My First Love

There are so many stories from the night Tommy was born that didn't make it into his birth story. I'm trying my hardest to tell them, if not just for my own memories, but time is short these days. I'm also trying to get Shane to guest post and tell his own version of Tommy's birth, so please leave some comments convincing him! Flattery will always work.

This story is about my dad.

I've talked about my dad before, how close we are, how he was truly my first love. I'm lucky to have a dad who is exactly how dads are to be.

The day I went into labor with Tommy, I called my mom after my appointment. I told her I was progressing and that I was having sporadic contractions. I told her to keep the phone nearby just in case, even though I wasn't entirely sure that it was the real thing. My mom, of course, passed this news onto my dad, who was sure it was the real thing--much more sure than my mom and myself.

Apparently, at about 9 or 10 that night, before going to bed, my dad kept nagging at my mom to call me and check up on me. She told him, no, that I'd call them if and when it was time. Still, she said he kept asking her if she didn't think that maybe they should call and just get Luke anyway, just in case. She told him, no, that it'd be hours even if I was in labor, and they went to bed.

When I called at 11:48, she answered the phone right away. I said, I think it's time for you to come over, so they jumped in the car. Initially, my dad wasn't even going to come along because her plans were just to crash in our bed until the morning, but at the time, three convicts had just escaped from a nearby prison, and he didn't want her to drive alone.

She said he drove her nuts on the ride over because he kept saying, "I hope she didn't wait too long." She told him that I was totally calm on the phone, but he still kept telling her that he didn't think I was going to make it to the hospital. When they came around the corner and saw the flashing lights, he said, "I told you she waited too long." My mom told him, no, the flashing lights were at the neighbors, until they got closer and saw that they were in our driveway, and my dad said, "She waited too long!"

At this point, I was already in the ambulance and shortly after, my entire family crowded in the back. First my mom holding Luke, then Shane, then my dad. My mom and Shane immediately asked how Tommy was, but my dad looked right at me and said, "How's Erin?" The EMT in the back with me laughed and said, "That's just like a dad... making sure his little girl is okay."

So next time, forget cervical checks and timing contractions...if my dad says I'm in labor, I'm going to listen!