Friends Without Benefits

Countdown

Between 32 and 37 weeks it was a long waiting game. Thirty-two weeks I wasn't quite there yet and 37 weeks I was closing in on my due date (at least in a general sense). The baby could come any time between the 20th and 25th of March at least that's what Dr. Braxton had said.

I was still undecided on her name and finally decided I would have to see her before making my final decision. In the meantime, I was trying to organize everything and figure out who was going to be where when.

"Is Reese coming down?" My mother asked in a would be casual voice.

When I answered I was just as casual.

"Yeah, he said he'd be there."

"Is he excited?" My mother pressed.

I shrugged.

"More nervous than excited I think." I replied. "We're still working things out."

My mother didn't say anything, she only smiled.

"So what does this kid need before I bring her home?" I finally asked.

"Not much." My mother answered as she looked at my hospital bag which was on my bed partially open. "The hospital will have most of what you need including anything from postpartum care, but the nurse will explain that. They have the essentials, all she will need is her going home outfit including socks. You may need a few extra blankets though depending how cold it's going to be."

I nodded as I shuffled around in the nursery dresser, pulling out a sleeper with bears on it which said "Sweet dreams" I pulled out a matching hat from another drawer.

"What you think?" I asked, holding up the outfit for her inspection.

"She'll look cute in that, well, she'll look cute in anything." My mother was still smiling as she folded the outfit and put it in a corner of my hospital bag. Zipping up the bag she looked satisfied.

"I think you're all set Lana, so she can come any time. If you need any toiletries I can get them for you before we leave for the hospital, or come back and get them."

I nodded, smiling.

"Thanks mom."

"Is there anything else I can get for you? You know you really should take it easy."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, my mother was turning into a mother hen and it was driving me crazy!

"I think I'm okay for now, though if you could get lunch ready that would be great, I think I probably need to put my feet up for a bit. Besides, I got some reading for class to do."

My mother beamed.

"I can do that! Just you go and sit down dear."

Shaking my head, I grabbed my backpack from my desk and headed for the living room.

A week later I crossed another "get this done before baby" thing off my to do list. Putting the car seat in my car.

To be more accurate I was standing in my parents driveway supervising while my dad wrestled the car seat base into my backseat. No one in my family really cussed that much, at least not my immediate family. My extended family was another story.

The only thing that punctuated my dad's sporadic grunts was an occasional "Dang it" when the seatbelt got tangled or when the base didn't exactly go in as expected.

Finally, he emerged from my car.

"Well I think that will about do it, things have certainly changed since the last time I did that." He laughed and ran a hand through his graying hair.

"I thought the base would be easier." I muttered. "At least getting her in and out is going to be easy."

"Can't say going anywhere with a little one is ever easy," my dad said chuckling, "until they're about teenagers."

"Well, I think she's staying in the back seat for the time being." I replied.

It was early in the morning of March 24 and I was uncomfortable, but that was nothing new in the past few months. My body felt distinctly "weird" and I had been having minor contractions for the past few weeks.

This felt different however.

I knew the contractions were worse because they had woken me up, but I settled down and tried to go back to sleep.

No such luck.

After an hour of tossing and turning I texted my mom.

Contractions picking up, and not just "practice" ones. Not sure how long I should wait.

My mom texted back a short time later.

Keep track of them for now if they keep picking up and get to be about five minutes apart call the doctor and I'll come and pick you up-mom

I did as I was instructed and kept track of the contractions with an app on my phone and it was pushing 6 AM the contractions were consistently 10 to 6 minutes apart.

I texted mom again.

10 to 6 minutes apart, how much longer?

Get up and get ready, make sure your hospital bag is packed I can be over after breakfast.

Between contractions I made phone calls. I called my jobs and told them I wouldn't make it in today, I emailed my professors and told them I was in labor. Then I texted important people they needed to know what was going on.

Baby likely coming today. Keep you posted. That was to Rochelle.

Finally I texted Reese.

Baby coming. Going to the hospital in a bit. Let me know when you can make it down.

It became more real by the time my mother arrived to take me to the hospital. She seemed to vibrate with a nervous excitement.

"Did you call the doctor?"

"Yes mom. She told me to keep track of my contractions when they were about-oh--five minutes apart." I paused to catch my breath as another contraction hit before managing to slide into the front seat of the car. It was really happening.