I woke up yesterday knowing exactly was happening. Today was the day Ali will be born. No guessing, no wondering, no thinking about timing... it was just a fact. Wake up at 5am, shower, get on the road, get to the hospital, meet Ali. Done and done. Nothing to it. However, the weather had different plans...
Kyle wakes up at 5am to run, so we woke up together, he left, and I got in the shower. At about 6, when I was ready to leave he came home and told me to "be careful" because it was really slick outside. Uhhh... no, the weather said 55 and sunday today, I checked. So I turned out the news. Sure enough, top story, freezing rain overnight leads to an icy St. Louis. Almost every major highway had some portion of it shut down due to some massive wreck. 270N, 170, 255, 70E, 64, 41... it was just nuts. Meanwhile, I'm staring at the tv thinking, what in the world is going on?! But no amount of ice was going to stop me.
At 6:15 I was on the road. Fists clenched, knuckles white from gripping the wheel. Normally, I do not drive in any amount of ice. At least this year. This year I have a Leah in my belly, and I don't take chances with weather. But today was the day. Leah wanted to meet Ali as much as I did, I just knew it. So I would go, and take it slow. If I got there at noon, so be it, at least I would be there. As I kept driving though, it didn't seem too bad. People were going close to normal speeds, and they had salted the roads by this point so I felt like I had a good amount of traction. We might make it before noon, and even better, by the time she was born!
I pretty much drove out of anything I thought might be threatening by the time we got to Warrenton, and was going 70, hallelujah. Leah was kicking like crazy, probably because she was mad she didn't get her second breakfast. But I just couldn't stop today. I had to get to the hospital!
Soon enough, it was pouring rain... hmm, this seemed all too familiar. I'm pretty sure I even laughed to myself... figures. And then, I missed a call from my sister! A serious case of deja vu came over me. This had all happened before. I called her back, and she told me they were taking her down at 730. I glanced at my clock, it was 6:45... I might just make it on time! Hold on, Leah, we're powering through!
The rain picked up. Ugh. What is going on?! Where is the 55 and sunny?? Today was supposed to be easy! So as I was driving, only thinking about Ali, I started to wonder what the significance of the rain was. I'm not usually a deep thinker, I was just bored. Why does God always make it rain on Eisleben baby birthday's? Is it to slow me down? Is He crying happy tears? Just when I was carried away with these ridiculous thoughts... I glanced out my window, and bam... the most colorful, bright, rainbow I had seen in a long time. And there was my answer. He makes it rain, so that He can paint a beautiful rainbow in the sky just for their birthday's. And even though I don't remember seeing one on Zoey's birthday, I know there was one around somewhere. After all, rain = rainbows. So then I was happy, and from then on it was smooth sailing. There was a rainbow in the sky just for Ali, all would be well. Now I just have to get there!
And I did. At 7:45. Luckily, Boone hospital has the most ridiculous set up I have ever seen. Minus the construction, the hospital is one big maze. So I drove past the same construction worker three times, and smiled at him every time. I drove around the parking lot twice, and smiled at the people standing at the front door each time. I got on the wrong elevator, and ended up on the wrong floor. I came back down, tried again, asked directions, followed the arrows, and met Joel and Ali in the hallway as they were bringing her to the nursery! Sooo, had I not got lost a minimum of 12 times, I would have missed out on that "scene from a movie moment."
She.Was.Here. And perfect. I stared through the window at her for literally an hour, all by myself. Leah was completely impatient. She was not happy about missing her second breakfast, and now one of her normal snack times. But I tried my hardest to ignore the hunger. I kept telling her I would feed her in a minute. I watched her doctor check her out and give her the thumbs up, I watched the nurse poke and prod her and then wrap her in a blanket, I watched Joel stare at her the entire time and pat her when she cried. I sat there and thought about how completely bizarre it was that she was here...all of a sudden, and just like that. The day before my sister was pregnant, and now there's a new person in the world. Fully formed and developed and with all working parts. It's all just so insane.
But alas, Leah got the best of me. I started to feel very faint. Okay, okay, we will get you some food. I would have gone to the cafeteria, but the vending machine was closer and I honestly didn't think I could make it another minute without food... so animal crackers it was. I shoved half the bag in my mouth, and half back in my purse. I wasn't sure on the rules of eating in the hallway, and I didn't want to get yelled at, but I didn't want them to make me go to a waiting room either. So I chewed, silently, as I returned to the nursery window to watch over sweet Ali Jane. The nurse pointed for me to go up, meaning they were headed up... yay! I finally get to see the other most important part of the day... my sister.
She was in her room. And looked great! And now was the mother of two. So.Weird. A few minutes later I got to hold Ali for the first time. Sooooo tiny, and fragile, and calm, and perfect! I knew I wouldn't get to be the only one there for long, so I tried my hardest to soak it all in before I had to share.
The rest of the day was packed full. Between grandparents and friends, Ali was not put down all day. She is a lucky little girl to have so many people to love her. You would have thought she was a first born!
I decided to wait out the whole day, in order to see the big event! When Zoey meets Ali! And it lived up to all the hype. Zoey was completely sweet, and immediately pointed to her sister and said, baby. She didn't stay interested for long, but hey, she's 19 months... give her a break. She has her whole life to get interested in her sister. I'm excited for the two of them though, I know how much fun it is to have a sister. Maybe if they're really, really lucky, they'll get to share having babies together!
So if there was one negative thing about yesterday it is the fact that now I cannot WAIT for mine to come. I can't wait to see her and hold her for the first time. And watch Kyle with her. This next 18 weeks had better fly!!!
And one last thing, did you know I named Ali Jane? Ok, not the Alice... but I definitely suggested the Jane. It was a complete accident though. On Monday of this week, I decided enough was enough and this poor baby needed a complete name. I enlisted the help of my friend Elizabeth and she started spouting off suggestions, one of which was Lane. I liked Lane well enough to send on to Lauren, and Lauren asked me to give her famous "Lane's" as they wanted someone famous. So, being dyslexic, I immediately suggested Jane Eyre. Somehow my brain switched from Lane to Jane, and from there I started giving Lauren all kinds of famous Janes. Jane Austen. The list continued. She told me she liked it and would suggest it to Joel. I got the call later that night that I won!
So, you're welcome Ali Jane, without me you wouldn't have a middle name. I love you, sweetheart.
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