On The Eve of One: Ride The Wonder Wheel

On the eve of Dempsey's birth we went to Coney Island.  Dempsey was not due for two more weeks but the expectation from all was that he should have already arrived.  My midwife suggested inducement around 36 or 37 weeks because of a water condition I had developed. But then she decided to wait.  I was contracting since 27 weeks and have not slept in over 6 weeks.  I was in and out of the hospital/doctor for a few false alarms. My parents had arrived and I felt the pressure of waiting.  There were a lot of tears.

We went to Coney Island on the hottest day I can remember.  I sat on a bench next to a girl that was due any day.  She was half my size.  I wore a black dress because that was all that fit. Madeus went on the questionable kiddy rides which were drenched in sun.  My mom felt sick from the heat.

We sat on the beach and put our feet in the water.  Madeus laid on my tummy.  He sang Twinkle Little Star to Dempsey.  Madeus rarely showed this kind of affection during the pregnancy.  When the day was over and I could no longer walk, Michael went and got the car along with lemon Italian ices for us all.

I finally fell off to sleep that night and what I think were only minutes later, my water broke.

Coney Island broke my water.

Closing in on One: Making Memories of Us

The countdown has begun to Dempsey's first birthday.  I am reminded of Madeus' 1st birthday and the attachment I have to this milestone. And by attachment, I mean the physical, emotional, and mental discharge my body goes through during this week.  Lately, I have been remembering a lot about my pregnancy. Not necessarily the bad and the ugly (and as I have blogged, it was both those things), but the quirky little moments.

I ate 2 artichokes a day.  It soothed my stomach.  I think I ate 7 or 8 one week while watching the Olympics. 

I chewed ice constantly, bags and bags of crushed ice.

I threw up the day I realized I was pregnant and I was only 5 weeks along. It continued until the last push.

Madeus always said the baby was a girl, and that is all he wanted.

The four times I was at an Amusement Park were the four best moments of my pregnancy.

Madeus tried to give the baby cars and said, "Come out baby, cars!"

I would stop at the best discount designer store ever, Daffy's on the way to my midwife appointments in midtown and get a slice of pizza and a cream soda after.

My midwife did more clinical tests than any doctor I have had which I thought was weird. She always wore black, with severe hair, and a stern but warm Jewish mother temperament.

New Yorkers would always get up for me on the Subway. I am not sure if they were being nice or if they thought my belly was dangerous to their safety.

For the last month, I stayed up all night, ever night watching episodes of the L word. 

I ruined my Iphone while resting it on my belly in the bath. My belly was big enough to be my table very early on.

I was petrified when I realized I was about to give birth again. This was a bit surprising, since I had done it before.  I told Mike I did not want to go.