Crystal tagged me...Mr R was my first baby.
I made a few changes for adoptive mothers...1. Were you married at the time? Yes
2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant/approved? disbelief
3. How old were you? 19. I turned 20 two months before Mr R was born
4. How did you find out you were pregnant/on the waiting list? I don't remember. I'm sure it involved a home pregnancy test. I do remember that the test had a special way to cut out the two lines so you could put it in a scrapbook, which I thought was absurd. I mean, it's a stick that I peed on!
5. Who did you tell first? Husband dear
6. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes
7. Due date/Expected arrival date: My due date changed often. June 17 - July 11. It was a strange pregnancy.
8. Did you deliver/meet your child early or late? 5 1/2 weeks early
9. Did you have morning sickness/anxiety? No. I never do!
10. What did you crave? Mexican food. Good thing we lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas! And split pea soup.
11. Who irritated you the most? My boss. I worked at a gas station across the street. At one point, I had to have emergency outpatient surgery and my boss called to demand I come in to work. She did offer to get me a chair to sit in. Husband dear quit my job for me.
12. What was your first child's sex? male
13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy/while munching Fritos as you waited for The Call? Honest to Pete, I don't remember. Lots. My weight gain was enhanced by the bed rest and gestational diabetes. We didn't have much money, so we had an air mattress instead of an actual bed... 10 weeks of sitting on an airmattress made me want to never go camping again!
14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy/complications with Red Tape? First, I got an infection that necessitated draining my lymph node in my leg. This involved sewing a rubber tube in for three days and was the most pain I've ever had (and I've given birth without pain meds 6 times!).
Then came the premature contractions. Terbutaline and bedrest for me! (had these with all but ONE of my pregnancies, and been on bedrest for 5 of them)
Then came Gestational Diabetes (had 6 times now). Hard to manage on the terb and bedrest.
I was going to the hospital about once a week when contractions wouldn't stop on their own at home. Mr R was born early after one of these visits - my blood pressure got waaayyy too high and they decided to induce (after spending 2 days on meds to stop labor. Fun times!)
15. Where did you give birthmeet your child? Port Lavaca, TX
16. How many hours were you in labor/between The Call and holding your new child? I first felt labor pains on May 23. Mr R was born on May 26. Although two days were spent injecting me with all manner of evil in an attempt to stop labor.
17. Who drove you to the hospital/airport/office? Husband dear. Although I walked home (we lived across the street) because we didn't have a baby car seat!
18. Who watched/went with you? Husband dear
19. Was it vaginal or c-section (no adoption alternative here. Sorry)? vaginal
20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain/self medicate to calm your nerves? They finally gave me a spinal, but Mr R was born 20 minutes later so it didn't "take" yet. Oh, and it was a failed spinal that was horrible. Headaches for days!
21. How much did your child weigh? 6lbs 10 oz. And he was 5 1/2 weeks early!. Thanks, GD!
22. What did you name him/her? Named after his two granfathers. R - M. One is the patron saint of catechists. One is an angel who the patron saint of policemen.
23. How old is your first child today? 10 years 4 months
I'm supposed to tag five mommies - Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo... I choose:
Wait... how can I pick just five? I will have to discriminate based on geography.
I go for fellow Texas moms:
...But, really, anyone can play along! Leave your link in the comments!
