My Gavin is 12!

Today is the boys birthday...each year I share the birth story, so he knows how much I love him, and how much he owes me :).


I was due with Gavin on 3-31-00. At one of my last appointments they thought he might be 9lbs already and we decided on inducing. My Dr. also had vacation planned to Hilton Head. He was leaving at 10am on 3-24. We scheduled the induction at 6:30am 3-23. Dr. H really liked to deliver all his patients himself, he was a great Dr.

I had pregnancy induced carpal tunnel in my left hand. It hurt worse than anything. Likewise, I had already been in the hospital before in January for severe, crippling back pain because we would later find that Gavin bulged a disc in my back. I was already a mess before I got there.


Induction started, and SLOWLY went. SLOWLY. I needed pain meds for the carpal tunnel, not the contractions. We made it through the day talking to my co-workers from the bank, family coming in here and there, trying not to be bored. And more bored. Dr. H was hoping I did not make his wife mad and have him miss his plane, I was going so slow. They let me have red jello and ice chips. This would be bad later.


About dinner time things picked up and I got my first epidural. Fail. Then re-dosed. Fail. Then re-done completely about 11pm. Also, no workey. I was screaming bad things at all the friends who told me it was smooth sailing after the epidural. They were liars. It hurt bad. Probably because of my back injury they thought. Curses and puking.

Along about 1:30-2:00am I was feeling the pressure. Pushing commenced and I was hopeful the end was near. About 4:15am, I could not NOT push when they told me NOT to push, and they said that the Dr. was on the way and it would be a minute. I knew where he lived and I knew a minute was more like 10 at least. Curses. There was a lot of don't push and me saying, its not a choice you know. Finally at 4:34am on March 24, 2000 Gavin was born. And 100 stitches and a lot of red puke later, which I felt all of because remember, the epidural did not work- he looked just like his Dad and Grandpa. He weighed 8lbs 4oz and was 21.5 inches long (and a 15in head!), with a ton of black hair. Dr. H didn't finish up with me till after 6am and I'm sure he was one tired man on his way to vacation.

Gavin Carter was chosen by his dad, mainly, out of the baby name book. Carter is a combo of my dad, Carl and Joe's dad Terry. He was so cute and sweet and NEVER slept. He had cholic horribly. He rarely slept consecutive hours. We tried everything under the sun. To this day I am not sure how we made it through. He sure had some cute chubby cheeks though.

Happy 12th birthday to my boy! I can hardly believe it!