A few nights ago Claire and I were snuggling in bed watching Jeopardy! together. We burrowed down into the covers like bears ready to hibernate and decided we were not ever leaving. It was just too cozy snuggled up like that.
She has always been a little cuddle bug. When she was a baby she was a little chubbers and she was so smushy you just couldn’t help but squeeze her. Her cheeks were little kiss magnets.
She is no longer chubby. She is so long she barely fits on my lap anymore. Her limbs are getting to that gangly stage and she smelled like she might need a little deodorant last week. It is hard to believe she is ten years old.
Ten years ago yesterday I went to the hospital to be induced to have my second child. Compared to the first go around it was very uneventful. I was going to try to have this second the child the old-fashioned way, meaning to push her out instead of going under the knife. The doctor did not want her to get too big so he scheduled an induction on her due date.
Claire, being a people pleaser, decided to get the show on the road early on the morning of the induction, so by the time I got to the hospital at nine, I was already in labor and dilated to three. The doctor still gave me the dreaded pictocin to keep things moving along and the blessed epidural to keep me comfortable. I think I felt one contraction.
Some highlights I remember from the day:
1. I was surprised the doctor still wanted to induce labor. I thought he would let nature take its course. Ha!
2. Larry did not pack any food to eat for the day. We arrived at the hospital at 9 in the morning and he did not eat breakfast. Around noon he finally had to leave to get something to eat. What does he bring back? A Rodeo burger from Burger King. Some super stinky hamburger to make his wife sick from the stench. Ha!
3. I had a really nice nurse this time. I wish I could remember her name.
4. My doctor was delivering another lady’s baby in the room next to mine at the same time as me. He kept running back and forth between the two rooms. He made into a little competition as to who could deliver first. I won. She won the loudest screamer award.
5. I had several medical students in the room during delivery. I was a vbac delivery so it was special. Ha! One that I remember was a little Chinese girl that was so timid and so excited to see a birth. On of the interns actually delivered Claire. As I was pushing her out I was thinking I did not pay you to do this I am paying him (meaning the doctor)!
6. I had to push for an hour. Enough said.
7. Larry picked Claire’s name out. He just liked it. No other reason than that.
8. I wanted to name her Margaret May after our grandmothers. Claire is glad it was Larry’s turn to pick the name.
9. As soon as Claire came out Larry said, “She looks like you.”
10. My parents brought Emma up to see her new little sister and she called her “Clow”.
Happy Birthday Claire.