hello there, stranger

ok

ok ok ok

sorry. it's been almost 6 months. like i have to tell you that.....sorry.

and i'm not posting any pictures. sorry. again.

we got a new computer, and i can't figure out why the camera software doesn't like the computer. or maybe it's vice versa. either way, they aren't playing nice, and i can't load the pictures from the camera onto the computer. i'd say "i'm working on it" but that'd pretty much be a lie. i DID try to work on it, but, well...you can see how well that went.

while i'm here, though, here's the story of anders....

i had been having mild, irregular contractions for maybe a week. like we're talking 0.5 or 1 on a scale of 1-10. hardly noticeable, even. But at my 39 week OB appointment I was already 5 cm dilated. and NOT in labor. FIVE. i didn't know that was possible. I was starting to wonder if he'd be born in my sleep and i wouldn't even wake up.

3 days later a contraction woke me up around 11:30 pm. it wasn't bad, but it was enough to wake me up. I wandered around the house wondering "is this it?" and debating whether or not to wake padraic up, while several more contractions came and went, still sort of irregular. at midnight i decided it was better to be safe than sorry (or still at home with only a panicked, blood-fearing husband to deliver our son) so i woke pad. he called his parents to let them know he'd be bringing rory over. rory was not happy about going to their house since he'd been mistakenly--but incredibly cutely--assuming he was going to the hospital, too.

pad's parents only live 5 minutes away, but by the time pad got back i was standing at the door with my coat on.....the contractions were stronger, but manageable, maybe 15 minutes apart....but remember, i was already 5 cm dilated. I was starting to feel nervous he'd be born in the car on the side of the highway. it was 12:30 am.

the drive to st. mary's typically takes 15 minutes, but it was so. foggy. we crawled along at 35 mph. i was envisioning catching the baby myself while pad continues to drive, because if i told him to stop cause the baby was coming, he'd probably tell me "hold him in, we're almost there!"

We did make it, but not by much. Pad had called ahead so they knew we were coming. As soon as we walked in the door they put a bracelet on my wrist and ushered us upstairs. I had a couple more stronger contractions while the nurse asked me the routine questions. then she asked "are you feeling pressure?"

that would be a "heck, yes, ma'am."

she checked me and said "well, there's baby's head."

WHAT?

"do whatever you need to do," she then instructed me when i told her i was feeling the urge to push.

WHAT?

the doctor isn't there yet. of course she isn't. we only got there 15 minutes ago.

"i need more direction," i said ("panted" would probably be more accurate). she told me to put my chin to my chest and push.

REALLY?

my experience in birmingham alabama was not like this. the nurse kept telling me NOT to push, and was generally being rather bossy.

three pushes later and Anders was born at 1:30 am.

both my kids were born at 1:30 am.

their birthdays are 11-03 and 03-11.

how's that for weird?