October One

Uh Oh. Things are going too smoothly. I might be in danger of not having anything to write about because I have no complaining to do.

Ha. Just kidding.

Are you kidding me? This is me!

I am so happy it’s October! So many things to be excited about!

First of all, today is Princess 18^th Birthday. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Not that there is anything I can do to stop it.

I still remember the day she was born. It was a Saturday and I had experienced several hours of labor the night before or actually in the early morning. Long enough that I called my parents and my mom was on her way from Utah to be with me. The contractions stopped but Mom was coming anyway. 

Around nine in the morning Superman and I headed out to the hospital. We had heard walking helps jumpstart labor that is about to begin on its own. So Superman “let me” walk about a block and half, teasing me the whole time that he was going to “let me” walk to the hospital (twenty miles away). I was not amused.

We left our older daughter in the good care of my ersatz sister and her two children. From the pictures we saw later, Sunshine enjoyed riding the horsey outside the grocery and not sure what else. Much fun, I’m sure.

In the meantime, my OB happened to be on call at the hospital and basically told me I was not in labor. However, since the hospital was slow that day she would go ahead and keep me and I could be induced. Superman and I discussed it and decided to go for it. Grandma was on her way, after all.

Just a little note; Sunshine was born in less than five hours—start to finish. No nothing. No drugs, No epidural. Nada. My water broke at home around 5 AM and she was born at 9:59 AM.

Princess took her sweet time. I again refused any meds (which I regretted) but what they don’t tell you is that Pitocin makes labor much more intense. Very. Much. More. Intense!

We arrived at the hospital between 9-10 in the morning. Lovely Princess made her debut at 14:54 or 2:54 PM, if you will. I always said, “Around three-ish,” when she asked me and that was right (I looked it up on her birth certificate). It doesn’t say but  I remember her being 7 lbs. 4 oz.

I expected a boy. No particular reason why. I was surprised when Sunshine was a girl only because I thought I could only make boys. (Later that was true—haha!) Our first two were girls, not what I expected so I was surprised when they told me my baby was a girl.

I did not know at the time but she is my baby girl.

And now she is eighteen years old. A legal adult. She can vote.

I went through all of this when Sunshine left as well. She doesn’t know this but it was weird, our home changed. Our family dynamics changed.

We had a new normal.

I’m not real crazy about “new normal’s.” I don’t know about other people but I don’t like it so much. It usually indicates some drastic change in your life. It’s not change I don’t like it’s the significant change that causes you to evolve to a “new” state of “normal.”

We adjust and it’s not all bad, but it still is growth, sometimes painful growth.

My baby girls have flown the nest and I am a lone woman in a den of men (boys, okay, but “men” rhymed).

Happy Birthday Baby Girl. You are the Princess and I love you more than you will comprehend; maybe a little when you have your own baby girl but always know you are loved.

[heart] Mommy.