Matthew's Birthday Story

During my growing up years, my mom often used my birthday as an opportunity to retell the story of the day I was born--January 16, 1980. I've always loved this little tradition and hoped to continue it with my own kids. I'm very sure I'll come up with an abbreviated version to share with Matthew, but, Son, if you ever want the blow-by-blow, complete with all of the womanly details, well... here it is.

It was Thursday, September 13th, 2007, Matthew, and we knew that you could arrive any day. We had just bought the minivan. Daddy and I were putting the finishing touches on your big sister's new room so that you could eventually take over the nursery. We were starting to feel ready for you, and we both hoped that you might arrive before the weekend came.

Early that morning I talked with Aunt Jess. She and Uncle Kris had tickets to an O's game that night and needed someone to watch Jack. I emailed your Daddy to ask him if we could do it, and he said yes. I had the suspicious feeling that if we were booked for the night, you might choose to make your entrance.

Aunt Jessie and Jack came over late in the afternoon to hang out with Meg and me. Daddy and Uncle Kris drove to our house together after work, then around 6:00, Kris and Jess left for Baltimore. Daddy and I gave Meg her dinner in the kitchen while Jack sat in his car seat and played happily with his little stuffed elephant. Meg had just learned to make an elephant noise and kept pointing to Jack and demonstrating this new skill.

At about 7:00, we took Jack and Meg upstairs to put them to bed. Daddy gave Meg a bath while I changed Jack's clothes and fed him a bottle. Jack went right to sleep then, and Daddy and I had devotions with Meg and put her down. Then Mommy started making a late dinner while Daddy installed outlets in the new room.

By the time we cleaned up from dinner it was 10:00, and we were tired. Jack was asleep in our bedroom, so we hung out in the living room for a while. Daddy asked if we should go put another coat of paint on the doors in Meg's new room, and I told him I thought it was too late. He lay down on the floor and dozed for a few minutes, and for some reason, I picked up My Utmost For His Highest, which I had never read. As I skimmed a bit of it, I thought I had two real contractions. Although I'd been having mild contractions for weeks, these were the first ones that hurt--but only a little bit. I ignored them. Then my tummy started to feel strange. I ran to the bathroom.

While I was in there, Aunt Jess and Uncle Kris got back and collected Jack and his things. By the time I came out, they were ready to go. They told us a little bit about the game (O's beat the Angels), and we started to see them out. Before they got to the door, I had two more contractions--unmistakable and un-ignore-able this time. Aunt Jessie wondered is she should stay with Meg so we could go to the hospital if need be, but we decided against it, and the Marcs went home. It was now 11:00.

Daddy and I went upstairs and started getting ready for bed. It took me forever to brush my teeth and wash my face, because labor had hit me like a train. Contractions were coming every two to three minutes and lasting up to 60 seconds. We wondered if this was some kind of false start that would die down and give way to a more gradual introduction. But after an hour, Daddy decided it was time to call the midwives. A quick talk with Sharon, the same midwife I had seen for my 38-week check-up earlier that day, and we were ordered to start for the hospital. Daddy went downstairs to ask Miss Nicole, our renter, to stay with Meg until Nana or Grandpop could come take over. I stopped off in Meg's room to enjoy one last look at my first baby, and I whispered to her that I was about to bring her a brother.

We arrived at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital around 12:30, I think. We checked in quickly and I got changed into a gown. I sat on the bed and concentrated on relaxing through the pain. The midwife pronounced me 8 cm. dilated. "Yesssss!" I thought. Then, "I think I'm going to throw up," I told the nearest nurse, and she grabbed a basin just in time to catch my entire dinner as it came back up. Yuck! At this moment, the front desk let us know that Nana and Aunt Lena has arrived and would wait for news in the lounge area.

You were bumping and flailing around inside me like crazy with every contraction! I guess you didn't like being squeezed and shoved out of your cozy little home. Daddy sat beside me, watched the contractions go by on the monitor, and made sure that I was drinking lots of fluids (mostly grape juice) in between. I went into my "labor zone," which means that I am working so hard at relaxing that I am almost asleep, barely conscious of what's going on around me.

A funny part of the labor came when I told Sharon that I felt ready to push. She began checking to see if I was fully dilated, and just then my bag of waters literally exploded all over her. "Woah!" she said, and that expressed my own thoughts perfectly.

After pushing through exactly three contractions, I pushed you right out and they laid you on my chest. Daddy cut your umbilical cord. Sharon and the nurses blotted you clean while I held you. It was Friday the 14th at 2:44 a.m.; my whole labor had taken less than four hours.

They weighed you, and the scale registered 8 lbs., 13 oz.. I couldn't believe it! After Meg, who was 7 lbs., 6.5 oz., you seemed huge! Next you had your first meal. It lasted 45 minutes, which the nurse seemed to think was impressive. You were a hungry one, right from the beginning.

Nana and Aunt Lena came in to the room. Your daddy was the first one to hold you, other than me. When he eventually handed you to Nana, you let out a big wail! We all laughed, and you settled down quickly. Aunt Lena held you next. Nana said you were perfect. You came out so quickly that your head didn't have time to get coney and your face didn't get squished! You really did look flawless, albeit rather red!

After a nurse gave you a bath and ran some tests on you, they took us out of the delivery room and gave Mommy a bed in a regular room. The hospital was very crowded, so there were already another mommy and baby in the room. It was very cramped--we just had space for my bed, your little bed on its cart, and a stool for Daddy to sit on. Your Daddy helped us get settled into our room and talked with me for a few minutes. Then he went home to get some rest. I had expected to be sad and lonely when he left--I had never had to stay in a hospital in my whole life! But I wasn't too upset after all. It was the first chance that I had to have time alone with you, and I wanted to hold you and kiss you and stare at you for a while--all by myself.

I wrote this story almost a year ago now, starting in the second week of Matthew's life. This accounts for all of the detail, which I'm sure I could not now recall had I not recorded it while it was fresh! I never found the right time to post it last year, but today seems the perfect occasion, especially since we are postponing our birthday celebration until next week and therefore have no party pictures to share.

Happy, Happy Birthday, my sweet little Matthew-Man!