I found out I was pregnant with Nolan Daniel (also known as “N” when I’m writing and being lazy) September 11th, 2008. I remember that day like it was yesterday…I had a fear. A fear I couldn’t shake. My parents were out of town, so Matt and I decided to go hang out at my parents house. We bought pizzas from Dominos and rented a movie and stopped off at the Dollarstore to grab pregnancy tests. Yup, the Dollarstore. I guess I should mention that, at this time, Matt and I were both unemployed and had been throughout our entire relationship (7 months!). We spent all our time together, having fun and not having a care in the world. I had just started college (my second attempt; the first time I was in Social Work and gave that up because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life), and was doing horribly because I hated my program; Dental Administration. I hate teeth.
Anyways, so I had this feeling that I couldn’t shake. I was two days late for my period and that never happened before. So, to be safe we bought some pregnancy tests. On the drive to my parents house, we joked about me being pregnant and my driving skills. Matt told me that if I was pregnant I’d have to do the speed limit from then on, and I jokingly promised. Neither of us truly thought I could be pregnant…that kind of stuff just doesn’t happen when you don’t plan it, right? Wrong. Two positive tests later and we realized that shit happens, planned or unplanned, condom and all.
Telling my parents was horrible and scary and the worst thing ever. To see the disappointment all over their faces and to hear it in their voices every time they looked at me or spoke to me for months afterwards was so difficult for me. I couldn’t take it so I moved in with Matt and his mom and stepdad. Cowards way out, yes.
ANYWAY, I started this page to talk about the birth story, not the pregnancy story. But pregnancy is a part of birth, no? My pregnancy was pretty easy. I only had morning sickness issues for the first few weeks, and I didn’t get huge or anything.
I was, however, considered to be a high risk pregnancy, as I have a bleeding disorder (discovered when I had my first ever MHE related surgery…my bones bled. More about that on this page). So, I went to Mount Sinai in Toronto for all my prenatal needs.
On the day of my 37th week appointment, I went into labor. My OB was on vacation (go figure), and I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to have him while my doctor was away. The x-ray they made me get proved that Nolan was still breech, and that my amniotic fluid was on the low side. They scheduled me for an emergency c-section, but I had to wait eight hours because I had a few bits of the salad my mom demanded I eat (while I was in labor, no doubt, but neither of us thought it was labor!).
Me, right after hearing Nolan cry and seeing Matt’s expression as he held our baby boy for the first time. Heart = massive mess of MUSH.
We sent this picture out to the family right away; heh. He looks like an old man!
The picture that was on our birth announcement.
I don’t have a horror story to share with you about my c-section, my c-section was a breeze. However, Nolan had fluid on his lungs and had to spend the first two weeks of his life in NICU. For the first week and a half, he was on CPAP and looked like a Snuffleupagus.
Little Snuffleupagus!
See? We called him Snuffleupagus for that entire week and a half; poor love. May 5th, 2009 we got to bring him home; just in time for mother’s day.
So, that there is the birth story. Not very dramatic, but definitely life altering. This little man has changed the dynamics of our life and our relationship; all for the best!
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Not to focus on something that totally ISN’T the point of this post, but I totally don’t blame you about the dental hygiene program. I can’t imagine spending every day putting my hands in strangers’ mouths. Gross.
Poor little Snuffy!
Heh, definitely gross …which is why I dropped out! I couldn’t stomach the thought of even looking at someone’s nasty teeth x-rays. I hate teeth, and gums, and gross gross gross!
Great story! Ari was early too! I went into labor at 36ish weeks!
A week before me 🙂
It was crazy. Here’s my labor story:http://www.oldschoolnewschoolmom.com/2009/07/visit-down-memory-laneinspired-by.html
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My son was born a few weeks after yours on May 22nd of ’09 your birth story is beauty and honest. And btw, I bought my first and second pregnancy test from the dollar store too
Too funny! The day we found out we were pregnant with our son we ate pizza and used a dollar store pregnancy test (just as effective and $14 cheaper, I’ll take it!) Both of my pregnancies were also high risk and both of my children were delivered by c-section. It’s neat to see the similarities between us. Glad to see little N has recovered and doing so well. They come so far in so little time, it’s unbelievable to think they’re almost 2!
LOL that’s hilarious!! And dollar store pregnancy tests are better, anyway! Well, I think so haha. I like the added $14 in my bank account!
The similarities really are neat! And thank you 🙂 it really is unbelievable. Time is just flying by!
that picture where he looks like an old man cracked me up AND made me teary eyed! how awesome to have that picture of you right as he was born too!