Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

I guess it's been a while since I've posted, huh? You probably think I owe you an update, don't ya?

Shortly after I posted that entry, I decided I was tired of the frequent trips to the hospital for the unexplained swelling in my feet, legs, hands, arms, face, eyelids, etc..., so I out a call into the OB office and left a message for Dr. Sylvester to ask her about induction and if we could discuss it at our next appointment that Wednesday. Come to find out, we wouldn't need to- her nurse called me and told me to meet Dr. S at the hospital in one hour. I still had 3 weeks to go, so OF COURSE I didn't have a thread of clothing packed. Nada. Didn't have the proper paperwork filed at work either for maternity leave. I guess I took care of it in a flurry of e-mails and time clocks, because I still had a job when I got back.
I make the proper phone calls- Brian, my mom, my dad- and get the show on the road. Luckily, when I got home I did have a bag of clothes packed, but they were from a trip to the lake a few weeks prior. No matter, there was clean underwear and toothpaste in there. I was happy. Then I start slinging flat irons, hair dryers, make up bags, you know- all the things you THINK you'll have time for. "No way in hell are you going to take pictures of me looking like crap when I'm in labor" echoes in my head. I was SUCH a fool!
Oh, yeah- I've forgotten all about Brian. I have no idea what he was doing at this point, but I'm sure I was yelling at him for it.
So we get to the hospital, I've got my bags at my sides like I'm checking into a five star resort, I'm all Twittered and Facebooked up, I'm checked in, I've paid my co-pay (cause LORD knows they want that front and center), so now I sit and wait. I play on my iPhone. I try and figure out why I'm not a sweaty mess like Brian. I wait some more. They I deduce I'm just too stupid to be nervous. That's it! I'm not afraid because I don't know what to be afraid of! Well, up until that point, I knew I wasn't a big fan of catherters, but the nurse assured me they don't do those til after the epidureal. So I think of things to be worried about. (just a little insight, I'm not happy unless I'm worried about something) Nothing comes up. I'm really just excited to meet this little boy.
Finally, my number is called and we move from the waiting room to my birthing suite and get settled in. I'm decked out in this silly green drape that doesn't even attempt to cover my tail, and about that moment I realize that I am mooning California Street. My sincere apologies if you were lucky enough to catch that full moon! I get in the bed, they hook me up to the monitors, I hear his heartbeat, my blood pressure is taken every so often, and life is good. Obviously I forgot to worry about an I.V., because they roll one in, and it's then I realize I'm in a literal world of hurt because if I am afraid of a needle, then maybe child bearing and child rearing is outta my league. Nurse Niceynice (where's the sarcasm font?) jabs me in my left arm and I swear the needle is sticking in my bone it hurts so badly! Then she tapes it there. Whatta wench! Fluids start dripping in and they feel cold, and soon I've forgotten about that mean nurse and that needle sticking out of my bone. I guess it was around 5:00 pm when they started my pitocin drip. The screen says my contractions are coming stronger, but I don't feel them. Again, I chalk it up to just being too dumb to know what hurts. I knew that needle in my dang bone hurt, but pitocin didn't phase me. Finally, I started feeling contractions- they merely felt like my stomach muscles tightening, but still no pain. I'm laughing and joking the entire time, trying to keep my mind off when the "real pain" was going to show up. So around 9:00, Dr. S shows up, and within minutes she breaks my water. "You should start to feel the pitocin working any minute" she said, but I didn't make it to the end of that sentence. Suddenly my insides decided they were going to turn themselves inside out, and I couldn't even think of how to handle it, so I covered my head with a pillow and cried silently because I so badly wanted to be "tough." Now, I should add too that I was under the impression that I could tough it out for a little bit before getting the eipdureal. WRONG. I didn't make it three contractions worth. About 20 minutes later, the anestesiologist (I hope spell check fixes that for me) shows up, and THANK GOD I was in the middle of a huge contraction when he pulled out that needle because apparently those suckers are 6in+ long! In all honestly, I was more afraid of the epi needle than the actual act of giving birth, and when I weighed the lesser of the two evils, unmedicated birth won. At least in my pre-contraction mind. Brooke's mind-post-contraction just short of demanded an epi.
Where's Brian this whole time? I'm sorry, but so much was happening that I don't remember. Oh yeah, he was in the corner eating Andes mints and Gardettos mix. I was so hungry and angry! (I wasn't allowed anything to eat). But to his defense, he was truly a wonderful supporter to have in my corner that day. Even if he was foolish enough to eat in front of a starving pregnant lady.
Well, time marched on, and the epi kicked in. It started to get late and we were all tired, so it was off to sleep.
It was around 11:00 pm or so when they came in and told me they wanted to hook me up to an oxygen mask because the baby's oxygen levels were dropping. Momentarily scary, but once I was on the mask for a minute, things evened out. I'd say it was around 2:00 am when I was ready to push, and by 4:00 am, I was getting nervous that I'd have to have a C-Section. So in effort to try and be cool, I carried on and jokes like nothing was wrong. I scoffed at them when they tried to bring the full sized mirror in, because really- no one needs to see that. I pointed out the blood (not mine, at least I think) on the ceiling and made a dumb joke about that to try and keep my cool up. Things were going slow for going on 2 hours of pushing, so I inquired if I was at any risk of having to have a C-Section. When I didn't get a clear "no," I knew it was time to get down to business. And that we did, and at 4:30 am, my life changed forever. All in that instant, I felt such a gush- like my heart was ripped from my body. I looked around, honestly not knowing what was going on- I was in shock. All that work- all those long sleepless nights, all those sweet little kicks in my tummy, all those pleasant trips every hour on the hour to the bathroom, just gone. Here on my chest was this perfect little stranger, yet I knew his face in an instant as if we'd met hundreds of times. I was all he'd ever known, but here I am trying to catch up. "Happy Birthday little man, I've waited such a long time to meet you" I muster in the tears. I swear he smiled.
Oh, yeah, you're probably wondering where Brian was. Brian was standing strong by my side, crying right along with me. Looking at his son in amazement as the idea of this little being took a real life form and the reality of a family was setting in deep. I could see in his eyes the excitement he felt- it was the excitement you feel when you know you've gotten someone an awesome gift that you can't wait for them to open mixed with the same look when you have butterflies in your stomach when you see the one you know you are destined to be with for the rest of your life- only multiplied by infinity plus two. But you know me, I can't stand to be mushy for too long, as I fear it will soften me. "Go take some pictures of our son and quit staring at me, you big dummy!" I laugh through the tears.
So is the story of Sid's entrance into this world. That was six months ago, and all at the same time if feels like a lifetime ago and only yesterday. It's so cliche, but he is really the most important thing in this entire world to me and I only hope I can give him the very best.

The best is yet to come:)

Date: September 9th

To the tenant in possesion of below described premises:
I am issuing an 14 day notice for eviction. You will have 14 days in which you can either gather your belongings and promtly vacate the premises, or wait until the final day. After which, you will be physically removed from the property.

You are being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the front of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed. Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made.

Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor changing the initial layout and structure. And due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper and lower levels of the home. Ontop of which, the landlord has received numerous complaints about nightly disturbances.
After 14 days from this day that you don't comply with the notice will result in immediate and forceful removal at my discretion.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Mom