Writer's Workshop--Tell Us The Story Of Your Birth

Still don't know about the Writer's Workshop? Head on over to Mama Kat's to get the full scoop and choose your prompt. This week, in honor of the new movie Motherhood starring Uma Thurman, all prompts are mommy themed. I've chosen the prompt Tell Us The Story Of Your Birth. Now, seeing as how I was the one being born and all, and I wasn't really there to experience the birth, all I can tell you are the bits and pieces of the story leading from when my mother found out I was coming along to when I was actually born. You can find the birth stories of my own children here and here and soon to be front page news.

So, here are my bits and pieces of a birth story.
*My mother found out she was expecting me at the just turned age of 15. She told her mother (my grandmother) that I was coming by buying her an elaborate card, popping the note from Planned Parenthood inside and giving it to my grandmother as she was hastily pulling it out of the driveway to run to work. My grandmother, ever the impatient one for cards, read it before she was even halfway down the street, and almost crashed her car. She told me she has never read another card in the car since.

*After the initial shock of teen pregnancy, my mother's family (especially my maternal grandfather and my uncle) began to stock up for the arrival of myself. My mother and father found out I was to be a girl, and everyone bought dresses. My grandmother bought clothes for a boy. No joke. I have pictures of myself dressed as a boy. My mother would leave me in a pink dress, and come home to me wearing jeans and a football shirt.

*I was almost 2 weeks late in arrival. When the day came, my mother arrived at the hospital to be greeted by a very rude doctor on duty. She was in pain, and he kept insisting on trying medication. She refused. She wanted my birth to be natural, without any medications whatsoever. I don't know what kind of medications they offered in the early 80's. Finally, he started telling her that if she hadn't been stupid and careless, she wouldn't be a pregnant teenager giving birth, and there wouldn't be any pain. He said this in front of my grandmother. Big mistake. She took him outside for a "talking to" and he came back as pleasant as ever. Don't mess with grandma. She'll throw down like no other!

*I came into the world on March 24th at almost 7PM, weighing in at 7lbs some odd ounces and 21 inches. There are pictures of both of my grandfather's glued to the viewing window outside the nursery waiting for their first glimpse of me. The smiles on their faces when I appear is magical. Then, there are pictures of them exchanging cigars. It's a series of my favorite pictures. I'd love to have them copied and framed so I can hang them. My mother told me when she came to visit after Claire was born that my birth was painful, long and strenuous. She ripped severely, and remembers whispering to me that one day she hoped I had a birth just like mine. I did. Claire's birth was painful, long and strenuous. She apologized, and we laughed.

Well, that's it..The scraps of what I've come to collect from my birth. I'm sure I've been told the whole story repeatedly, but I just don't remember it all. I like the scraps though. They are the best parts. They have the things that made my birth truly memorable for everyone.