On the night you were born, I didn't know you were coming yet. We weren't expecting you for 12 more days, and we had been to the midwife just that morning. She said that my body was getting ready, and that you were so close she could feel your hair! She thought you might come any time in the next couple weeks, but she didn't think you were quite ready yet. But at nine o'clock I was downstairs and your dad was upstairs going to sleep. I went into the kitchen to make popcorn. (Did you know that every time I make popcorn now I remember the night you were born? And I make a lot of popcorn!) I was wearing pyjama bottoms with lots of flowers on them, and suddenly those flowers were very wet.
I stopped the popcorn maker and went to the bottom of the stairs, and I called up to your dad.
"I don't think you get to go to sleep after all! I think my water just broke! can you bring me a towel? And some dry pants?"
Then I called your grampa Gord in Campbell River, and I asked him to go straight down to the Tidemark Theatre to find your grama and grampa Don, and tell them to get on the road and hurry straight here so they could meet you! Then I called your Auntie Terri, and asked her to come over and eat popcorn with me while we waited.
We called the midwife - Amy - too, but she didn't think you'd come that night. She told me to get a good night's sleep, and call her in the morning.
I was too excited to sleep. I wasn't having contractions yet, but I knew I was going to meet you soon and I couldn't wait.
We called Amy again just after ten to say the contractions had started, but she figured it would be a while still. By this time grama and grampa Don were on the road, and your dad started getting things into the car. We had a suitcase of clothes for me, and your dad, and for you! We had a cooler full of healthy food to keep everyone fed for a long labour. We had my running shoes, and knee pads in case I knelt, and lots of other things.
We called Amy for a third time! I felt bad about disturbing her at home, but I was pretty sure things were going faster than she thought. This time she said she would come over and check. Suddenly I realized something! I was sitting on a big rubber ball.
"What am I doing? This thing speeds up labour! I don't want to speed it up! I want to slow it down!" When Amy came I was lying on the couch. She took a look and suddenly we were in a big hurry to get to the hospital. Such a big hurry that when your dad stopped for a yellow light, I snapped at him. "Why are you stopping!!"
As soon as we got to the hospital I sat down in a wheelchair so your dad could push me up in the elevator while Auntie Terri parked the car. It was a good thing we hurried though, since the paramedic who showed us the way got lost. It took us a lot longer to get upstairs than it should have, and by the time we got into the labour and delivery room you were very close. Amy and two nurses flew around the room getting everything ready. They helped me into the bed, and it was time to push.
Pushing felt wonderful! So wonderful that after the first pushing contraction I forgot to stop pushing, and the nurse had to remind me. Your dad was right there the whole time, putting cold cloths on my forehead, holding me hand, and encouraging me. So was your Auntie Terri. Then the second pushing contraction came - and so did you! It was 12:34 am, just three hours and 15 minutes after my water broke.
Amy put you up on my chest and I guess your dad realized it was okay to relax, because suddenly everyone was rushing to take care of him, because he turned very pale and had to sit down with his head between his knees. He was fine in just a minute though, and we went back to admiring you. You were perfect.
Lots of other things happened after that, but the most important part was you arriving safe and healthy and ours.
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