The Night Before my (oldest) Baby turns 10 years old…

I will never forget September 24, 2004.

I was 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant with my 1st baby.

I knew it was going to be a boy and I knew we were going to name him William… but that was it. I didn’t know the color of his eyes. I didn’t know the color of his hair. I didn’t know whom he would favor more, me or his father. I was as anxious for him to come as any first time mother would be. Every night I went to bed thinking, “Would tonight be the night?”

I woke up on the 24th feeling the same – big and ready to pop! The 24th was a Friday, and it was my last day at work before my official maternity leave began. Around 4PM that day I started to feel a little tugging in my stomach, but nothing where I thought, “Oh my goodness! I need to get to the hospital!” As my day at work rolled to an end, I suddenly got a burst of energy. Matt worked only a few blocks from me and he had to work late that day, so I called him and told him I was just going to walk home. I just remember him saying, “Be careful and CALL ME when you get home.”

I walked those 20 blocks home and it felt great. I couldn’t believe how much energy I “all of a sudden” had.

Little did I know that sudden bursts of energy were signs that … you know… something was about to happen.

I got home without any problems and just started making dinner. I felt like pasta, so I was boiling water and just about to put spaghetti into the pot when I felt a little gush of water. Oh, yes… THAT kind of water. I called Matt immediately and said, “I think my water just broke.” The first thing he said, “You think?”

OK… yeah, I know it did. ☺

Matt got home in record time. As soon as he walked through the door, we grabbed our bags and took off for the hospital. I was scared, I was excited, I was terrified, I was everything. I had no idea what to expect with my delivery or anything. I just remember thinking, “He’s coming!”

We named William after my maternal grandfather. When I became pregnant with William, a watch that was his that my mother had given me started miraculously working again. It hadn’t worked in YEARS! It had stopped (again) on the date “25” on the watch. So throughout my pregnancy, I kept saying to Matt… “He’s going to be born on September 25th, I just know it.” It was also my official due date.

On the way to the hospital, I remember thinking, “Wow… I was off a day. He’s going to be born on the 24th.”

As soon as we got to the hospital they got me in immediately. When they checked me to see how far along I was, the nurse said to me, “Did you say your water broke?” I nodded. She said, “Honey… your water hasn’t broken yet, it may have ruptured a little, but it hasn’t fully broken yet.”

I was crushed. Was she going to send me home?

As soon as she put told me to sit up, I felt a sudden BURST. Right there, on the table… in front of her… my water broke.

She looked at me and laughed and then said, “Well… you’re now being admitted.”

My delivery was a long one. I spent the next few hours waiting to dilate more, and it just wasn’t happening as fast as they wanted it to. Around 11:45PM that night, it was pretty clear… this little guy wasn’t coming on the 24th.

The 25th arrived.

I knew it was the day.

Around 10AM on the 25th, I was ready to start pushing. I pushed and I pushed and I pushed for hours. I was crushed. Nothing was happening for me. Finally around 1:50PM, my doctor told me that if I didn’t get him out in the next few minutes, they were prepping me for an emergency c-section.

That’s ALL I needed to hear.

At 1:51PM, William Tillman McClelland entered this world.

Screen Shot 2014-09-24 at 5.17.15 PM

My William! The second they put him on my chest, I knew that all was right in the world. My baby. My first beautiful baby. He was everything I dreamt of and more.

He had beautiful big eyes.

He had a full head of blonde hair.

He looked like me and Matt with his features.

And just like my grandfather had told me, he arrived on the 25th.

10 years ago tonight, I was getting ready to have this little (or now big) guy… I can’t believe it’s been 10 years.

William is the light of my life. He is my bestest little friend and just my angel. He may not be 7 pounds and 6 ounces anymore, but still when he lays his head on my chest for a hug… all is right in the world.

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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