Tomorrow might be all about the original Angel Boy as it’s his birthday, but today is all about me, so I walked around the garden and picked all the flowers blooming in early spring to celebrate myself.

Back in 1981, he was already a week overdue on March 22. I had walked my dogs, Sabrina and Beowulf, early in the morning where I tripped on an uneven sidewalk and fell down.
Other than being annoyed at my huge bulky belly that got in the way of everything, I didn’t think about it. I felt fine.
My mom came over to take me out for lunch and shopping, two of my most favorite pastimes (then and now). I remember exactly what I bought. She wanted me to have a pretty nightgown to commemorate the birth of her first and only grandchild. In fact, I still have that little rose sprigged lacy cotton gown, mainly because I never throw things away and besides, it’s a lovely reminder of that day with my mom.
As we were eating lunch, I excused myself to use the restroom. When I returned, I said to her, “It’s so weird, I don’t know why my pants feel like I wet myself.”
Well, my mom who NEVER freaked out, was always calm, freaked out, “Your water broke. Why didn’t you tell me? We need to get to the hospital. When did this happen?” “What other symptoms do you have?”
I told her about falling earlier in the day and she deduced that I had partially ruptured the placenta. I don’t remember much about driving home except for her repeating, “You might have introduced bacteria, you might have introduced bacteria. Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
Stubborn as I am, I did NOT go to the hospital right away, although I was having slight labor pains. I wanted to take a shower and walk my dogs again.
She and Daddy-to-be called my doc who agreed that I needed to get to the hospital to be safe.
I was extremely upset because for nine months I planned to have my baby at home with my mom attending. She was an amazing nurse, had worked for many years in labor and delivery and had brought home a sterile delivery kit, kinda sorta like Call the Midwife.
The fact that there was even the slightest chance that my baby was in danger caused my mom (and Dad) to refuse to allow me to play the role of Earth Mother and stay home. I had planned to have all my animals surround me to participate because their little brother or sister (we didn’t know) was being born.
I had to reluctantly agree with them that it wasn’t all about me, plus the vaginal mucous plug or “show” had started to separate from the cervix which meant actual labor was progressing. We arrived at the hospital about 7pm.
I’ll save the rest of the story for tomorrow, because after that day it was NEVER all about me ever again–it’s always and will forever be about my Angel Boy.
Here’s me on March 22, on that final walk, taking a break with my beautiful Sabrina, a couple hours before going to the hospital. I’m really happy to have this photo. My sweet Sabby looks so old.
I’ve shown this pic to my other Angels and they get a kick out of seeing their Daddy inside Grandma’s body before he came into the world. “There’s Daddy!” And “Grandma, you love Border Collies so much, don’t you?”
But not more than you guys. Nope. Never more than you, my Angels.

You looked. pretty good for being 9 months Pg! I was as big as a house for my twins and only slightly smaller for that 4th kiddo.
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Thank you, but you didn’t see me standing. I gained 60 pounds and I weigh about 96 normally haha. Plus I was only 26 so youth was on my side.
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And it really helps to have stomach muscles to begin with, like I did with my first kid. After 3 C-sections and 4 kids (one set of twins) my stomach muscles were toast! It has been a slow recovery there. I still maintain that you look pretty good in that picture!
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Thank you again! I do agree that a strong core is important. Ballet and always working out helps. THe rest of the story is that my babys giant head got stuck and I had to have an emergency Csection, he was 8.5 lbs, way too big for me. I was able to pretty much regain a flat stomach but I wouldnt turn down a free tummy tuck. And I only had one! I curtsey to your 4 including twins!!!!
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I am a short woman and married big strapping men, and the doctors wondered if the heads would fit. As it was, all my babies were breach, so C-sections every time. I’m glad that your mother insisted that you go to the hospital rather than an at-home birth. She was a smart cookie!
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My son’s dad is 6’4 so I think that’s why I had such a big baby. He wasn’t presented properly and before the csec, I had to turn him around so he was in the right position. That was no fun. I learned a few years ago that everyone was just humoring me, no one was going to let me deliver at home like I wanted. Although I’m happy to have had a healthy baby, I still regret not doing it with my animals all around.
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A friend of mine gave birth to her first child at home, and kind of regretted it. I can understand wanting the animals around, though.
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I guess it makes sense to be in a hospital setting, so much can go wrong so fast. Like I learned really fast, it wasn’t about ME anymore haha. I hope your friend and baby were OK.
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I know how frightening this is because this happened to me due to misdiagnosis and infection threatened Andrea who had sepsis. She is now a proud mama to twin 3 year olds. Love your flowers.
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Oh no! So happy everything turned out ok. Nothing bad could have happened with my mom around, I was sure of that.She was a force to be reckoned with. Twin toddlers, OMG! Lucky you!
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