Sonny Bunny's Birthday

My son, Wil, started life a little rocky. I had a normal, uneventful pregnancy, just like the first time around, severe heartburn included.

I was now an experienced mother, having given birth to my daughter just two years before. I knew what to expect. My regular doctor was out of town and the other doctor from his office came in to see me. I told her how with the birth of my daughter I was given pitocin and my labor was eighteen hours long. She assured me she wouldn't let me go that long this time.

True to form, after several hours my labor wasn't progressing satisfactorily so I was given the dreaded pitocin. This time I decided I wasn't going to tough it out and after a while I asked for some pain medication. "Oh, it's too soon for that. You'll have to wait a bit."

A few hours later I was throwing up from the pain and asked again for some pain relief. "Oh, it's too late for that now. You're too close to delivering." Great.

The worst thing for me was being hooked to the monitor and being able to see when the next contraction started before I could feel it. And then all of a sudden the waves of pain trying to take over my consciousness. While I "hoo-hoo, hee-hee-ed" I could hear other women down the hall screaming. "I guess they didn't go to Lamaze," I remarked to the nurse. She answered with an appreciative smile, "You are doing so much better than those other women today!"

Finally the doctor was called in and the birthing began. I was really exhausted at this point (I think the labor was actually worse this time around) and several times I had to be prompted by the doctor to push. Our little bundle of joy finally arrived.

The doctor was right. Instead of eighteen hours it was only seventeen.

Anyway, shortly after the family that had been there with me went home to get some rest and so I could rest. A nurse came in to take Wil to the nursery when she noticed something wasn't quite right. He was struggling to breath.

Suddenly there was a flurry of activity in the room and Wil was whisked away.

Soon the doctor came in to explain. Because the actual birthing had taken so long (remember she kept urging me to push and I kept trying to rest for a minute first) he had aspirated fluid and that was what was causing his distress.

He was in the NICU for nine days. The nurses there kept saying he was the biggest baby they had in there. They were used to seeing preemies, not full term babies. Finally we got to bring him home.

First day home from the hospital.


He's been a happy kid since.

Having a snack.

Taking a nap with a puppy.
First rifle.
Today: happy and handsome.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WIL!