Because I know you've been waiting for this....(please skip, if necessary). Seriously, I don't expect anyone to read this but family, and I won't be offended either if you don't.
Luke and Matt are tied for my most unexpected birth. Luke was born two weeks early, and because my Mom's babies had all been born either on their due date or later (much later sometimes), I just knew that I would be just like her and go late. To my surprise, and great luck, all my children will be born about two weeks early.
Anyway, let's go back to the day before Luke was born. I had been working that day. I worked full-time at Target in College Station when Luke was born. I was a checker, but they had recently moved me back to the fitting rooms so I could sit and get off my feet because I was huge (really, I can't even remember how much weight I gained with Luke, it was obscene--hot fudge banana sundaes were my best friend during this pregnancy). It was Thursday, October 19. I got off work at 3pm. Looking back at the day, I had had contractions all through work, but didn't realize they were contractions. I didn't know what they were because they felt like menstrual cramps, but they were in my back. Labor, to me, should mean cramping in the front. So, I continued on my merry way home. My mom was driving up for my baby shower that evening.
J.D., me and my mom went to Bennigan's for dinner. I remember I had a salad. I also remember that all through dinner, I kept having these strange, uncomfortable, back cramps. I told my mother, but never once did she mention that maybe they were labor pains. We went to the shower, I got some very nice gifts, and I went home. I remember playing a lullaby CD, I had received and having another painful "cramp." Again, I thought nothing of it and went to bed.
I was awoken in the night two times, again with these painful cramps. I took it easy the next day (it was my day off) and I remember making J.D. dinner (I also remember hunching over the stove a couple of times because I was in pain from these cramps) to take with him to work that evening (he also worked at Target) and still having these cramps. Finally, around 4:30pm I called my Mom, we started timing these cramps, and they were about 8-9 minutes apart. My mom told me to call my doctor and see what he said. I talked to the nurse and she said I should keep timing them and if they get closer together, I should go to the hospital. Well, they continued and got closer together. Maybe 5 minutes by the time I finally left.
Since J.D. was working and I was for sure that I was having false labor (I googled it while I was timing the cramps), I drove to the hospital like a good little patient. When I checked in at the front the lady said, "Is someone coming with you, dear?" I replied that my husband was working and that I didn't want to bother him because I knew I was having false labor. She directed me to the labor and delivery floor where I was also greeted by another nurse asking if someone was coming to be with me. I again answered that they'd probably send me home because I was having false labor.
When I got to where I was supposed to be, the nurse gave me a gown and told me to get undressed so she could check and see if I was really and truly in labor. She came back in, checked me, and told me I was 4cm and 80% effaced. I asked her what that meant. She said, "It means you're staying here and having a baby." When she said that I began to bawl. I wasn't ready for this! I still had two weeks! And I told her that through my tears. She then packed me up and took me to a room.
When I got in the room, I needed to call J.D. at work. I dialed Target's number and talked to the operator on duty.
"Hello, Target Aggieland. How may I help you?"
"Hey, (I can't remember her name), It's Jenn, can I talk to J.D.?"
"Sure. No problem. Are you in labor? (She said this half-jokingly)."
"Um, yes."
"Ohmygoodness. Ohmygoodness. Hold on. I'll get him."
She then proceeded to get on the walkie talkie and panicking said, "J.D. Wheeler, pick up line (whatever) now. It's your wife."
J.D. said he knew by the tone of her voice that I was in labor. I told him I was at the hospital and that we were having our baby. J.D. said that his adrenaline kicked in and it felt like he was playing high school football again. He was excited to get to leave work, but then realized that the one car we owned was at the hospital with me, so he had to get a supervisor to take him home, grab my stuff, and head to the hospital. I forgot to mention that after I dropped him off at work, I decided to do a little shopping for hospital stuff (plastic bottles for shampoo, new pjs, and new socks) just in case something happened soon. After my shopping trip, I went home and packed a suitcase to be ready for the hospital (still fully knowing that I had two weeks before I even had to worry about that).
I called my parents and told them that I was at the hospital, but the nurse told me that they didn't need to rush because it was my first baby and it'd probably take me a good while to progress--um, no. I got to the hospital around 5pm, and Luke was born at 8:30pm. The nurses called me "Champ" after that. I progressed as fast as someone having their second or third baby. What can I say? I'm a good pusher.
When they put Luke into my arms for the first time, I saw that his nose was dented, and it looked pretty odd. I looked at him and thought, "Well, I have to love him, he's my baby." Luckily, it popped back out within 24 hours, and he was back to being a perfect little baby. To this day, if you put your finger on the tip of Luke's nose, you'll feel where it was dented.
So, there's the story about how Luke was born. If you made it through--good for you, and I don't blame you if you didn't read a lick either. Just wanted to get it down, so I had it and maybe one day he'll want to read it too.
