got checked in, and called your grandparents (Memere & TPa and Gigi & Dietz) to let everyone know you were on your way.
Dr. Boozer was wonderful, and said that we could wait for me to go into labor, or she could induce labor with pitocin. I chose to have pitocin augmentation, and then got an epidural a few hours after the pitocin was started. I read a book, and took a nap. Your dad took a nap, too. At some point, the doctor came in, woke me up, and said, "Hey! It's baby time!". I put my legs up to my chest to push you out, and, well, I guess the staff was not quite ready, because I was told to not move a muscle. Once they were all set to catch you, it only took about half a push to get you out and you were there on my chest in a jiffy. So small and sweet, and SO HUNGRY. Before I got a chance to feed you, you were already sucking the skin off your arms!
You were born on May 11, 2013, at 4:45 in the morning, at 6 pounds, 14 ounces. You were 19.5 inches long. On Mothers Day (May 12, your due date), we left the hospital with you in our arms.
Now. I will say that I thought I was quite the parenting expert, since you were my second child. I was, once again, wrong. You have taught me so much in the past year. While your sister taught me that I am not in control of any tiny little thing in my life, you have taught me the power of a well-timed baby snuggle, and how to sit down and enjoy that baby snuggle. You are a snuggly sweet little fireball. You also have taught me that not all babies sleep for 12 hours every night from the age of 3 months old. You still wake up many nights between 2 and 4 a.m., and all you want is to be close to us. Sometimes it is frustrating, but mostly I love to wake up and see your sweet face while you sleep on my shoulder. I thought that it would be no big deal to witness firsts with my second baby, because I had seen it all before. I still cried when you first walked across a room to my arms (don't tell anyone!). Turns out I have plenty of room for two babies on my lap and in my heart.
Harper Doodle, you are a dream come true, the completion to our family. We love you.
We had such a good time on your first birthday. We took you and Emerald to the Splash Pad in Gardendale, Alabama. Just a few minutes north of Birmingham. Your actual birthday party is not for another week, when we go visit with some family in South Mississippi, but we wanted to party with you anyway. Can't believe it has come and gone already.
