a superstorm
yesterday marked one year since superstorm sandy hit the east coast. it was all over the news last year, of course, but reference to the anniversary cropped up everywhere yesterday as well.
the funny thing is, i remember superstorm sandy in a very specific way. my memories of october 29, 2012 do not revolve around a weather pattern, but rather a different type of life-changing event. superstorm sandy was relevant to me at the time because it meant that the maternity ward of the hospital was completely full. and i mean full. every last room held occupants, and apparently a couple of women who had c-sections scheduled for the next day had to be rescheduled because of a lack of space. we were two [soon-to-be three] of said occupants.
my day as a very pregnant, one week overdue woman, began slowly. sleep had started eluding me already, though keane had not yet made his long-awaited debut. i had prayed for days - weeks actually - that i would go into labor naturally and have no need for induction. i slowly prepared for my late morning 41-week ultrasound and doctor's appointment. i was prepared to beg in order to avoid being induced, but my fluid levels were too low, and there was no question that we needed to head to the hospital that evening. we'd stay overnight, and i would be induced first thing the next morning. ie: one year ago today.
in between the doctor's office and the hospital we went out to lunch for the last time as a family of two, then went to an "early voting" station and voted since that clearly wouldn't be happening on the actual day, and we came home to grab the hospital bag, and drop bexley off at peter's parents.
once we arrived at the hospital and got settled into a room peter ended up running back out for some chick-fil-a because i was to be given some meds that night to try to encourage contractions, and once they were administered it would be clear liquids only.
i remember commenting many times during those hours about the strangeness of it all - we came into the hospital as two people, and would be leaving as three. it's just so weird when you stop and think about it. so.very.odd. and yet it happens every single day.
i remember thinking that very thought as i carried my pillow through the door of the hospital. nerves and excitement pulsed through us as the elevator lifted us to the 3rd floor. this was it. actually it. the next time we ride this elevator, we'll be carrying our baby boy.
i digress.
one year ago today, one entire year ago, i was 13 hours into induced labor. my doctor thought keane would definitely make his debut on the 30th. he told us as much, and honestly, at that point we didn't really want to have a baby on halloween so we were thankful for his reassurance.
well, nothing went as planned, [the full story is HERE] but our little monkey stayed strong through it all, and made it safely into this world at 3:38 a.m., on october 31st, after 19 hours of labor.
i will never forget seeing him for the first time, and watching his reaction when he heard my voice for the first time outside the womb. i will never forget holding him for the first time and falling immediately in love.
he stole our hearts from day one. our little superstorm came in and turned our lives upside down, he upended just about everything we thought we knew, and made life much harder, and so so so much better.
from the very beginning 'til now, and every day in between - we love you little man!
happy almost birthday!
the funny thing is, i remember superstorm sandy in a very specific way. my memories of october 29, 2012 do not revolve around a weather pattern, but rather a different type of life-changing event. superstorm sandy was relevant to me at the time because it meant that the maternity ward of the hospital was completely full. and i mean full. every last room held occupants, and apparently a couple of women who had c-sections scheduled for the next day had to be rescheduled because of a lack of space. we were two [soon-to-be three] of said occupants.
my day as a very pregnant, one week overdue woman, began slowly. sleep had started eluding me already, though keane had not yet made his long-awaited debut. i had prayed for days - weeks actually - that i would go into labor naturally and have no need for induction. i slowly prepared for my late morning 41-week ultrasound and doctor's appointment. i was prepared to beg in order to avoid being induced, but my fluid levels were too low, and there was no question that we needed to head to the hospital that evening. we'd stay overnight, and i would be induced first thing the next morning. ie: one year ago today.
in between the doctor's office and the hospital we went out to lunch for the last time as a family of two, then went to an "early voting" station and voted since that clearly wouldn't be happening on the actual day, and we came home to grab the hospital bag, and drop bexley off at peter's parents.
once we arrived at the hospital and got settled into a room peter ended up running back out for some chick-fil-a because i was to be given some meds that night to try to encourage contractions, and once they were administered it would be clear liquids only.
i remember commenting many times during those hours about the strangeness of it all - we came into the hospital as two people, and would be leaving as three. it's just so weird when you stop and think about it. so.very.odd. and yet it happens every single day.
i remember thinking that very thought as i carried my pillow through the door of the hospital. nerves and excitement pulsed through us as the elevator lifted us to the 3rd floor. this was it. actually it. the next time we ride this elevator, we'll be carrying our baby boy.
i digress.
one year ago today, one entire year ago, i was 13 hours into induced labor. my doctor thought keane would definitely make his debut on the 30th. he told us as much, and honestly, at that point we didn't really want to have a baby on halloween so we were thankful for his reassurance.
well, nothing went as planned, [the full story is HERE] but our little monkey stayed strong through it all, and made it safely into this world at 3:38 a.m., on october 31st, after 19 hours of labor.
i will never forget seeing him for the first time, and watching his reaction when he heard my voice for the first time outside the womb. i will never forget holding him for the first time and falling immediately in love.
he stole our hearts from day one. our little superstorm came in and turned our lives upside down, he upended just about everything we thought we knew, and made life much harder, and so so so much better.
from the very beginning 'til now, and every day in between - we love you little man!
happy almost birthday!
xo
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