My baby turned 2 on Sunday. I’m not usually the super sappy type, but I am definitely feeling all the feelings this weekend. Here’s a peek into our weekend celebration, and Cal’s personality (which I just can’t get enough of).
Calvin’s Birth Story
Before I go any further, I just love to talk about the story of Calvin coming into this world. I was 40 weeks pregnant, my due date was September 2nd, 2021. At the time I was working from home and I had buttoned up everything work-related. I’d passed off all of my current patients and was BORED. We have an unfinished basement and I spent the majority of those last few days walking down there, doing the Miles Circuit and taking baths with clary sage oil. I was so done being pregnant in the summer and so ready to do this thing.
I had a natural birth with Theo, and it went perfectly. I realize how privileged and blessed I am to be able to say that. (I’ll share Theo’s birth story another time). I believe that our medical advancements are a gift and there is no shame from me for how others choose to (or have to) birth their babies. Since I’d had an epidural-free birth with Theo, that was my plan with Calvin as well. Of course I thought that I’d instantly know when I was in labor since I’d done it before, right?!
All day on Thursday, the 2nd, I was ‘achy’. Not painful. Like super light period cramps. I always get period cramps in my back and found out when I had Theo and had back labor that I have a tilted uterus. Cool huh? (sarcasm) With Theo, I lost my mucus plug the day I went into labor and had a lot of mucus loss during labor.
On that Thursday, there was a bit of loss in the morning when I showered, but definitely not my mucus plug. And I wasn’t in pain and there was no start/stop, so I couldn’t really count them as contractions.
I was so crabby. I wanted it to just happen! I went to bed around 9pm that night. I woke up around 11pm and was hungry, so I started to make a yogurt and granola. As I was standing in the kitchen, I had a pretty painful and distinct contraction. I immediately got the app on my phone pulled up and started timing it. About 20 seconds. I was thrilled! I told Trevor it was probably happening, but no worries. About 2 minutes later, another one. About 2 minutes later, another one, lasting about 30 seconds each and getting reaaallly painful. I told Trevor that he’d better call my mom, because she was going to stay with Theo when we left for the hospital. We live 30 minutes from the hospital and my mom lives 40 minutes in the opposite direction, so I wanted her to start even if we didn’t leave yet when she arrived.
They started getting worse and I eventually went down to our basement because at this point I couldn’t breathe through them, I was moaning to get through them. I found it really helpful to pull my hair/dig my nails into my fists during the contractions, almost like I’m transferring the pain somewhere else? Haha, whatever works.
We went out to the garage and by this point I could feel in my bones that this was happening really fast. I got to the garage and had a contraction where I felt a strong urge to push. I immediately was like, ‘well that’s not good!’ I got in the backseat and the second my mom pulled in our driveway we pulled out. Trevor did 90mph on the interstate and I banged my head on the seat to try to make it through. We pulled into the hospital parking lot at 12:46am. A nice man was in the parking lot (where I was moaning having a contraction) and ran to get us a wheelchair. The receptionist helped us through and by that time I was thinking, “I might have another 4 hours of labor, and these contractions are unreal. I don’t know if I can do it” So I yelled at her that I needed the epidural. To which she nicely informed me that she wasn’t a medical professional. LOL.
I don’t remember much as far as getting to our room, but I remember we went to the birthing suite and I was like, “oh, we’re skipping triage?” Those wise nurses knew from my moans and by the fact that this was not my first child that things were close. We got in the room, I ripped my pants off and got on the bed. The midwife checked me and told me I was 8. I was devastated.
I don’t remember much but then the OB showed up and checked me, when I was screaming “I’m going to push, I want to push!”. She said I was a 10. I pushed twice. TWICE. There he was. Born at 1:05am. (remember when I said we parked at 12:46am??) I had a second degree tear with Cal, which I think is because I continued to push when the contraction ended because he was crowning and I wanted him out. But, could also just be how fast things progressed.
I had a sandwich about 10 minutes after he was born. I was still hungry for that snack I never got to make at 11pm!
He was sure in a rush to make it here! Didn’t want to miss anything, already in a hurry to catch up with his brother. Boy, doesn’t that describe him now!
The party
We have a lot of extended family, which is great. It does make party planning difficult though! In the past I’ve done two parties, simply because we don’t have enough room or seating at our house for the whole family to be here at once. This year we’re trying something different and having it at the hunting lodge where my husband works.
On the menu is a funfetti cake, ice cream, puppy chow, this corn and bacon dip, chips, lemonade, hot dogs, hamburgers, and snickers salad. I made the cake myself and it’s a little off-centered and messy, but I think he’ll be just as pleased either way 🙂 I’m not big on themes because I’m not that organized, but I went with a ‘two fast’ cake theme. (LOL at Cal helping me with the butter)
Calvin had such a blast with his cousins and relatives, not to mention all of the fun gifts he got.
Year Two
We’ve been getting glimpses of the terrible twos for a few months now. He has a really good vocabulary and talks really well, but he does get frustrated that he can’t do EVERYTHING that we/Theo can do. He desperately wants to be older and do things by himself, “I DO IT!” He is a daddy’s boy, almost always requesting that Trevor hold him rather than me. He loves just about any food I put in front of him, except eggs. He loves animals, birds, books and coloring. He is the squishiest, softest, sweetest little guy. I love him so so so much.
What are your birthday traditions for your kids? I’d love to know and get some ideas! For now, I need a nap and maybe a slice of leftover cake.
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