What is going on here? How did we get here? Where did the time go? I ask myself these questions daily now.
We had your birthday party yesterday. It was such a huge success. So many people here to support you who love you very much. A lot of our friends here in Charleston and then your four grandparents. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. We were able to do everything outside on the back porch in our big backyard. It was 65-70 degrees and sunny. Come to think of it, the day you were born was quite an unusually warm day as well! I will miss January in Charleston. It was a day filled with laughter, love, outdoors, cake, and of course BALLOONS! What a day. We won’t be in Charleston forever, so having everyone we love here under one roof was such a pleasure for us. I had to take a moment away from the party to cry a little at the fact that we will be leaving in just a few short months. It is hard for me to leave such a strong support system.
Facebook post from this day:
Dear Girlfriend,
I can’t express enough how much emotion I feel for this day. A year ago today I was rushed tot he hospital because my water broke at home. At 2am your Daddy was stopping at red lights. Um… no. “Are you crazy? I’m about to have a baby and I’m in tons of pain! It’s 2am and there is no traffic. Run it!” I remember saying on our way there. We get there and I check in and they immediately take me upstairs. Matt parks the car and on his way from the garage to the hospital, he is rapidly approached by a crazy homeless dude. Luckily, a police officer was nearby and shooed him away. (lightly put) Seven hours + one hour of pushing later and our baby girl was here. We were so excited to have you in our arms. A year later and I can’t believe we have made it to this point. It went by so fast and I wish I could rewind it just so I could watch everything all over again. You have grown into a beautiful little girl and we couldn’t be more proud.
Alice! We have made it. The three of us. You. Me. Daddy. We made it a whole entire year together. Don’t get me wrong, I knew we would. But it snuck up real quick. In the beginning, on the nights when you were inconsolable, I wished this day would come sooner. When life would be easier. When I would know what I was doing. I think I got my wish. But I’m sitting here now telling you I shouldn’t have wished that. Everything was so new to me that I ‘freaked out’ and wished things I didn’t really mean. Now we are at a year and I want to go back so bad. Now I know why parents say the time goes way too fast. I wish we had the option to go back to certain memories in time and relive them just by watching from the corner of the room. Or literally be a ‘fly on the wall’.
I remember this day like it was yesterday. (Yes I started it like that.) It was a very unusually warm time in January. I woke up mid-sleep at around 2:00AM. I had cramp-like pain every few minutes. I started to time them. They were about seven minutes apart each time. Which means they were regular. Which means I was probably in labor for sure. I didn’t want to wake Matt just incase it was a false alarm. So I waited until I knew they were for sure until I woke him up. Well, my body couldn’t wait that long. In the middle of timing my contractions, my water broke in the bathroom. Matt heard a little bit of commotion and awoke from his deep sleep. “Is everything okay?” he said. “I think my water just broke” I said. He hopped out of bed to come to my aid. The contractions weren’t terribly painful yet. We called the Doc and they said if my water broke then I should come on in. As we got ready, I tried to stay as calm as possible. All of the commotion woke Birdie and HeyHey (who were in town waiting for your arrival.) We told them what was going on and they said for us to go ahead and they would meet us there soon. I was shaking the whole time trying to make sure I had everything I needed. We got into the car (in pajamas) and booked it to the hospital. As we got closer (mind you, it is almost 3:00AM now) your Dad was still stopping at the stop lights with absolutely no traffic and me in a lot of pain at this point. “Are you kidding me!?” I said. “I’m in labor! Step on it!!” He didn’t hesitate and ran two more red lights to get there.
When we arrived, I checked in and they took me straight up to maternity. I was having contractions every four minutes at this point. Matt went to go park the car. As he was walking from the parking garage to the hospital, a homeless man rapidly approached him. Matt (naturally) was worried and went into defense mode by shielding himself, until a police officer helped out by ‘shooing’ the homeless man away and asking him what was up. All I know is that he gave some weird response. Matt figured he was drunk, but still dangerous nonetheless. Thank God he made it.
When I got to the 5th floor they wheeled me to the reception desk. They asked if I was Mary Hopkins. I replied yes and they said “Wow! We had you down for the 27th but didn’t actually expect you to come on your due date!” (Hmm, I guess I’m one of the lucky ones… now get me to a room so we can do this! ow ow ow ow ow.) They took me to an exam room and had me change into a gown. Mind you, my water kept breaking as we arrived and as I sat in the exam room and waited. It was an awful feeling. I told them sorry, to which they replied “It’s nothing we have never seen before. Don’t worry!” Still embarrassing to me though. But as the pain got worse and worse, all of my modesty went out the door. They took me to the delivery room and got me all set up. My contractions stayed around every four minutes and they hurt so bad. I remember I couldn’t carry on a conversation or say much of anything at all for that matter. I just held your Daddy’s hand as tight as I could.
Once I couldn’t bare the pain any longer, I decided an epidural would be a good option for me. So they set me up. I had to sit on the side of the bed holding Matt’s hand while they stuck a huge needle into my back. This all while I was still having contractions. And they tell you to be still. What?! As I’m cringing in pain and trying not to move, your Dad starts humming one of his favorite tunes (which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine) in which I looked up, stared him in the eyes and just silently shook my head no. Needless to say, he got the point and stopped.
Once I had the epidural, all was well in the world. AND they even gave me a cool little wand with a button on it to add more epidural juice if I feel any pain. That thing was my best friend.
Birdie and HeyHey arrived and they came in and ‘hung out’ with us until it was time to push. We waited seven hours until I was ten centimeters and was able to start pushing. I pushed for en entire hour until you came out at 10:06AM. The most beautiful face I had ever seen. I remember it so vividly and remember thinking to myself “That’s my baby.”
They immediately laid you on my chest and I held you so. I wept. Dad wept. We cried tears of joy together and basked in the moment. After you were cleaned off and weighed, I immediately breastfed you. It was the start of a new, amazing relationship.
Alice Layne, this year has been an incredible roller coaster ride. You have been one amazing little baby. I couldn’t ask for someone more sweet, funny, and easy going as you. I am excited for the rest of our lives together. I can’t express enough how much emotion I feel for this day. You have grown into a beautiful little girl and we couldn’t be more proud.
Here’s to toddlerhood. (Hold on to your hats!)
Mom
AliceLayne 