Here is his birth story:
Thursday 1-24-2013 approximately 3:00 pm
Setting: Stephanie's (Mrs. O's) 3rd grade classroom
Mrs. O: "Ok, lets have everybody back to their seats in 5.....4.....3.....2....."
(the last student hustles to his seat and she pauses for a second more)
Mrs. O: "1. Ok, so I will not be in class tomorrow because I have a doctors appointment for the baby. Mrs. H will be your sub again... (groans)... and she will be awesome! Now, I probably won't be seeing you guys until March because I think that the baby will come over the weekend. Now do you have any questions about anything? You might not see me for awhile."
A few hands raise, from the typical, curious students of the bunch.
Olive: "When will you be back?"
Mrs. O: "In 6 short weeks. About the middle of March."
Zach: "Will you look different?"
Mrs. O: "Hopefully."
After answering all of the questions, Mrs. O gives a few reminders.
Mrs. O: "Ok, I want you all to remember that I have high expectations for you. Keep all of our class rules and have a lot of fun with Mrs. H. Remember you are the best class in the world!"
The bell rings and the eager students race to the door to get to the bus or catch up with friends. A few very sensitive, caring students linger to give the teacher a hug and tell her she will be missed.
Friday 1-25-13 approximately 11:00 am
Setting: Zupa's Restaurant after going to a scheduled appointment with Dr. Z to strip the membranes.
Steph: "I guess I just thought that after she did that I'd immediately go into labor. I know she told me that wouldn't happen. But I still thought it would. I'm just excited. It's going to suck to have to wait now. In my mind the baby was coming today.
Austin: "I know. I thought the same thing. Come on baby. You come outta there."
They leave the restaurant to head home for a day of cleaning the house and then rest. On the way home Steph starts having contractions. She has been having Braxton Hicks for about a month and a half now so this is not an alarming thing (not like the movies folks).
They clean the house and decide to take an afternoon nap. Throughout the nap the contractions continue. Not wanting to get her or Austin's hopes up, she begins to time the contractions on her phone and lets him continue to sleep. They are quite regular. She finally tells Austin.
Austin: "Well, what do you want to do?"
Steph: "Let's just say if they don't stop by nine then we will head up to the hospital before the main entrances close."
Just then, there is a knock on the door. The lovely Smith's (their neighbors) want to go out for pizza and they are requesting the pleasure of their company. Austin leaves it up to Steph to decide. Being an italian-blooded, high-motabolized, ready-to-burst pregnant woman, she says "yes". The decision was also made with the thought in mind that if they were going to have the baby tonight, they weren't going to let her eat for awhile.
The company was wonderful, as usual. Stephanie's mind was, understandably, not there in the pizza pallor. The entire table was informed why she was checking the minutes on her phone. When the check came and it was time to leave, Austin informed the Smith's that he and Stephanie were going to head up to the hospital tonight. They went back home to grab the hospital bag and away they went.
And now a look into the mind of that soon-to-be-mommy.
Stephanie's Fears:
- don't have the baby in the car
- don't turn me away because he's not ready
- I'M ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY!
Stephanie's optimism:
- Free hospital food
- no work (although the students will be missed)
- I'M ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY!
They went straight up to the fourth floor to Labor and Delivery. They explained to the nurse behind the counter what was happening. Then they waited. It took about 30 minutes for the staff to even get all of the paper work to them. The place was boomin' with babes. Several women were walking around in hospital gowns with looks of discomfort and accompanied by nervous (often pale) men. They were sent to a more comfortable waiting area. The triage was jam packed and they were going to have to wait for a room to open up.
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| One night your a nervous man, the next you are a father. |
Finally, they go into a room where she is dressed in a couture hospital gown, and vitals and dilation are checked. The nurse advises that we walk around to speed up the process. We take several laps, hearing screams from two rooms in particular and getting advise from onlooking nurses about epidurals (explaining the screams). About 2 hours later, she is checked again and deemed "in labor". Get this couple a room, they are staying the night!
Saturday 1-26-13 Midnight
More paperwork. More contractions. No sleep. This pattern continues until about 3 in the morning. Finally, Stephanie (being the wimp that she is) gives in to the nurse's questioning about an epidural. She was always planning on getting one but didn't want to slow down any progress and draw out the labor. Once that baby (the epidural, not the actual baby) was in there, though, she was feelin' fine. She would later remember it as being not just a pain killer but a happiness enduser. Now there was some time and the ability to sleep. Before hitting the hay, they decided now was the time to call family. They knew that baby would be here within the day and that they should probably let everyone know. Austin called his parents. He told them to hold off coming but he would call them again when it was time. Next, Stephanie called her parents. Or tried, rather. First she tried her mom's phone. Straight to voice mail.
"Not odd. But not convenient." she thought. Next she tried her dad. Again, voice mail.
"Not even a ring?" she thought again. Now was the time to worry. She tried them each again and left messages on both phones. "Well, hopefully, this little guy holds off till they can check their messages" she joked with Austin. She tried her little brothers phone thinking "Surely, he wouldn't turn off his phone at night. He'll at least wake up to check who it is." Nope. He would later explain that he thought it was a prank call and decided not to give the pranksters the satisfaction of waking up to such a juvenile trick. Whoops.
The next few hours were a blur of beeping machines, nurse shift changes, tossing and turning into seemingly endless tubes and the occasional extra "hit" of the happiness enduser. Austin lay in a recliner with a lumpy pillow and neon green fuzzy blanket (packed thoughtfully, by his wife). Trying to sleep was like trying to see the stars in the city. Too much light, not the right setting, feeling hazy.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Nurse sneaks in. Checks the computer. Sees Stephanie peeking. Asks if she needs anything. Sneaks back out. Repeat.
They both decided around 7:00 that sleep would alude them this night (and eventually the nights to follow) and continued to watch as Steph's swollen belly tightened and loosened (without her feeling a thing, I might add). A new nurse came in (another shift change) and introduced herself. She said that it was starting to get close and that they would starting monitoring her more closely. Her prediction was that this baby was going to be here at 10:00 am. Austin called his parents to let them know they should head up (and to bring him some kind of breakfast). Stephanie tried her family once again. She started with her mom's phone. The first ring from the receiver was interrupted with an exasperated "Did we miss it?" from her mom's voice. Her mom explained that they had both started turning off their phones at night. They had just listened to her message and were on their way to the hospital (feeling terrible). Stephanie explained that all was well and that it was getting very close to baby time.
The family waited axiously in the waiting room as Stephanie and Austin started to prepare for one of most wonderful moments in their lives. The doctor was called and prepped. The nurse carefully coached Stephanie and chatted with Austin about school. The nurse asked for the baby's name so she could write it on the whiteboard on the bathroom door, along with Stephanie's name and stat's. The anxious couple turned to each other an told her the name "Landon". She was the first person to hear the name they had decided. She was also instructed to keep it a secret until he was out.
The staff, Austin, and Stephanie took guesses about weight and height. Stephanie hoping for 6 lbs but guessing 7. Finally, the moment arrived to push.
Push. Rest. Push.
Dr. Z: "We see the head. You are crowning."
Austin: "Good job Steph. You're doing awesome."
Dr. Z (to Austin): "Do you want to see the head."
Austin glanced down and smiled from ear to ear.
Austin: "Do you want to know what color hair he has?"
Steph: "yes"
Austin: "It's black like yours. And he has a lot of it.
Push. Rest. Push. Rest. Push. Rest. Push Rest.
Dr. Z: "Ok on this next push I want you to give it everything you've got. You are almost there."
Push.
That word is way to short for the effort of the final effort of bringing life into the world.
Dr. Z: "This is not a 6 pound baby."
Stephanie's belly spilled out (imagine popping a water balloon) or at least she thought it did. One moment, a beach ball size stomach is blocking your view of your tired, swollen feet. The next, it's deflated in many (hard-earned) pushes.
Dr. Z: "He is here."
Oooo's and ahh's from the small room of people.
Nurse: "Oh look! He has a dimple!"
Ten fingers.
Ten toes.
Black Hair.
Button nose.
Steph: "Hey baby"
Austin: "We love you."
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