Last night we took a tour of South Lake Hospital – Women’s Center. It was nice for what it was, A community hospital. There’s a small maternity wing, but they have the same equipment and qualified nursing staff as any other hospital. If we had to deliver there, I would have no problems with it, but I’m glad we are delivering at Winnie Palmer. It’s a little nicer there and I think Allison and I will be more pampered there. Also, South Lake does not have a NICU. I hope not to need it, but Winnie Palmer does have a NICU. Had I never been to Winnie Palmer, I wouldn’t know any better. The difference is like going to a community college vs an Ivy league school. Math is math. You’ll learn at both schools, but the Ivy League has more bells and whistles.
After the tour of the hospital, we watched a video about Cesarean Sections. It wasn’t graphic. They explained the reasons why women have to have them and demonstrated the procedure with an animation. I was good with the whole thing, I feel like I’m ready to watch or help if Allison needs one to deliver Baby C, but there was one part that bothered me. After the incision is made, they put this clamp or hooks to open the incision wider and hold it open. There is something Hannibal Lecter about that, but hey, whatever’s best for momma and baby.
There isn’t much else to say about birthing class this week, so I’ll give you another installment of The History of the ACs. This week Allison and I will celebrate four years together. December would have been four years together including our time as just friends, but August is four years together as a couple. (A couple of what you ask?? HA HA very funny) I already told you about our first date (http://tinyurl.com/lkuwf7), so since this is a blog about Baby C, I'll tell you the story of when we found out Allison was pregnant.
Allison had a doctor appointment on January 16. They told her to take a pregnancy test before all of her appointments. So very early in the morning she took a test. I should have been up already, but it was after 6:00 and I was still in bed. Allison came running in from the bathroom and said…I think I’m pregnant. I think I see a line. We had been trying for a while and we wanted to see a line, so I first gave her a sideways look. Was this a clever rouse to get me out of bed? She said again “I see a line, come look” when I got there, I almost didn’t see it. It was very faint, like when you use white crayon on white paper. You have to look at it just right to see it. We were excited, but not overly excited because it was so faint. She took a 2nd test before she went to the doctor with the same result.
Allison went to her appointment, told them about our morning and took another test at the doctor’s office. The nurse was excited for her, but then looked at the test and said, sorry it’s negative. Allison agreed at first, but then when the doctor came in they looked at it again and Allison said "see there's a line!" Again, it was very faint but it was there. I don’t remember if they took blood or urine, but they told her to come back on Monday to take another sample to compare them and sent her on her way.
So here we are, both at work, both wondering if Allison is pregnant or not. On a Friday, can you guess how much work got done? Well, Allison probably did get a lot done, she’s good like that. Not me. It was a welcome distraction for me, I wanted to just go home. I had teased earlier in the week because she had been eating a lot of pickles. I said “are you pregnant, I’ve never seen you eat pickles before.” The pickle test…it never fails. Something’s gotta be wrong with you or you have to be pregnant to eat them.
On her way home she purchased some digital pregnancy tests. Over the course of the weekend she took them all. Three a day Saturday and Sunday. They all said PREGNANT. 9 positive tests, but still, I was reserved in my excitement. I had pictured in my mind what it would be like when she had a positive test and it was nothing like this. Every time in my head, I was jumping around and very excited. But now here I am with 9 positive tests in my hands and nothing. Nothing!
Allison went back to the doctor that Monday and they took more blood or urine to compare levels (or something) then we had to wait a few more days to hear the results. They called the house on Wednesday, but we weren't home to take the call, so we had to call back on Thursday. Allison called back and they told her, it's official, you're pregnant!
It didn’t seem real until the 12 week sonogram. There was no mistaking it at that point. It was then at 12 weeks when we really got excited and started to celebrate. Allison had shown all the early symptoms of pregnancy, minus the morning sickness, but sometimes seeing is believing. Sometimes even though you know, you just need to see it with your own eyes.
Since then 21 weeks have flown by and Allison sits here at 33 weeks and a few days pregnant. Baby C will be here in no time! You know how I know it's getting close? One of the girls in accounting asked me today, "when is the baby due?" I said "the end of September." They said "next month! you must be so excited" And I said "Holy sh-!t, it is next month"
