The Beginning. . .for Cora

It had not occurred to me until Maja mentioned it in her comment that this could be a fun time capsule for Cora to read in a few years. So, when that thought fully digested, I realized that I have to include her birth story. Cora's Yia Yia has a tradition of telling each of her children their birth stories on their birthdays. What a great tradition to continue. Here goes. . .

Dear Cora,

What an adventure we had waiting for you to get here. The doctors assured me that you would decide to join us in the outer world in July, but I just knew that you would come in June. After all, you are your mother's daughter, and impatience runs in the family. So, I was not at all surprised when I started having contractions on Sunday, June 22nd. On that morning, your dad got called out to work, so I schlepped my giant self off to church all alone promising to time the contractions and to call dad when they were five minutes apart. Well, the contractions never really got regular, so we just went about our business. Same story for Monday. Being that Monday was your dad's day off, we decided to head out for breakfast at Denny's. We learned in childbirth class that breakfast foods are good energy for mom's in labor. Still the contractions weren't regular. We went back home, and while I rested, your dad worked feverishly to get the remodeling done on the house. We knew grandparents would be coming up to meet you, and we thought it would be nice to have a room for them to stay. Yet again, your dad got called out to work. And, yet again, the contractions remained sporadic.

Meanwhile, I had informed both sets of grandparents that my contractions had started. At about 8:15 in the evening, I was on the phone with Yia Yia telling her how frustrated I was that nothing had changed when, POP! My water broke! Your father had to frantically put away the tools (he was working on the house) and take a shower. I gathered up some last minute items to take with us, and we headed off to the hospital. By this time, my contractions had intensified and regulated. They were about 8 minutes apart. We marveled at the idea that I may have predicted your exact due date all along.

In the early hours of June 24th, it was time to push. I pushed and pushed and pushed, but you really did not want to come out. You apparently had another one of my traits - stubbornness! I was so anxious to see you and meet you. I kept asking the nurse if you had hair and if it was curly. Three hours later, you still had not made your appearance. The doctor and nurses were getting a little worried about your health, so I gave one last effort and managed to push you out before I had to have a c-section. Boy were you tiny. . .only 5 pounds and 4 ounces. You had the sweetest little cry and a very familiar pout! This was when we discovered the reason for your stubborn refusal to come out. You had a short umbilical cord. Whatever effort I made in pushing you out was cancelled when your umbilical cord would bungee you back in! At any rate, you were here, and we were elated.

I really wish I could have been a fly on the wall for what happened next. You see, I had to be fixed up in the operating room, so right after you were born, they wheeled me away. You were left in the care of your father who had never even held an infant before. The nurses handed you to your poor dad and walked out of the room leaving him there alone with this tiny little human bundle. Your father actually fed you your first meal as well. I will admit that he took to fatherhood like a duck to water. When they wheeled me back to the room an hour or so later, he looked like a seasoned pro! And, you seemed perfectly content in his arms! Over the next few days in the hospital, we got to know you better, and by the time we left the hospital, we truly felt like a little family. What a fantastic journey! And, it has only just begun!

Love,
Mommy