an addendum

Shortly after I wrote my last blog post, Annabelle threw up in her bed. After we finally calmed her down, put her to sleep in our bed, I got up to pee. As I got back into bed I felt a pop and my water broke. It was one in the morning. We loaded up Annabelle, took her to the people who we have been friends with for half of our lives, and then my water broke some more on their front porch. Hope they get that cleaned up in time--their house is on an upcoming home tour. We headed to the hospital and everything looked like it was going to be great, until I had two contractions in a row and her heart rate dropped. Nurses came dashing into the room and scared me a little bit. I was then put on a gradual pitocin drip and I called my mom to get the prayer chain going. She started it, and then with an ankle broken in three places, got in the car and came down to be here for me and the wee babe. And so as a reward, I let her see the whole birth from a front row seat, if you know what I mean.

So there we were, my mom, a nurse who was married to a Trooper I used to work with, and a doctor who was an exact combination me of my Aunt Belia and Magda C_________ and of course, my dear and loving husband. And some other lady nurses, who I don't remember.

If there is one thing I'll never forget about Annabelle's birth it is the look of joy on my husband's face after she was born.

If there is one thing I'll never forget about Tallulah's birth it is the alternating looks of joy, worry and encouragement on my mother's face as she watched me push my second born out of my body.

And now she is here. Tallulah Rose Nguyen. Perfect Joy. And I can say that still, after a night with no sleep.