Kamala

Seventeen years ago this morning I called my doctor's office, a little concerned because I hadn't felt the baby move for awhile. 

I was eight and a half months pregnant, due in just about two weeks.  It had been ten years since I delivered my last baby and a lot had happened since then.  I had gotten divorced, been a single mom of five for six and a half years, taught school all that time, met Moe, remarried, retired from teaching, and now I was expecting again.  We were all so excited!

Well, maybe Linnea, my oldest daughter, was having a little bit of a hard time.  All of the kids found adapting to a new dad more difficult than they had expected.  No one likes to be told what to do, especially teenagers, and when the person directing them isn't their real parent it is even harder to accept.  Linnea was almost 17, and the new baby was due the day before her birthday.  She was having a hard time with the idea that she might be overshadowed by a cute, new baby sister. 

Our neighbors and friends were very excited about the new addition to our family.  Even though this was the Saturday before Memorial Day, they had planned a big baby shower for me that afternoon, inviting allof my family and friends.

My doctor was not on call, of course, but the answering service referred me to the doctor who was.  I explained my concerns and he suggested we come down to the hospital so he could check me out.  The older kids were at their dad's house that weekend, so it was easy for Moe and me to run down to the hospital.  When we went in the maternity entrance they wanted to check me in, but I explained that I was there to have the doctor examine me, not to actually deliver the baby.

The doctor on call was a jolly fellow.  He had fun swapping stories with Moe as he checked the baby out on the sonogram.  Everything was fine.  But then the doctor made a startling suggestion.  Since I was already there, and everything looked good with the baby, would we like him to just go ahead and induce me right now and deliver the baby today?  That way we wouldn't have to worry any more, and he wasn't busy, but he was stuck there at the hospital all day so he might as well do something. 

What a suggestion!  Of course I was more than ready to be done with being pregnant, and the kids were taken care of, and I hated worrying about complications later, and so, why not? 

So the doctor started me on pittosin to begin my labor, I was already dialated some, then he and Moe continued joking around and having a good time all morning and afternoon while we waited for our baby to come.  It didn't take too long.  About 4:30 in the afternoon Kamala was born.  The doctor let Moe cut the cord.  They joked that he could use his pocket knife as long as he sterilized it, but thank goodness he didn't actually go through with it.  Kami was the sweetest baby you ever saw, pink and chubby, and perfectly healthy.  It was so nice to have her here!

Then all I had to do was call my friends and tell them I was sorry, but I wouldn't be able to make it to my baby shower at 5:00 after all.  They went ahead and had the party anyway, taping it so we could watch it later.  I think they had more fun explaining to the guests why I was absent than if I had actually been there.  They even opened all of the presents, in front of the camera, so everyone could see what we got. 

When we called the big kids to let them know they had a new little baby sister they were excited, too.  Linnea got to keep her own birthday, for a few more years.  (She actually delivered her own fourth baby on her birthday a few years ago, and her husband's birthday is just two days after, so she shares the spotlight now anyway.)  The only difficulty we had was convincing Holly, my second daughter, that Kamala was a good name, and not just Baby.  Holly (who was 14 at the time) thought it would be really cool to name Kamala Baby.  Then when she was in high school all the boys could call ,"Hey, Baby," as she walked down the halls.

Anyway, Kamala, we're glad you are here, well and happy and still beautiful.  And now that you are in high school, I'm glad you're not named baby.  I worry enough about how popular you are without that.