Sunday, August 29, 2010

Mañana es el día

My bags are packed and ready to go, and I think I am too. These past few days have been quite an adventure in their own right, but I'm still ready for a change of environment. I can only take so much of the Midwest--especially these sticky summers. The air is so thick and heavy with humidity that you might as well swim through it rather than walk, and today was no exception. I cannot wait for the 70-degree weather that the internet is promising me when I reach Berlin.

Thursday was my 20th birthday, and at around 6:30 am, the phone rang with tell-tale urgency--my sister's water broke. Giddy and nervous, my mom, dad, and I gathered a few things and drove the two and half hours to Columbia, hoping little Oliver didn't arrive before we did, but how wrong we were. A full 38 hours later, we found ourselves in the hospital waiting room, watching as they wheeled my baby nephew by in an incubator.


My brother-in-law before going into the operating room. Quite a fashion statement :-)
My sister was supposed to have a home birth with a midwife and all, and because I lived with her all summer, I knew more about the natural birthing process than I ever cared to know. Still, nothing could have prepared me for the endless hours of listening to her pain. I was awoken Friday morning after 3 or 4 hours of sleep by her reactions to her contractions. I rushed upstairs to join my mom, aunt, and brother-in-law in watching the midwife soothe my sister through the process. Still, the little boy just wouldn't come out no matter how hard Rebecca tried, so we eventually went to the hospital. After an epidural and some pitocin, and still no sign of little Oliver Bruce, they rolled her into the operating room for a C-section, my sister's biggest fear. Luckily both her and the baby came out all right. Still, I am never having children, especially not after that.

Oliver is still in the ICU because he had fluid in his lungs when he was born, but he should be out soon. I did get to see him before I left. Here are a few pictures I took with my brand new camera:




Well, I'm off to a midnight breakfast with my friend. Next time I update this I'll have jumped the giant pond, and hopefully landed on the other side. I'm nervous, but in a good way. Oh, let the games begin.


love, Erin

2 comments:

  1. Great blogging, sis! Hope to hear more from you soon! X

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  2. Hey Ering!! I didn't read everything but I'm going to as soon as I can!!!

    I love those pics of Reb's and Oliver!!!
    Hope everything is fine, and good luck!!!

    Hi to everyone of your family!!!
    The Italian Giulia :)

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