This very day 6 years ago......

superman

Today my little dude turns 6!  I still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday.  It was a Sunday and around mid morning after a lovely lie in (don't think I've had one of those since that very day). I was sat at my dressing table blow-drying my hair when my waters started to leak!  I was mortified as I thought I had just wet myself.  It wasn't the great, big tidal wave of waters I had been expecting and as I wasn't quite yet 36 weeks I wasn't anywhere near prepared for the birth! (you'd think I would have learnt by now not to leave things to the last minute). When it happened (the leak) again a few minites later, it then dawned on me that this might really be it!  I wasn't in any pain yet and was actually quite excited as we so desperately wanted to meet our little man.  I called the hospital just to check that this was the real deal and they assured me that it certainly sounded like it, but the early stages could take hours or days, so I was to just carry on as I was until something more substantial happened.

So off we went to the shops! My priorities were to go to Marks and Spencer to get some clothes to wear in the hospital - you know the pj's that button up the front so that I wouldn't have to strip naked during labour (another one of my first time worries).  Mr D's priorities were to get to Tesco for supplies - if it was going to be a long labour, he needed food!!  Oh we really didn't have a clue!!  Quite funny to look back on it all now after having three babies.  Whilst in the fitting room in M&S my waters really went!!!   Well what was left of them anyway.  I was too embarrassed to tell anyone (goodness knows why as I think it was quite obvious I was heavily pregnant), so I mopped the water up with my jumper and signaled for Mr D!!  It took about 10 attempts and some frantic waving and yelling to get his attention - honestly you'd think he'd be paying more attention!!  I decided then I wanted to get home as some mild cramping had started.  This was it I thought - we had better start making some phone calls.

Hello baby boy!

I called my dad about a 100 times, but he was out on the ocean, sailing!  Great!!  Next was mum - who was actually out of the country visiting my grandparents.  It took a few attempts too, but eventually I was able to get her.  I don't know who felt worse - me needing her to come home or her not being able to get home!!  My sister was at university, but said she'd do her best to get down to me and my brother was with mum in South Africa.  So who was left?????  

I was now in quite a bit of pain and sat in the car outside Tesco, on the phone to my now late Nan.  "Nan, the baby is coming!" "What???" she says.  "The baby is coming Nan.  Now!!"  "OH, Robyn", she says "I though you were Leigh-Anne (my cousin and next on my phone call list)".  "Yes, Nan, it's Robyn and the BABY IS COMING!!!"  "DOn't worry I know about about the clocks" she says - "they go back today!  I did mine already."  Oh god, this is impossible.  I don't know whether to laugh or cry!!  "THE BABY! NAN" I yell "IT'S COMING!!!" "Oh that's lovely" she says "Have your told your father?"  "Yes!" I reply "Not wanting to risk another misunderstanding.  

He got to meet his great Nanna

I then tried to walk into Tesco to find Mr D, who was shopping for 'supplies'.  Anyone would have though we were going on a camping trip -  not having a baby!  MY contractions were starting to come in fairly fast now and I was finding it difficult to walk.  I couldn't find Mr D anywhere and was starting to panic!  I kept getting his voicemail every time I tried to call. (I won't repeat the kind of messaged that were left behind).  Little did I know, Nan had called Leigh-Anne who had straight away called Mr D.  They were having a jolly old chat about what was happing down the drinks isle at Tesco whilst I had flung myself over an ice-cream fridge in the frozen isle trying to help a contraction pass.  (That moment will always stick with me forever as I will never forget the shock on some poor man's face as he tried to help me).  I eventually found Mr D (and would probably have hit him over the head with something frozen if I wasn't in mid labour) and told him that we had to go NOW!!  We still had to stand in the queue and pay for his 'supplies' would you believe!!

A very proud grandpa who rushed all the way home from Southampton (after a frantic voicemail from me) to make the birth (just).

We arrived home and I went upstairs to frantically try and pack my bag and get changed into something more comfortable, whilst Mr D tackled the car seat (which we hadn't even taken out the box yet).  A few minutes later Leigh-Anne arrived bringing her new boyfriend with her.  We can have a good giggle about it now but I still remember being half undressed, doubled over in pain and this poor guy (who I'd only met once before) stood in the bedroom doorway looking as white as a sheet and not knowing what to say or do!

The drive to the hospital was only about 10 minutes but it felt like the longest car ride in history.  I almost crawled out the car and into the hospital when we finally arrived.  As we entered the labour ward I flung myself over the desk and said "HELP, I think I'm dying!".  The midwife on duty looked up from her 'Hello!' magazine and said, "No, honey, you're having a baby!"  Master J was born a couple of hours later and granddad made it just in time!!

Six years on and our parenting skills (and labour day skills) are much more streamlined, but we wouldn't change a single minute of any of it!