Ten raspberries and frozen peas

For me, there are often small and seemingly insignificant details that for some reason become some of the most memorable moments of a trip or regular old day or a huge, life changing event.  And for me these little details often revolve around food (surprise, surprise, I know!  Just ask my mom how I used to remember what town's baseball field we were going to ... always by what the concession served or where it was located or what it looked like!).  This is most definitely the case for the day that Riley was born (and Leighton, too).  And today (well, it would have been today had I gotten this written 7 days ago and not tonight, but I have faith you can just play along!), 3 years later, I can tell you what I ate for breakfast and what I made (or attempted to make, as it turned out) for Leighton for lunch.

I love reminiscing about these days and moments that my babies were born and want to preserve these memories on the blog, so sit down and give yourself a little extra time to get through this one.  Or just wait for the next post if want to see pictures from her birthday!

Now where was I? ... I woke up that morning around 6:30 and felt a little crampy, but I was in COMPLETE denial at this point that it could lead to labor and the arrival of the baby.  My mom wasn't coming for 2 days and I wasn't due for a week and I was overdue with Leighton so I would be with this baby, too.  Right?  And I had a Dr appt the day before and was not showing any signs of impending labor at all.  I told Roy as we were getting Leighton ready for school that I felt this way (the crampy I mentioned directly, the denial I think he just inferred!), but we went about our breakfast and dropping him at school routine as usual.  When we got home Roy asked if I thought it was labor because there had been moments of on and off cramps.  You know, kind of like those things called contractions?  Those things that lead to a baby being born?  But I was just crampy.  Not having contractions.  Because I wasn't due for a week and my mom wasn't coming for 2 days and labor takes a long time and even it they WERE contractions, this could still go on for days.  So, nope.  Not labor.  Go to work, Roy (it was directly across the street and a 10 minute walk - I'm not THAT stupid, people!).  I'm good.  This was at about 8:30.

I had a few hours until it was time to pick up Leighton from school with my friend Darlys (at this point, I was getting a ride to pick him up because I was pretty large and waddly and slow to do the long walk home on my own with Leighton.  And I almost always had to pee before we made it home.  Ah, the joys of 25lbs of baby and fluid and who knows what else resting (or dancing/stomping/twisting/pushing/kicking) on my bladder.  I figured I might want to pull out Leighton's old baby clothes and wash them.  And look at the car seat.  And you know, PACK A HOSPITAL BAG!  You are 39 weeks pregnant, Becky.  What in the world are you waiting for??!!

I think it was about 10am I called my mom.  Told her things seemed like labor might be starting, but I wasn't so sure.  No REAL contractions yet or anything.  Sent an email to our group of friends (Erin and Kiana and Therese and Darlys) to be on standby for Leighton patrol.  Luckily, our lovely friend and neighbor upstairs, Barbara, was at home sick from work, so we had someone who could be in the apartment in under 30 seconds if need be (and yeah, we're getting there ... the need definitely beed!).

There were a couple 'cramps' that seemed like real contractions.  But they weren't regular.  They weren't painful.  They weren't leading to a baby.  Right?!?!

Before Darlys came to get me to pick up the boys, I figured I should eat something.  I really wasn't that hungry but I thought I should try to eat something.  I managed ten raspberries.  Ten.  And that was it.  Not hungry.  Hmmmm, a clue that my body didn't want anything in that might come back up when things got intense?!?!  *It's kind of interesting that raspberries are definitely one of Riley's favorite fruits. She will sit with a container and eat the entire thing in one shot in an incredibly short amount of time.  Not sure she has ever stopped at 10!

Sitting in the car gave me a couple noticeable contractions.  But still nothing major.  Darlys was so excited and flustered.  I told Leighton's teacher I thought things might be happening (coming out of the denial stage here, finally!) and that I wasn't sure about him being at school on Monday and we headed home.

We walked up the steps to the door and I had to stop and breath through a contraction.  It was a bit of a biggie.  We got inside, called Roy, and encouraged him to finish up whatever he wanted/needed before coming home.  Reluctantly he agreed and said he'd be home in 20 minutes.  I then went into the kitchen to make Leighton lunch.  Grilled cheese and frozen peas.  Halfway through the grilled cheese prep, I was rocked with a contraction that dropped me to my knees.  I called Barbara to come help me cook the sandwich, and she rubbed my back while I had another big contraction.  I called Roy - this was likely less than 10 minutes after I called him and said 20 minutes would be fine.  Barbara was so intrigued by the frozen peas.  Leighton liked them frozen right from the Trader Joe's bag (and she became an instant fan that day, too!).

From here things went really fast.  I called My Dr's office to see if I should go to the hospital.  After the nurse heard me get through a contraction she suggested I might want to head in since it was baby #2.  We said a very teary (him AND me) goodbye to Leighton (he had never had a babysitter before - but he did great and even napped for her!), got in the car, had a couple intense contractions, parked at the hospital, realized I forgot my bag, went back home (NOT what Roy thought was a good idea), came back, Roy dropped me at the doors and I waited while he parked again (it was 12:25 at this point), got to admitting and were told to wait in the waiting room (HA! nooooooo way), informed them this was baby #2, was rushed to a bed to bed checked by some admitting Dr, was only 6cm, had one (YES, ONE!) contraction and had a Dr from my Dr's office check me at 9cm with bulging waters, made the Dr laugh when I mentioned I guessed there was no time for an epidural, was raced down the halls on the bed like a scene from a movie, looked all over for Roy (what idiot suggested he go check us in at that point?!?!), was moved to the bed in the room, and pretty much had Riley right away.  At 12:51.  26 minutes after we arrived at the hospital.  Just over 6  hours after I woke up feeling 'crampy'.  And about 90 minutes after any sort of painful contraction.  Tada!  Baby girl.  6lbs 9oz.  Riley Annabella.

Roy texted with Barbara to share the news and she passed the info onto our group of friends on Leighton standby.  I called my mom and surprised her that the baby had arrived already!  Roy spent some time with us and then went home to tell Leighton he had a baby sister and they went out to buy her a new outfit and a toy.  Then the two of them had their first ever boys night of dinner, bath, and bed.  Leighton did fantastic, but I wanted desperately to all be together.  I begged after the one night to go home from the hospital and was glad to take Riley home the next evening.

There are some pictures of her first day in her birthday post from last year.