That Special Day Was Last Tuesday 2/20/07

My baby girl Artimus took action last Tuesday morning at about 5:00 o'clock. I knew she was coming any time because of my shortness of breathe, and constant but inconsistent contractions for previous days. But one never knows exactly when. So that morning, interestingly, JK and I both woke up at about 5:00 am. We talked a bit while laying in the dark. I started telling him I have contractions and it hurts. He heard that before so he acknowledged it. Then I told him again I have contractions. He looked at me and said something like, "Is this the day?" I timed them and it's 5 minutes apart. I got nervous . . . it's the second child and everybody say it's much faster delivery. I immediately told JK to boil the ginseng. I needed all the energy I could get because Artimus was expected to be over 7 lbs and definitely has a big head. Not to mention the lack of sleep from all the night time bathroom runs and backaches. So the day began.

Thank God the type A in me got more than what the family needed packed in bags ready to go plus a check list of all that needed to be done. We took off at 7:30 and got to the hospital with no traffic by 8:00 am or so. We checked-in, told the nurse it's the second child and the first was a vaginal birth, and I was placed in a room at no time. The young nurse gently asked if I would like epidural. Oh, what a question. I nicely stated, "Yes, as soon as possible. That would be nice." Then doctors came streaming into the room, checking for the progress. But the anesticiologist did not come until 10:00 am. No problem, it was nice to see him who explained everything and I quickly signed the paper. At 10:15 am, the epidural was kicking in and my water broke, which meant even more frequent and stronger contractions. I thanked God for the impeccable timing.

Perhaps the most important fact to me at that time was whether my OB would be free to deliver my daughter. He is truly a doctor with the patient's health and happiness in mind. He delivered Ethan with medical expertise that only the most confident and experienced could have persisted with a vainal delivery rather than an emergency c-section. The attending doctor called Dr. Yeh, and came to tell me that the secretaries were screaming with excitement, that Dr. Yeh would walk over to deliver the baby. (Yup, I lobbied pretty hard the two weeks before to have his office ready for my big day.) So, that dream came true and JK and I were both at ease about the birth. I saw his fatherly smile at about 12:30 pm, and Artimus made her way to the world at 1:01 pm, after only a few pushes! I got to see her little fingers wrapped around mine, and got to look at her beautiful lively features moments after she was delivered. At once, we bonded. How can we not? She same early, at the perfect size of 6 lbs 15 onces, and she came fast! She is already my angel who rescued my confidence in motherhood. As I look into her eyes and hold her hands each fleeting moment, I wanted no more than just be a mom.

JW
P.S. The lack of sleep makes the writing a bit scattered and full of spelling and grammar mistakes.