Thursday, January 10, 2013
My Ann and I...
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
CallaMae's Day
So CallaMae, I'm going to jot down a few things about the day you arrived so we can look back together at it someday. You were born on Wednesday, November 7, at 11:00 pm. It was a mild November day, sunny with no snow but chilly. It was a typical school day for Dad, Bennett and Annabelle. I got B and A off on the bus and got Eliza fed and ready for the day. Right off the bat that day I did feel slightly more uncomfortable than normal. And please excuse my description but it's the only way I can describe it, I felt like I needed to use the bathroom but couldn't. Other than that I felt pretty normal. Grandma Leutz was in town at her house. She ran to the Family Dollar for prune juice hoping it would ease my discomfort. I continued to go about the day as usual. Grandma, Eliza and I went to the Amish store, I took Palmer for a walk at the farm with Jenny, Kelsey and Taylie. Jenny ran with me for a VERY short distance hoping to progress things a bit. I felt such heaviness that I did start to think something could be brewing.
Let me go back a minute and mention that I had had a doctor's appointment on Monday and really hadn't made any progress. My next appointment was scheduled for the following Monday. In addition November 7 was your due date but Eliza came 4 days late so I was expecting the same with you.
Anyway, I came home from the walk, picked Eliza up from Grandma, and waited for the big kids to get home. Grandma kept asking if I thought something was up and I just kept saying I didn't know. She was going to leave for Holland the next morning to work and was hoping not to have to make a trip back only a few hours after leaving. It would work great for her if she could get someone to work for her that night. Also, Dad had parent teacher conferences Thursday and no school Friday and to be honest he wanted a good excuse to not have to attend conferences. It seemed it would work out great for everyone if you came that day :). Okay, let me get back on track. When the big kids got home they went to visit Grandma. At that point I was having a few contractions here and there. I finally decided to call Doctor Clark around 4:30. Annabelle has dance on Wednesday nights at 6:00 so I asked if I could stop in before that. They were willing to see me if I could be there in 10 minutes because they closed at 5:00. It takes a half an hour to get to the office so that obviously wasn't going to work. I just told them I'd head to the hospital if I thought I needed to.
By the time Dad got home from work I was feeling really uncomfortable. I hadn't talked to him all day so he had no idea what was going on. He usually isn't able to go to dance with us and I can't remember why he was able to that night but I'm thankful it worked for him to do so. I was at Grandma's getting the kids when Dad walked in. I said to Dad and Grandma that I was feeling very uncomfortable and was thinking I needed to go in. I didn't want to go in to early and be sent home though so I was still apprehensive. I almost stayed home from dance and had Dad take everyone so I could relax and shower but decided to go along to keep my mind off my discomfort. Dad, who normally never went to dance, pulled in the parking lot and said, "hey, I think that's Christina's car." Christina happens to be a substitute teacher who often works at the high school so he was able to line things up for her to sub in his classes the following day. Sitting in the waiting room of dance class was when I knew for sure you were on your way. I was having very regular contractions while sitting there. Dance is in Sturgis and so is the hospital. Dad wasn't so sure we should go all the way back to Colon and then to Sturgis again but I wanted to get my bag, take a shower and get the kids situated with Grandma. When we got home, Dad took the kids to Grandma's for a bite to eat while I called Carol. I told her I was going to the hospital and as sweet as she is, she said she was in town and heading over to check my progress so I didn't have to drive to the hospital if it wasn't necessary (even though I was pretty sure it was necessary). When Mark and Carol got to my house I was just getting out of the shower and Dad was scrambling to get the car seat in the car and gather his things. Carol determined I was 6-7 centimeters dilated at that point with a bulging bag of water. She called Dr. Clark to tell him I was on my way to the hospital. I wanted an epidural before it was too late so I really got moving! I quickly called Jenny to tell her the run she made me take had worked :). Then Dad and I headed back to Sturgis. Mark and Carol stayed for a bit to take care of the kids while Grandma got a few things situated at her house.
By the time we got to the hospital it was 8:30. We had to enter the Emergency Room doors and check in that way. There was someone in the registration room so I had to sit and wait (Dad was parking the car). The people registering were taking forever. They didn't know their SS number, were debating about whether or not they should be considered single (they were not married but dating), anyway, it was taking much longer than it should have and at this point they start to notice I'm extremely uncomfortable and have me holler my birth date at the registration lady as they quickly wheel me upstairs with Dad running in behind me. Once up there the nurse puts us in a room and asks what's going on. I explain I was checked about an hour before that and I had been 6-7 centimeters. When she hears this, she say's "Oh, you don't need to be here. We need to get you in a room." So she gets me into my room and quickly starts getting things ready. I was still a 7 at that point and asked for an epidural. I didn't have to wait too long for it and it worked wonderfully. I was so relaxed at that point and was able to nap. Dr. Clark was in and out of the room on occasion and stayed to chat with Dad at one point. I was the only patient on the floor that night and you were the only baby there during our stay. Anyway, Dr Clark came into the room around 10:30 or 10:45 or so and said I could give pushing a try and you arrived at 11:00 p.m. exactly with no intervention needed. It was an amazing delivery and I was SO happy to see your sweet face!! It's a day I will NEVER forget CallaMae! It was one of the best days of my life, and will forever be!
Let me go back a minute and mention that I had had a doctor's appointment on Monday and really hadn't made any progress. My next appointment was scheduled for the following Monday. In addition November 7 was your due date but Eliza came 4 days late so I was expecting the same with you.
Anyway, I came home from the walk, picked Eliza up from Grandma, and waited for the big kids to get home. Grandma kept asking if I thought something was up and I just kept saying I didn't know. She was going to leave for Holland the next morning to work and was hoping not to have to make a trip back only a few hours after leaving. It would work great for her if she could get someone to work for her that night. Also, Dad had parent teacher conferences Thursday and no school Friday and to be honest he wanted a good excuse to not have to attend conferences. It seemed it would work out great for everyone if you came that day :). Okay, let me get back on track. When the big kids got home they went to visit Grandma. At that point I was having a few contractions here and there. I finally decided to call Doctor Clark around 4:30. Annabelle has dance on Wednesday nights at 6:00 so I asked if I could stop in before that. They were willing to see me if I could be there in 10 minutes because they closed at 5:00. It takes a half an hour to get to the office so that obviously wasn't going to work. I just told them I'd head to the hospital if I thought I needed to.
By the time Dad got home from work I was feeling really uncomfortable. I hadn't talked to him all day so he had no idea what was going on. He usually isn't able to go to dance with us and I can't remember why he was able to that night but I'm thankful it worked for him to do so. I was at Grandma's getting the kids when Dad walked in. I said to Dad and Grandma that I was feeling very uncomfortable and was thinking I needed to go in. I didn't want to go in to early and be sent home though so I was still apprehensive. I almost stayed home from dance and had Dad take everyone so I could relax and shower but decided to go along to keep my mind off my discomfort. Dad, who normally never went to dance, pulled in the parking lot and said, "hey, I think that's Christina's car." Christina happens to be a substitute teacher who often works at the high school so he was able to line things up for her to sub in his classes the following day. Sitting in the waiting room of dance class was when I knew for sure you were on your way. I was having very regular contractions while sitting there. Dance is in Sturgis and so is the hospital. Dad wasn't so sure we should go all the way back to Colon and then to Sturgis again but I wanted to get my bag, take a shower and get the kids situated with Grandma. When we got home, Dad took the kids to Grandma's for a bite to eat while I called Carol. I told her I was going to the hospital and as sweet as she is, she said she was in town and heading over to check my progress so I didn't have to drive to the hospital if it wasn't necessary (even though I was pretty sure it was necessary). When Mark and Carol got to my house I was just getting out of the shower and Dad was scrambling to get the car seat in the car and gather his things. Carol determined I was 6-7 centimeters dilated at that point with a bulging bag of water. She called Dr. Clark to tell him I was on my way to the hospital. I wanted an epidural before it was too late so I really got moving! I quickly called Jenny to tell her the run she made me take had worked :). Then Dad and I headed back to Sturgis. Mark and Carol stayed for a bit to take care of the kids while Grandma got a few things situated at her house.
By the time we got to the hospital it was 8:30. We had to enter the Emergency Room doors and check in that way. There was someone in the registration room so I had to sit and wait (Dad was parking the car). The people registering were taking forever. They didn't know their SS number, were debating about whether or not they should be considered single (they were not married but dating), anyway, it was taking much longer than it should have and at this point they start to notice I'm extremely uncomfortable and have me holler my birth date at the registration lady as they quickly wheel me upstairs with Dad running in behind me. Once up there the nurse puts us in a room and asks what's going on. I explain I was checked about an hour before that and I had been 6-7 centimeters. When she hears this, she say's "Oh, you don't need to be here. We need to get you in a room." So she gets me into my room and quickly starts getting things ready. I was still a 7 at that point and asked for an epidural. I didn't have to wait too long for it and it worked wonderfully. I was so relaxed at that point and was able to nap. Dr. Clark was in and out of the room on occasion and stayed to chat with Dad at one point. I was the only patient on the floor that night and you were the only baby there during our stay. Anyway, Dr Clark came into the room around 10:30 or 10:45 or so and said I could give pushing a try and you arrived at 11:00 p.m. exactly with no intervention needed. It was an amazing delivery and I was SO happy to see your sweet face!! It's a day I will NEVER forget CallaMae! It was one of the best days of my life, and will forever be!
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