Gilmore Girls

I don't know about y'all, but I was an obsessed fan of Gilmore Girls. I can't remember who introduced it to whom (or is it whom to who??), but my old roommate and I would watch it religiously. She thought it was funny that I would sing the opening theme song at the top of my lungs. When I went hormonally crazy after the birth of my daughter, my roommie's full set of all 7 seasons saved my life during the initial breastfeeding frenzy. All I remember about being a new Mom was learning how to get a baby latched on, and then staring longingly at a show that portrayed the life of a grown-up daughter and Mother (no, the newborn stage was not all bliss and joy for me!)

One funny scene, which gets repeated in several seasons, is when Lorelai (Mom) wakes her daughter up in the middle of the night to go over all the gory details of her birth. I thought this was hilarious. What better way to celebrate our children's birthdays than to tell them about their birth?

So when A is old enough, here is what I'll tell her:

Mommy received a very ominous message from her doula at around 9pm on friday night - it predicted that I would go into labour at exactly 4am the next morning. I laughed at her message, shut the computer off, and then stood up. All of a sudden I felt a tightening in my back, and joked with Daddy that maybe she was right! At some point in the night I began having some cramps, and finally woke Daddy up at around 4am. He told me to go back to sleep, but as hard as I tried, it just wasn't happening. At about 5am, I got up and started pacing around the house. At 6am, I woke up Nana and Boompah to tell them to head on up to Ottawa - I reassured them there was plenty of time. Once Daddy woke up, I told him he might as well go to work, because I knew things would take a long time. I spent the rest of the day resting, cleaning and trying to distract myself from the contractions, which were coming about every 6 minutes. Nana and Boompah arrived, and wondered why I wasn't already having the baby - "these things take time," I said!

Around dinner time I began cooking Adzuki Bean Stew, because I was convinced that my birthing team would need sustenance throughout the labour. All of a sudden I couldn't remember where I kept ingredients in my kitchen, and I began gripping the counter and saying "ow, ow, ow" during contractions. That's when everyone kicked me out of the kitchen and sent me upstairs. I called our doula, and she arrived about an hour or so later. She said she didn't think I was in active labour yet (which I didn't like to hear!), and took me for a walk around the block.

The rest is a blur. It's like when you get really drunk and black out - oh, sorry, you don't know what getting drunk is like yet. Well, that's what it felt like. I remember specific things - throwing up, getting in the bath, moaning like a cow, shaking uncontrollably, throwing up some more, and having hot and cold flashes. At some point I heard a calm voice from the corner telling me to get back in the bath (it was my midwife). Once I did, our doula put on beautiful relaxation music (now whenever I hear loons, I think of childbirth) and let your Daddy and I have some alone time. Almost immediately I felt the urge to push, although I actually thought I had to poo instead.

I pushed in several different positions, but you just didn't want to come out. At first I liked pushing a lot, but after 2 hours I'd had enough! We found out that you were coming out like Superman (one arm up in front of your face), which is why it took so long to push you out. As soon as you were out and on my chest, I told Daddy that I was never, ever giving birth again (I may have changed my mind by now) You were pink and wrinkly, and very cute. Although I did not love you right away - because you scared the crap out of me - I learned to love you more than anything else in the world! The End.

Happy Birthday to my little Superwoman