It actually started on September 23, after supper. I remember I cooked homemade sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes. That's probably what started the labour, that good old German food! But this baby wasn't due for another 2 weeks, so the twinges and slight tightening of my abdomen didn't seem to be that serious. So we went ahead with date night, since we had a sitter for Mark and D.J. (aka Daniel) already lined up.
All we did was get in our Dodge Caravan and drive around the city. Going all the way around Regina on the ring road and down the Lewvan doesn't take long, maybe half an hour. So Walter wound our way through the Wascana Park's meandering road system. The fall colours were lovely and it was a pleasant evening.
Walter must have noticed I wasn't contributing as much to the conversation as the evening grew to be dusk. I was glancing at the digital clock on the dashboard, timing what I figured was definitely now contractions. Irregularly, they were about 15 -20 minutes apart. So I told my husband this and he immediately drove back home.
"It might be a long night," he said, "so we better get you home to rest."
Walter must have put the boys to bed or perhaps the babysitter did that. I don't remember. I tried to lay down in our room, but that was proving to be less and less restful.
About 11 pm, I decided it was probably time to get to the hospital. Being the third birth, it may take even less time than the previous two. We called my Dad and step-mom, Dinah, to see which one could come for the night shift. Was it Dinah this time? I remember it was my Dad driving in the dark with frost on his windshield in April for Daniel's arrival! So I think this was Dinah's turn...
By the time we drove the short distance from 1372 Montague to the Pasqua Hospital, I was having under 10 minute intervals between contractions. It was midnight.
The woman in the adjoining labour room to mine was carrying on something fierce! I felt sorry for her. Walter calmly held my hand and sat quietly by my side. I was ready for some kind of medication for pain when the nurse checked and said, "No time! You are 9 1/2 cm dilated! Let's wheel you into the delivery room!"
What couldn't have been more than half an hour, a howling baby girl was born! I was so surprised to hear Dr. Liem's announcement but will never forget her comment, "She looks just like her brothers!" I laughed, thinking, this baby looks very different than her brothers, with soft, blonde downy hair, petite features and a sweet rosebud mouth. She was all girl, only 6 lbs 13 oz. But Dr. Liem was Asian and probably thought all Caucasian babies looked alike!
It was 3:47 am.
Some things are a blur, 23 years later...but the basic details of this part of the story are that I wanted to name a daughter after my Grandma Rasmussen and myself "Marie", as a middle name and the first name to start with a C ( Grandma's first name is Cecile, my mom, Charlotte,and myself, Cindy). Beyond that, I couldn't decide on a first name. Walter chose the name of a small town south of Calgary, Alberta, "Cayley", but I didn't want to spell it exactly like that. So we experimented with options and came up with "Caylea".
When the hub-bub subsided, I could still hear the woman who had been my 'neighbor in labour' and I almost felt guilty for how quickly my daughter had been born! But later in the private room my doctor got for me, no extra charge, with Caylea in the nursery and Walter off to make phone calls and relieve Grandma from the boys, I was so grateful to the Lord for everything! I was so blessed!
I wanted to call my sister, Paula, personally with our news and I had to wait forever for morning to come, when she would be up getting ready for work. Finally 6:30 am arrived and I called my sister, who was nearly squealing with excitement. First granddaughter on that side of the family!
I just couldn't sleep, even after being up all night. The day was beautiful, clear blue sky and the trees of north-central turning yellow and orange. This is the image imprinted on my mind of that September morning.
***** ***** *****
This morning, the skies are overcast, laden with impending rain. Dull and grey. But my baby girl is sleeping in her room across the hall, buried beneath a big blue comforter. I won't wake her but will wait until she gets up in an hour or two before I wish her "Happy Birthday". I have a silly card and part of her present here. When I go out to get some food for the party this afternoon, I will get the rest of her gift. By then, Walter will be home and can help me choose a gift. In all of our travel, staff conference and treatments, we hadn't fully discussed a present yet.
But today, we celebrate this precious young lady and rejoice in how the Lord is taking care of her, our "Caylea Marie".
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