Dill's birthday

Happy 7th birthday, son!!

Dill has the best introductory story of everyone in our house. Friends and family have heard this one 100 times and Dill has heard it even more, but I'm gonna put it down in this blog today anyway. As my memory fades I don't want this story to. :)

For weeks Pepper was having preterm labor. So when Pepper started having back pains one Thursday night, I was frustrated because it was snowy and yucky outside and ER was about to come on and I liked that show. But, Pepper said (again) that it was time to go to the hospital. We called the sitter to watch the other 3 kids and Dad B and Dad D so they could meet us at the hospital. We got there and waited. Several hours later a junior doctor came in and said Pepper was barely dialated and was not ready. Fine, the guys headed back home and we went down to the pharmacy to get Ambien to help Pepper sleep through the back pain. I went out for the car and Pepper waited for me.

When she got into the car she said her back really hurt. I asked if she wanted to go back in and be checked. She said no, she wanted to go home. We drove home in the snowy, dark night. We sent the babysitter home, put on our PJ's and sat in the living room because Pepper thought the stairs would be hard on her back. I had to work in the morning so we kept the lights out and I sat in my recliner and tried to sleep. In the dark I heard lots of heavy breathing and a bit of moaning too. I sat up, turned on the light and said, "Is it hurting that much?" Just looking at her I knew it did. I rubbed her back and tried to make her more comfortable. She was feeling lots of pressure and wanted to go into the bathroom but did not want to be alone. So I followed her in still thinking that I was going to be exhausted at work the next day.

We were in the bathroom and Pepper started shaking and said she was freezing. Suddenly, my mind flipped to the poster on the wall of the Lamaze refresher class we took a month before. I remembered that shaking and being cold were very near the bottom of the chart... but I could not remember how close to the end it was. Pepper suddenly said, "I feel like I need to push..." I snapped to attention and said, "No, no.... no pushing!!" I KNEW that was close to the bottom of the chart!! Pepper said, "I have to..." and bam... huge explosion of water flew everywhere! Pepper thought the cord came out and started to panic.... I looked into the toilet and saw our little boy curled up in the bowl not moving. I thought the worst. I scooped the baby out, it was still attached by the cord. Pepper looked at me and said the baby was coming. I said, "No, its here!! I am holding the baby!!" Pepper said no that I wasn't. I put her hands out and put the baby in her arms. I was so glad when he started to cry. Then I ran for the phone and one of Macy's shoes to tie off the cord. 

Pepper was still in shock and looked confused. I took the baby back while I talked to the 911 operator. The baby was crying while I talked and the operator was very calming and patient. Suddenly the baby stopped crying. I shook it a little telling the operator that the crying stopped and I know I sounded like I was panicking. She said it was ok if the baby didn't cry. I said, "No it isn't, not until someone else gets here!" The paramedics were such a welcome sight! I could have kissed each one of them as they came into the house. I threw clothes back on, called the babysitter (who later said I sounded so stressed that she put both her contacts in at the same time to get over as fast as she could!) then called Dad B and Dad D to tell them the baby was here (they thought I was joking, but my voice convinced them to come back to the hospital!!)

I calmly got into the front of the ambulance and the paramedic got into the drivers seat and said, "Wow! What a great job.... beautiful baby too." I glanced back at Pepper and the baby. Relief and joy suddenly hit me like a slap to the face. I prayed and thanked God all the way to the hospital for giving me the strength to handle the situation. Once we got to the hospital, they put the baby in a crib with a heat light over it and everyone started dealing with Pepper. For some reason, seeing the baby laying there alone was more than I could deal with. I burst into tears. I could not stop. I realized how happy and terrified I had been at the same time. So many things could have gone wrong, but thankfully they didn't.