... continued...
I got started on the meds... then there would be an emergency c-section... then the doctor would come give me more meds... then there would be... all in all there were 3 c-sections that night. After the third, I grabbed hold of my sweet Dr Gunter and "quietly and subtly" explained to him that I was next... I did not care if I gave birth, had a c-section, or someone pulled out a magic wand from their back pocket and "poofed" him out... I was exhausted and hurting.
My friends and people who have met me since this event never believe the following statement... but I SWEAR to you that it is true... I never yelled during labor. More than that, I actually whispered the last hour and a half of my labor. Scott would keep his head right up to my mouth. I would barely whisper to him, "it hurts", he would turn and say, "she said it hurts"... (whispered)"I want drugs", Scott - "she says that she wants drugs." And so on and so forth for over an hour!
I was exhausted.
At about 12:50 the following day, after over TWENTY ONE HOURS of labor, the nurse called the doctor in and they decided to start setting up the room for delivery. They had laid me back, my mother had one knee, Scott had the other knee (after a few other tactics that will be discussed at some other time and place!), and they said that I was almost ready to push.... I let them know I was ready - they said hold on one moment while we... and I pushed.... I really couldn't help it. My boy was ready to share his knowledge with the world, and I could not hold him back any longer! The nurse turned around to ask me something and screamed - so much for the room being ready.
Caleb Walker Sublett came into the world at 12:56pm. His room had no lights set up, no stirrups set up, and yet - he did not care... He screamed his way into our hearts... Now, I was exhausted. The sweet nurse Bonnie, who had started the time with me the day before and was amazing, held my 5 pound bundle up for me to see... I laid back with my eyes shut, tears streaming down my face, and said, "please clean him up before I look at him - I worked too hard to see all of the gunk!"... I know - I am an idiot... sorry - I was tired, emotional, and hurting.... I am sure he was the most beautiful, gunk-covered baby to ever be born - but I am just going to have to take my mother's word for it. I did not see him.
Bonnie cleaned him up, weighed him, put footprints on a baseball hat for my father that said "proud papa", and handed him to Scott... the proudest daddy in the world.
My mother cried and laughed through the entire event - see, I am adopted, so this was her first birth ever to witness or experience. (this should be a topic for a future blog...)
Scott handed my baby to me .....
and
...the world stopped...
just for a moment
He was perfect. He was so flipping tiny that he looked like a glow worm - 5 pounds 1ounce and 20 inches long... he was a worm. But he was a beautiful worm!
Caleb's birth was more than a month earlier than it was supposed to be and one day later than I thought it would be. This has been our experience with him every day - You do not know what you will get with him. He says what he thinks (yes, he gets it from me). He is smart as a whip. He has a heart for the underdog. He loves his family intensely.
Caleb had to stay in the hospital for a week due to some medical issues. In addition, he was deaf. We had him tested by two hosiptals. We were told to learn sign language and start preparing for his future. I cannot really explain this to people, but I was not upset by this at all. Scott was devastated. It bothered him to think about Caleb's future. We are both musicians, and Scott had a hard time dealing with what Caleb was going to miss out on by being deaf... however, I just went with it. I thought my kid was perfect. I can only explain it by saying, I knew he was okay. I am not saying "I knew he would hear" - I am saying that whether he could hear or not, I knew he was okay.
I had a peace.
One evening, my father had stepped over to visit, a plate was dropped accidently and Caleb started screaming. We were shocked. We did a few simple tests (clapping, startling, yelling) and saw that he could hear us. I took him to the doctor, and they could not explain what had happened.
"He should not be able to hear", is all they would say.
I tell you Caleb's story to let you know that watch out world... My boy has been through a bunch. He is tough as nails.
He will move mountains when he grows up
He has already conquered my heart
