So, we've had a wonderful experience in these first four days with Allison, but we'll always want to remember that surprise trip to the hospital...
MONDAY, JUNE 21ST
11:00 PM - Continuing to enjoy our last days before Allison's arrival, Jennie and I were up a little too late once again. Jennie, fortunately, goes to sleep just around midnight, but Gary is still awake. I had just started finally reading The Da Vinci Code, and it is very, very interesting. Since she can't sleep while I'm awake, I went downstairs to read Dan Brown's heresies and watch a little SportsCenter. For whatever reason, I cannot sleep, probably my unconscious grasping at a few last moments of "freedom" before being dominated by babyworld...
TUESDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2004
After falling asleep for about fifteen minutes downstairs, Gary finally returns to bed and is ready to sleep for real. As I got back to bed, Jennie was slightly awake, just enough to hear me say, "Man, it's a good thing Allison didn't come tonight, because I totally couldn't sleep..."
3:27 AM - I wake up to a lighted bedroom and a noisy hallway, and ask Jennie how she's doing. Response: "Ummmm... I think my water broke." I sigh and roll over, as if I'd heard that one before. We were both mentally and emotionally prepared for our baby to be born two weeks late, and acted sometimes like she'd never come at all. That was getting easier to do, instead of acting like every minute or every phone call might be "THE CALL!"
Anyhow, on her way back from the bathroom, Jennie exclaimed, "Yep - that's my water breaking -" as more water escaped. Pretty shocking moment at 3:30 in the morning, and the excitement woke both of us up, at least as much as possible... Once we realized it was actaully happening, we both cried and were fully awake with anticipation and joy.
4:00 AM - We call the nurse on-call at our Paragon Health Services, and she gives the following diagnosis - "Congrats, guys - you're going to have a baby today!" Apparently, once the water breaks, the clock starts ticking, and the baby should be born in no less than 24 hours. She also added that, unless Jennie feels strong contractions around 5 minutes apart, that we are in no rush. "You guys get some sleep, you're going to have a big day tomorrow. Call us if you need to." Gotcha.
4:13 AM - "Whoa.... CONTRACTION!" And this not just your average pressure-filled, breathe it out, early labor contraction, this was the strongest Jennie had felt in six months. And this was only the beginning. Over the next 45 minutes, contractions came, and about every five minutes, Jennie was hunched over, saying something like "Ohhhh!" - or - "Can you rub my back?" - or "Whoaaa!" In other words, it's time to call the doctor again. I took a shower, started packing my bags (of course I put that off till the last minute, and made Jennie some toast.) Jennie also got a shower, made sure the bags were ready, and didn't eat the toast.
5:30 AM - Contractions coming fast and furious, and we called our parents to let them know what's going down.
5:49 AM -
(more later, as I get time to finish... hate to leave you hanging... =)
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