Thursday, July 23, 2009

happy birthday, meggie moo

my third baby and second daughter made her entrance 11 days past her due date at just past ten o'clock on a steamy night 22 years ago today. meg wasn't quite as late as her older brother, but she didn't meet the expectation set by my oldest, who, in a dazzling display of impeccable infant timing had been born on her due date.

most babies, as any parent, midwife or ob/gyn can tell you, are usually NOT born on their due dates. i was born 11 days past mine, my son jamie went 14 days past his. until baby jake arrived on his due date, the midwives who delivered him had never had a mother deliver on her due date, in all their years in the practice.

so although i knew that most babies DON'T arrive when expected, i knew from experience that it was possible that they COULD, and thus, twenty-two years ago this morning, i remember waking up and thinking, damnimstillpregnant.

the day proceeded like any other, until, at my now-weekly checkup, i moaned to the midwife, "i'm so ready to have this baby." i can remember how ready i was. there's a moment in every pregnancy, i think, when your body feels like an overripe fruit, swollen to the bursting point. birth is a painful experience, at least as i experienced it, but i remember how eagerly i looked forward to it that hot summer afternoon. there's nothing like hauling around a body as big as a beached whale's to make you anticipate shitting a watermelon.

to that end, my midwife obligingly stripped the membranes, and predictably, an hour or so later, while doing the weekly grocery shopping, i felt the first real contractions. i remember thinking justdon'tletmywaterbreakhere as i breathed deeply in the checkout line.

and later, when the midwife held her up, mewling like a kitten, slick with slime, blue cord pulsing, the first flush spreading across her gray-blue chest and belly, i remember how delighted i was to meet my meggie moo at last.

and furthermore, the war will end. blessed be.

7 comments:

Bonnie said...

Happy Birthday, Meg. What a great story. Happy Birthday to you too!

April said...

Aww...how sweet! Hope Meg has the best birthday ever!

Inspiration CAN be found EVERYWHERE said...

Happy Birthday Meg.

As, 22 years ago, your mom said "Welcome to my world" today I wish you a "Welcome to your new year full of promise and hope, make it the best year yet."

lynette355 said...

happy day to meg and congrats to you still for bringing her into this world

Amy said...

Happy Birthday to her. Yeah for July Birthday Days...

Kim said...

Happy Birthday Meg!

rose AKA Walk in the Woods - she/her said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the beached watermelon whale - I mean Meg!

(Sweet goddess, Annie - I just love you. "there's nothing like hauling around a body as big as a beached whale's to make you anticipate shitting a watermelon." LOL!!!)