Soccer Chick has always been active. This child has always had places to go and people to see. All good and well except when she was still in the womb.
Around Thanksgiving, I had my monthly doctor appointment, and the doctor discovered that I was having contractions (as my first pregnancy, I had no idea that the tightening I had been experiencing for days were contractions). I was also dilated a couple of centimeters. This child wanted to come out and play earlier than her January due date. I was promptly wheeled next door to the hospital, where I spent several days until the contractions slowed down.
Upon my discharge, I was ordered to spend the next several weeks on bedrest.
I was devastated. How in the world was I going to get everything done for Christmas? It was only my third year as a married woman, but I had lots of decorating, baking, and card-writing to do!
The Mr. and his parents kept a close watch on me, not allowing me to lift a finger. This was to be the first grandchild. I fumed as I watched others decorate my three-foot tree (all that would fit in the apartment). I snuck a few decorations on, though, as I made my way to the bathroom to pee. The Mr. declared that I was the peeing-est thing he’d ever seen. I wasn’t fooling anyone.
My sister came to visit, and she made cookies before she left.
Then Christmas morning came. I was stuck on the couch very upset. I was ready to go to the in-law’s house, but Mr. Grand Poo Ba (i.e. The Mr.’s father) insisted that I call my obstetrician first…just to be sure it was okay. These people take rule-following to the extreme (eat your veggies meant that I ate green peas with my pizza).
I was mortified! I simply did NOT want to bother the doc on THE day of the year! But I called, and she laughed it off. She did give me strict instructions to lie down the entire time I was at the house, though. Gravity has a way of pulling little babes towards earth, you see.
When I arrived at the in-law’s house, I saw a sight that amused me. They had fixed up a pallet on the kitchen floor. It was a sponge cushion-mattress thing. The reason why it was in the kitchen was so I could eat Christmas dinner with the family. The neighbors (mentioned in a previous post) had been invited to eat. Their twins were extremely curious about the lady with the big belly laying on the floor. The adults carefully monitored them to ensure that nobody jumped on me suddenly. You know how tots are. Very spontaneous.
Well, we got through that Christmas. Soccer Chick managed to wait until almost the end of January to arrive…five days before her due date and ultimately induced due to complications I began experiencing at the end of my term.
I’ll never forget that Christmas, though, and the care that everyone took to ensure that a wee one came into this world safely.
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: bedrest, christmas, pregnant | 1 Comment »
AuburnChick's Adventures 