January 4, 1981
Baby 's due date is two days away. I realize it's not etched in stone anywhere that baby will come then. But it does mean soon. Wayne has been rooting for a little girl, his Michelle Anne, I've been plugging for Gregory Paul. and actually neither of us cares. we're just rejoicing that so far everything has been so normal. Dr. Bhatt accused me of making a liar out of him. He was expecting baby to be born two to three weeks ago. That's why they had us in the November Lamaze class.
January 10, 1981
Things not to say to a pregnant wife: Wayne was getting ready to leave for Guard this morning. I'd just gotten out of the shower and was standing in front of the mirror in the bedroom feeling glum. (I am SO ready for this baby!) He walked in and said (so cheerfully I wanted to belt him) "Oooh! You look just like the Pillsbury Dough Boy!" No jury in the world would have convicted me.
January 24, 1981
IT'S A GIRL!! Naturally, I have to play catch up with this book. Michelle Anne was born at 6:54 am January 12, 1981. She weighed 8# 7 ozs. and was 21 1/2 " long. No wonder my ribs took such a beating! Daddy is floating - Mommy is floating - Gramma is floating. She's an absolute doll. So good right from the start. Father Anton baptized her last night 1-23-81. She wore the baptismal gown the GrandBam had bought for me 28 1/2 years ago. And she screamed her way through the whole ceremony. We had planned on taping the big event - it's just as well we didn't. Although Uncle Joe has a priceless tape full of crying and hiccups..."designed to make Gramma miss her a little less." Back to events of the 11th and 12th. My water broke at 1:30 pm Sunday. Wayne was on guard weekend and rushed home immediately. We checked in at San Antonio at 2:30pm and the contractions started 3:30-4:00 By 9pm the labor was in full swing. I did have a lot of back labor and we did all the correct breathing as per Lamaze. Wayne was a very good labor coach. Unfortunately, nothing was happening except that labor got harder. I know deep inside how panicky I was feeling but the breathing really kept the outside calm. By 11:30 Dr. Bhatt had discussed (with Wayne) the possibility of a C Section. But they didn't want me to give up so no one told me. By then, contractions were every 30 seconds and lasting 3 minutes. We knew that was almost transition/delivery readings but the nurse said I'd only dilated 4 cm. At 5:30 am Monday Dr. Bhatt told them he wanted an update. By then Wayne had felt me out as per a section. I just wanted to get something going. Dr. Bhatt came in at 6:15 and told me that a section was indicated as baby's head wasn't going through the pelvic bone. They prepped me (a complete shave - belly button on down - UGGHH!) and had me in surgery by 6:30. Michelle was born at 6:54 and I was in my room by 8 feeding her. We stayed until Friday - could have been released Thursday but she'd developed jaundice and went under the light for 24 hrs. She looked so small - eye patched and in a small bikini bottom. I'd go down to the nursery just to hear other people say "what a pretty baby this one is!" Very maternally gratifying. But she is very pretty. Not red and wrinkly, very plumped out and with beautiful features and dark hair. Not proud or anything. More later, my public is demanding to be changed and fed! What a happy task! Hardly seems like work at all!
February 3, 1981
My time is no longer my own. We've established a routine of sorts. She goes down at 8 pm, wakes for food at 2 am, 5 am and again at 8 am. We doze together from 8 til about 10:30 then up and do something, walk, doctor, visit - whatever - she goes down at 3 and sleeps till 6. By then Daddy is home - I feed her and he rocks her to sleep around 8. She was 3 weeks old yesterday and growing and thriving. Her doctor appt is Friday. Note staple at top of page. They no longer stitch. They use staples. Mary Jean was very pleased with my doctor appt today. The incision looks good and I've lost 34#!! She asked us to speak to her Lamaze class on the section.
February 23, 1981
Motherhood! So time consuming. How one so small can dominate our lives so completely is a wonder! It's like the old nursery rhyme..."when she is good, she is very very good, and when she is bad she is horrid." She's smiling now. Friends assured us it was just gas but it isn't. We can tease her into smiling on cue. You can't cue gas pains. And my goodness, what a crybaby. If she isn't being held, she cries, if she doesn't get enough attention, she cries...very frustrating. I can hear Wayne downstairs right now. 'ok, ok, that's enough." As though you can reason with a 6 week old baby. Sometimes holding her my heart is so full I cry. My main regret is that she won't know her Grampa. I guess it will be up to us to tell her all about Papa and the kind of person he was. Gramma Wilson is gaga over her first granddaughter. And Uncle Frank sent his best wishes to his first great, great niece! Ah, family!!
May 17, 1981
My first Mother's Day has come and gone. And every day our little Shelley-belly grows more precious! My last entry was at approx. 6 weeks. Now we're 17 weeks (four months and 1 week) Amazing how much development is crammed into those 11 weeks. She's looking more like me. I love it!! She's got Daddy's brow though. She chuckles and gurgles and surprises herself with the sounds she makes. Shelley is a thoroughly delightful personality. She's outgrown that crybaby fussiness and now I can set her in the playpen or her seat and she's content to play with her little toys (a yellow terry cloth dog and a squeaky bunny) or just fiddle with her fingers. She recognizes us easily and smiles so sunnily! As of last Thursday - May 7 - she's rolling over from her back to her stomach. I'd put her in the play pen and left to do some housework and when I came back through she was in the corner on her belly. The third roll I had the camera focused and ready and got three progressive shots back, side and over. I hope they turn out! It makes staying home with her so worthwhile. How sad to have a babysitter say"by the way, she rolled over today!" As of April we're homeowners again. 7685 Oleander, Fontana. 3 bedroom, 2 bath. Just right for the three of us. Every once in a while it occurs to me that this is all for posterity. I can imagine Michelle twenty years from now reading over all this about all her little quirks and habits. Although Mom started a book like this and somewhere between Matthew, Ruthy and Mike it dwindled to zip. Neither Mike nor Joey were even mentioned. I'm going to try and add photos as I go along too. The extra added dimension of sight. This whole experience with Michelle is so very incredible. I hope I can keep up with everything as it goes along.
June 28, 1981
Tomorrow Uncle Joey comes for a visit. He's flying in then sometime after the 4th of July Mom and Ruthy are driving down for a visit and to pick him up. Of course the fact that Michelle is here has nothing to do with the visit! What a trump card!! She's growing every hour! Now she's taken to getting up on her hands and knees a d rocking back and forth. And she scoots backward so she's been getting stuck under the sofa and the playpen. It's so funny to watch her. It's definitely my favorite pastime! Michelle (and I) start swimming lessons on July 6. I don't know if I'm going to be ready for that. Summer gave her a swimming suit. I'll definitely get pictures of that! And since Wayne is working swing shift he'll be able to go with us. We have a doctor's appt July 7. It's going to be interesting to see exactly how big she's gotten. He'll probably allow food at that time. Speaking of food - she needs a quick snack before going to sleep for the night.
July 19, 1981
Joey ended up staying thru the 14th of July. Mom had developed tendonitis in her bum leg and couldn't come down after all. Ruthy is job hunting. So Joe flew home. Not that he minded! I know he hated to leave Michelle. I was right, we started food...rice cereal, peaches, apricots and pears. Now it starts! She was 16#3ozs on the 7th. Got a DPT shot too. No polio this time. Chaiyavet is pleased with her progress. So are we! Swimming lessons were a success. finished the 17th, last Friday. She was used to it by then and having fun. Hanging on the side of the pool and floating and kicking.Wayne took some photos - I hope they turn out! Sometimes I look at that little girl and my emotions threaten to completely overwhelm me! What a gift from God - true perfection! Speaking of emotions being overwhelming - we were eating dinner this evening with a TV program (100 years of Golden Hits) as background music. June Carter and Johnny Cash came on and did "You are my sunshine" just like Papa used to sing it - in harmony. All of a sudden I was in tears. I really miss Papa...especially now that I'd have Michelle to share.
July 28, 1981
We've added sweet potatoes and apple juice to our list of accepted foods. Peas and green beans are next on the list. She's also been enjoying those gluey teething biscuits. I remember how Eddie and I used to steal them from Matt and Ruthy! Michelle has started making her "B" and "D" sounds usually in the middle of a mouthful or pears or sweet potatoes! So what happens? Food gets spit everywhere. Charming!
October 7, 1981
Michelle is eating everything now - although she has a few foods that she's partial to...like french fries and rice puffs and graham crackers. Toward the end of July she started pulling herself up on stuff and last Sunday we noticed her first tooth. It's a lower one.
Ah! To be a housewife! You fight dirt all your life, and when you die, they bury you in it!
October 18, 1981
TEETH! Two lower - they must be a new sensation, she keeps doing little lizard tongues! Speaking of lizards...we had one sharing the house with us. As long as he stayed under the piano I didn't mind - but when he dashed down the hall and occupied the space under the waterbed I got anxious. That move down the hall was a tactical error. I was able to herd him out via the hall closet and exit the front door. Anyone passing by must have thought that I was cracking up...between wielding the broom and pushing Michelle in her walker back I must have been quite a sight! Michelle and I are flying north the Thursday before Halloween for Margaret's shower. Our first flight together! I'm looking forward to NOT driving - flight, the ONLY way to go.
December 27, 1981
Baby #2 is expected in April! Found out November 20. I was at the Pro-Life Clinic learning how to do the 2 minute pregnancy text and they needed a specimen to use. So I gave them a specimen! And it was positive - I'd kind of suspected. Still it was strange to have it confirmed that way. When I got in to see Dr, Bhatt and they did the sonagram it showed 19 weeks - almost 5 months. All the worry behind me already! How exciting...to feel a baby moving around again! Michelle celebrated her first Christmas in rare style! A stuffed dog, mom and baby panda, duck pop beads, a doll, 2 telephones, 3 balls, a play suit, a popcorn popper, 2 cup and bowl sets, booties, 3 socks, and a mini hot cycle, and 2 books. Probably I missed something but I don't know what it could be! The tree was gorgeous this year. A 5 1/2 ' tree up on a table - one of the shortest we've ever had - but also one of the most secure! Michelle loved the lights and the ornaments. She also loved the jewelry tree. The yard - front and back - is in. Sidewalks, a slab, sprinklers, and a gravel play area. Yay!! Our new sound for today is "diga diga"
December 29, 1981
Now I realize how difficult it was for Mom to record the daily events of her small (but growing) family. It seems as though I barely have time to go to the bathroom by myself anymore! And that's still with just one! Imagine with two! The indigestion and heartburn is started again. I'm sleeping with two pillows. And the waterbed is fast becoming uncomfortable. The joys of pregnancy! Michelle has 5 teeth; 3 upper, 2 lower. The rest look and feel ready to break through anytime. She loves malt-o-meal, hates meat and veggies. Ah well, Adores ice cream and cookies - won't eat egg. Loves raisins, despises fish.
