Surprise Ending

So you know how most days you wake up knowing more or less how the day is going to play out? And you are hardly ever taken totally by surprise by the events of the day? I mean I know little unexpected things do happen (and when they do I usually need to whip out the steam cleaner!) but today took me totally by surprise, let me tell you! So at about 11:00 Kristine showed up like usual and I got to work on my HUGE to do list for the day. It included the following--

• finish the curtain for the nursery
• finish the slipcover for the rocking chair
• make some burp cloths
• make "big brother" and "big sister" tees with the kids
• clean the entry closet
• organize pantry
• oh yeah, pack my hospital bag
• go to dinner and a movie with my wonderful friends--GNO!!!
• and like 10 more things I can't even remember right now ;)

So I sat down to my computer while Kristine played with the little kids and did some work all the while feeling very nagged about packing my bag but I pushed it to the back of mind quite easily. I ordered my blog book for 2008 from "cutest blog on the block" and I cannot begin to tell you how easy it was!!! As I was ordering I looked at the date for some reason and thought 7-7, that'd be a great birth date--and again, the thought came to me that I really, Really should pack my bag and again, I pushed it aside because I had other more important things I wanted to do. Plus I still had WEEKS before I needed that. My day continued in a normal way...we had lunch, Em went to a friend's house, Abby (and I) took a nap, and I finally finished the curtain (yay me!!). I went to hang up the curtain and bring the seat cushion from the rocking chair downstairs and then take a quick shower before my GNO when something totally, completely and absolutely unexpected happened...just after I hung up the curtain and admired my work my water broke!!!!!!!! Seriously? Seriously?!? My thoughts went something like this... "That didn't just happen, right?! I have things to do. Many, MANY, MANY things to do. Oh, now how am I EVER going to get them done. Heck, I still have things I didn't get done because Abby came 3 DAYS too early. This is waaaayy earlier than that! Oh, and I really, really needed a GNO :( And I owe Andrew a lunch date.....shoot, I guess I really should have packed my hospital bag!!" So while dialing my doctor's office I went quickly downstairs to talk with Kristine and ask if she had plans that evening (I was crossing my fingers she didn't). I calmly asked what she was doing and she said, "Oh nothing" and I said "Good because I am pretty sure my water just broke". At that point she came and helped me pack my now much needed hospital bag. I called Jason to tell him to meet me at the hospital and which point he decided it was time to tell his coworkers we were expecting ;) Oh, but back up--the funny thing is that Jason's Aunt Cathy (and all her FB friends) was actually the first to know any of this because while waiting on hold for my nurse I was posting something on her status and mentioned my water breaking--ha! One of the many benefits of FB. Any way, I got off the phone with my nurse at 4:25 and Owen Spencer Hafener was born at 6:36. He weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. (and considering he was only 35w 1d that's pretty huge). I know my initial reaction to the fact that my baby was coming early was fairly immature only thinking of the things I wanted to do and wouldn't be able to but after that first 2 minutes of shock all my thoughts were on the safe arrival of Owen. While prepping me for my c-section the nurses were quickly explaining some "typical" problems a baby born at 35 weeks may have and to not worry there would be a NICU team there and I may not be able to hold him if they need to take him away. That's why we were all amazed not only by his size but by his Apgar scores (9 and 10), and his nursing ability. One of the nurses commented that someone forgot to tell Owen he was 5 weeks premature and he was just acting like a full term baby. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that. I cannot wait to get to know him. He already has such a sweet, calm sense about him. There is nothing like holding a new little baby and having him fall asleep in your arms :)