I regretted waiting so long as it was very difficult to sit in the car at this point. I begged Mike to drive faster. But he had taken out his contacts and was now driving blind at around 45 miles an hour on the freeway with a 20 min drive ahead of us.
He finally dropped me off at the hospital entrance and left to park the car. As I waddled to the entrance I noticed the “Door closed, use Emergency Entrance” sign. Seriously!? I started to walk to the emergency room, made it half way around the block before having to sit on the curb for a gnarly contraction. Two guys in a golf cart come flying up to me asking if I was ok and if I had fallen?
“No, I replied” I have not fallen. I just couldn’t walk through that contraction”.
“Oh, never do that again!” they said.
Just as they had me get in their cart, Mike came running up, bags in tow. They dropped us off at Emergency, where the receptionist promised someone would be down shortly to bring me up. I tried to avoid the questions from others waiting “Are you having a baby!? “
“Um, yes, please leave me alone! I’m not in the mood for small talk”
Finally someone wheeled me upstairs, where i was given forms to fill out and told a nurse would be out to get me in 20 minutes.
“Did she just say 20 min? I don’t have 20 min!”
“Why, has your water broken? Are you bleeding ?”she asked
I replied yes to both, although I was pretty sure neither had happened yet, but I was also positive this baby would be joining us shortly! They took me back to a curtained off area near the nurses’ station, to monitor me.
“Can I please get a room?” I asked after being there several minutes.
“If you end up staying you’ll get a room”.
“Mike, what does she mean if I end up staying? Why does no one believe that I’m having a BABY!! Can someone please check me? “
I keep getting the same response; “Your nurse will be here soon. She’s a little busy”.
After a few more intense contractions in my little curtained off area, I decided someone should attend to me and started yelling for an epidural. Oh, surprise! They found a midwife to check me.
“You want an epidural ?”she asks
“I want to know where I’m at in this whole thing”
“Ok, she says, a look of surprise takes over “you’re complete!! How about, we go have a baby!”
“yes, lets get this show on the road!” Several nurses and attendants gasp and congratulate me as I walk to the labor room. “We weren’t even sure if you were in labor, I’m so sorry! ” they say.
Apparently I do not play the role of I AM ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY very convincingly.
The contractions are pretty intense. I’m trying to decide on a position while they struggle to get an iv in. finally we are ready to push, ten minutes later, they tell me “One last time! Just bear down and she’s out.” “ This is going to be a solid girl” I hear them say.
She slides out and they take her to clean her up. Everyone starts saying “That’s one big baby”. I’m thinking she must be close to 8 lbs. Because compared to my 5.5lbs last time, 8 would be a giant.
“ Wow, 4.4 kilos” they say.
“Well, how much is that?” I wonder.
“9lbs.8ounces” they tell me.
“Oh my word! That’s not a newborn, that’s a toddler!” How in the world?
I finally get to see our baby Meadow Lilianne Rosowski, she’s perfect. None of that newborn shriveled skin, white lotion or little hairy backs and arms. This girl is silky smooth, pudgy cheeked and a solid sleeper.
She has been with us a couple weeks now and she has been nothing but a blessing. She is the mellowest and most easy going baby, I’ve ever met. She is adored by her sisters. Emmie has to be bribed to leave her alone.
I can’t wait to discover all God has made her to be. But for now, I’m enjoying the smallness, the quiet and the look of discovery every time she opens her eyes.
Welcome to the world baby Meadow, there are so many who love you!!
