Slowing down the clock

I'm channeling my inner Cher this morning. No, I'm not going to sing in a barely there outift on top of a Navy battleship. Yes, you can say, "Oh, Thank God!"

But, the Cher classic, "If I Could Turn Back Time" keeps running through my head. I know it's impossible to go back in time, however, is there a way that we can at least slow it down? Because it's going waaaay to fast!

Last night, I put together and addressed Austin's graduation announcements. And, I admit--I became a little teary-eyed. It doesn't seem possible that my little dark-haired, chunk-a-munk of a toddler is now about to walk the graduation stage. Sigh.

Today is PJ's birthday, it doesn't seem possible that my teeny-tiny premature baby boy is now seventeen. This time next year, I'll be addressing his graduation announcements. Sigh.

Earlier this month, my freckle-face Hankadoo turned eight. How is that even possible? Sigh.

Pumpkin Muffins + The Rock = Labor and Delivery

It’s funny how you can associate two or three things to remember exactly what you were doing xx amount of years ago on a certain date.  I can tell you exactly what Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and pumpkin muffins have in common, and how I spent my day eight years ago today.

April 3, 2004—It was a Saturday. The weather was beautiful. I was nine months pregnant. I was fat, swollen, and very uncomfortable.  Not long after I woke up that morning, I lost my mucus plug. Sorry, TMI--But, when you’re nine months pregnant, that’s a huge deal. I didn’t do that with the other pregnancies, so I was a little freaked out by it. I got on my ivillage message board and asked my chat buddies the question, “Do you go into labor after losing your mucus plug?”

The answers differed. Some girls said they went into labor immediately after, some said they lost their plug and nothing happened for three weeks.  This was not helpful in my quest for information. I wanted to go into labor. I was tired of being fat and pregnant. I missed seeing my feet and ankles. I was tired of my hip and back hurting.

I called my mom, and told her that I was a little crampy feeling, but I didn’t think I’d go into labor. After all, Hank’s due date was still two and a half weeks away.  Joe and I spent the day doing our normal Saturday things like running errands, and window shopping.  I think we walked all over Columbus, Georgia. We had lunch in Atlanta Bread Company. I ate a pumpkin muffin and drank a glass of iced tea. We stopped in Bed, Bath & Beyond to just look around, and I had a very strong contraction!

On the way home, I had another contraction.  I started to think that all the walking I did wasn’t a good idea.  I was more miserable than I had been.  I took a shower, put on my favorite cotton pajama pants and tee shirt that still fit, and settled in for a normal Saturday night at home.  I laid on the couch and couldn’t get comfortable.  I laid on the bed and couldn’t get comfortable. I still didn’t think I was in early labor, but I thought I better call Labor & Delivery to find out where in the hospital they were located, just in case I needed to go later that night. For the record, I wasn’t a total dingbat, I had never been to L & D because all my appointments had been on the first floor in the Family Practice Clinic.  The nurse at L & D told me they like for you to wait until contractions get to around a 6 on the pain chart before coming in. I gave her my name, and told her I may or may not be in later.  

It wasn’t too long before I decided that I was definitely in labor.  I had Joe & the boys get my bag together.  Then we waited. I wasn’t about to go to the hospital until I knew for sure that Hank was well on his way.  I wanted it to be a one-time only time. I didn’t want to be one of those poor people that go to the hospital, and get sent back home.  

We kept waiting. The boys were wired. I was tired and very anxious. Joe was excited, in a calm way. My contractions were getting strong, and close together. But, since we were in the middle of watching a movie, I was hoping I could wait until it was over before we packed up and left.  

As soon as the credits rolled on “Walking Tall” I looked at Joe and said, “Let’s go!”             

That was around midnight.  Nine hours later, on Sunday, April 4, 2004 our sweet baby boy made his grand debut.

So, there you have it… I will always associate pumpkin muffins, Bed, Bath & Beyond and the movie ‘Walking Tall’ with going into labor.