A Funny Story About Going Into Labor With Eric...

It was 5 days before my due date!  We were so excited to meet our little guy.  I had waited for this day my whole life.  I wanted nothing more, than to become a Mom.  Everything was ready.

7lbs 5 oz

That night we were invited to our friend's Annual Block Party.  There was a ton of people there, tons of kids running around.  There was tons of food, as usual at this party.  I ate a ton!  Then after the block party a bunch of us went to this restaurant that had dessert.  I have never really liked sweets.  Even as a kid.  When I was pregnant, I couldn't get enough sweets.   So at this restaurant they had my all time favorite dessert,  Creme Brulee'!  I had to get it!  It was the best I had ever had!  Or was it just that I was pregnant?  =)  For those of you who do not know my husband, let me give you a little info....He does not drink much but when he does....its on.  So that whole day he had been drinking.  I kept warning him that I could go into labor any day, any minute.  He didn't listen!  All the guys we were with were egging him on cuz everyone LOVES "FUN MARK".  Anyway...we left the restaurant bar around 1:30am and still needed to drive 30 minutes to get home.  So, once we got home....Mark hit the bed.  He was so tipsy that he had to put his head on the bed to get his clothes off!  He was snoring in no time!  Me being pregnant and nesting....I went downstairs.  I saw the Costco Chocolate cake that I had just bought a few days earlier.  I really shouldn't have more dessert....but once I saw it...I had to.  Now, you would think I would take a small piece because I had already had dessert?  Nope...I cut the hugest piece and ate it ALL!!  Every crumb!  No wonder I gained 54 lbs while pregnant!  Off to bed I went!

Going home!

It's 3am, I woke up with a huge stomach ache!  Oh no, I ate too many sweets this time!  After a while of still not feeling great, I woke Mark.  I thought maybe I was in labor but was not sure.  He was obviously still a bit intoxicated!  So...I finally got him up we went into the office and Googled "Labor"....sounded just like what was going on!  I thought I had a stomach ache from all the sweets!   Nope, I was in Labor!  So...at that time my contractions were still far apart.  In our birth class they said, go when you are 5 min apart...couldn't come fast enough!  6am we left for the hospital.  I just wanted my epidural.  I could not do this without!  I knew that!

We got to West Hills Hospital at about 6:30am...they checked me out and said they were sending me home!   What?  No way!  That happens?!  So, not wanting to drive all the way home, we went to my Aunts closeby.  We stayed there for a while but I was having really bad back labor.  I am a whimp, I admit it!  I NEEDED that epidural or I would not have more kids!  So about 11am...when my contractions were closer and the pain was pretty bad...we went back to the hospital.  This time...they did not send me home.  Thank God!

Little Dude!

The Dr that was to give me my epidural was almost ready to leave and we saw him in the elevator so he came back in to see if I was ready.  I was!!!  YAY!!!  I was so scared of the epidural!  Like everyone is! It was nothing!  A breeze!  Phew!  I dreaded that and it was nothing?!  The rest of the day tons of family was in the room to welcome Eric.  They were eating real food, while all I was allowed was ice chips!  Everyone in the room was watching my contraction screen, saying when they were big...I didn't feel a thing! =)  About 4pm, my water still had not broken.  They were going to break it if it didn't on its own.  My OBGYN still had not come to see how I was doing.  You could tell the nurses were mad!  Eric's heart rate dropped a few times, so the nurse came in and turned my bed upside down and it seems he was fine.  What we did not know, the nurse had set up for an emergency C-section because of his heart dropping and the Dr not being there.  Finally the DR arrived....My water had broken on its own, and I was ready to push!!  Literally the Dr was putting her hat and gloves while I was pushing!  She said "WAIT!"  What was I waiting for, her???  This baby was coming whether she was here or not!  Finally she was ready to help deliver!  20 minutes of pushing and Eric arrived!  There was a complete knot in his chord.  The Dr and nurses were saying he was a miracle.  Usually when they see a complete knot, there is usually a dead baby delivered.  He was beautiful!  All of his apgars were great!  They weren't worried!  Neither were we!  He latched on immediately after, no problem.  I held him, and immediately I had so much love for this tiny human being.  I was a Mom.  I was so excited and tired, to say the least!  We went home after 2 days at the hospital.  He was great.  We were nervous to leave the hospital because, now it was up to us.  We were responsible for this little guy.  We would do anything for him.

July 30, 2006 5:25pm Eric Matthew Johnson was brought into our life and there has not been a dull moment since!