Monday, December 31, 2007

Fourteen Years Ago

Fourteen years ago I was impatiently awaiting the birth of my daughter, Kelli. It had not been a fun pregnancy. I gained so much water weight the only shoes I could wear were Keds, and I couldn't tie them. I damn near weighed 200 pounds. I did lose 10 pounds the week before I had her, only because I quit work and could sit with my feet up.



I remember it was a really nice day, I think it was about 65 or so. We'd had some snow and rain the week before and my car was filthy. Jessica and I went to three different car washes because the lines were so long. I also had to go to Wal Mart because Jessica needed shoe laces.



We were walking through Wal Mart and all of a sudden I felt like I was going to be sick to my stomach. I quickly loaded up Jessica and went home. I started having contractions. Of course, they would start to be about 6-7 minutes apart, and then they'd go to 9 or 10 minutes.



I made myself a grilled cheese and laid down for a while. My husband started making arrangments for Jessica to spend the night with some friends. He took Jessica to our friends and about 6 we went to the hospital.



Of course, once I walked through the doors, the contractions stopped. I was so mad. I was due on the 20th of December and I'd had enough. Finally, at about 8:30 they sent me home. I told the doctor that I'd be back, I knew I was having this baby tonight. He said, "well, I'm here until midnight so hopefully I'll see you."



We decided to leave Jessica with our friends, just in case. About 10:00 my husband went to bed. I stayed up watching Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve. Around 11:00 I started having contractions again and these were a little more intense. At midnight, I was watching the ball drop saying "10, 9, puff, puff, 6, 5, puff puff." I woke him up and we headed to the hosptial. We only lived about 5 minutes away.



As I was waddling in, I saw the doctor and I said "I told you!" He said "okay, let's go have a baby." Even though he was off he came back until the other doctor got in there.



My labor went really fast - there was no time for drugs or an epidural. At 3:30 a.m. I finally got her out and into the world. I overheard the nurses asking if they'd heard of any other babies being born before Kelli. Kelli was the first baby of 1994 in the Metro East. There was a baby born around 1:30 a.m. in St. Louis.



The newspaper came and took our picture and wrote an article. I looked like a fat blob. Luckily they only used Kelli's picture on the front page of the paper.



It seems like a lifetime ago, but yet it seems so fresh in my memory. Happy Birthday, baby of mine. I miss you so much. Fourteen years wasn't enough time.

4 comments:

Frogdancer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Frogdancer said...

I commented earlier, then removed it, as I'd just hopped onto your blog and didn't realise the awfulness of what has happened. My comment didn't fit your situation.

Birthdays... so full of memories. We as mothers carry so much of the minutae of daily life within us... We never forget the precious things, and of course the birth days are when everything starts..
Thank goodness that you still have your little daughter. I can only imagine that having another little warm body to hug and care for would be a godsend.
My deepest, deepest condolences and best wishes.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Kelli. Fourteen years is far too short a time. I hope, Kim, that wherever Kelli and Jessica are right now, they're celebrating together, blowing out a candle and wishing you and Maddy could be together.

Unknown said...

Belated happy birthday, Kelli. I never knew you in life, but I am getting to know you now through your mom's stories about you. Already a star when you entered the world and still a star today.

Kim, there are more of us out here than you know that are with you, even you can't see us. I hope you and Maddy find peace in 2008.