Caelan Naomi Brannon

    Three years ago, on December 5th, I checked into the hospital, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my second little bundle. Caelan's pregnancy and birth was so different from Evelynn, I should have known that her character and temperament would be completely different from Evelynn's as well. We decided to induce as early as allowed so that Caelan could be born without the birth injury that Evelynn had when she was born. Truth be told, however, Caelan did not want to be born. It was going to be done on her terms (like many other aspects of her daily life). So, we were sent home to wait yet another week.
    The week rolled by, my Mom had been in town for two weeks waiting for Miss Caelan to arrive. My sister was also due at the same time, but in Arizona and not near Pennsylvania. The evening before my mother left for Arizona, I went back to the hospital for a second try at induction. We were admitted and allowed to stay. We settled into our room, listening to Caelan's heartbeat and general hum of hospital life. I brought a couple of books and read both of them before the break of dawn. All the while listening to the woman next door (we unfortunately shared a linen closet/hall with her room) who I promise believed herself to be in the throes of death. After a few hours of this, I finally asked my nurse if the woman was, in fact dying. That was negative. She was at the beginning of her birthing process as well. Oh, my. Later on I would ask my nurse to please walk next door and slap the lady-- or at least give her an epidural. Unfortunately, again, she'd had one since almost the moment she had arrived. The nurses kindly made sure that both doors separating us were closed.
    For all the horror stories of being induced and the use of pitocin, I was really not bothered for about 10 hours. Nope, I was blissfully engrossed in my books, rarely interrupted (except for the random agony next door). Everything progressed easily and I was told that by 9am (December 11th), we'd be holding this little baby. While this was taking place, a dear friend was driving my mother to Philadelphia to catch a plane to Phoenix. And then this little baby decided she REALLY was not ready to leave the warmth of her mother's womb, or better still, that she was slightly larger than what I could physically handle. By noon, I was beyond exhaustion, Keith was not doing as well either. I had already been wheeled into the OR around 10am. Nothing. No baby. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY did not ever want to go the C-Section route. I have a serious phobia of needles. I'm not kidding. (I had an anxiety attack, couldn't breath, and blacked out when I got my IV in place for McKenna's birth). And there was no way, a needle was going to be stuck in my spine. But like I said, by noon, I was done. Well past any physical endurance/pain I'd ever experienced in my life.
    The doctor came in around 1:30 and suggested a C-Section if nothing commenced in the next hour. I told him 30 minutes if not sooner. I had not had these difficulties with Evelynn, so the growing concern was injury to Caelan. C-Section? Bring it on. I fell asleep while they administered the spinal block and then at 2:40, Caelan Naomi Brannon was among us and not happy with the situation. I would never encourage someone to have a C-Section unless it was absolutely necessary, but I should have gone with the suggestion earlier in the day. In less than 45 minutes, the procedure was done and I was in recovery. Pretty crazy, if you think about it. Every layer of skin and muscle and the womb are opened, a baby is removed and then everything sewn back up. Keith was impressed. Actually more than impressed, he thought it was cool, in a 'science experiment' kind of way. Ummmm, yeah, I cut him off when he began the play-by-play of the procedure. And just an FYI, you will never know just how 'connected' your body is until you've had abdominal surgery. Sneezing, coughing, blowing your nose, brushing your teeth, sitting up straight, rolling over in bed, etc. is all connected at your core. I'm just saying.
    Her birth was just as special (if not how it had been planned) as the baby herself. Our little Caelan, tiny 12/11/07 herself. She is beautiful and quite the force of nature. Personality oozes from every pore in her tiny body. Our petite child who takes life as she wants it. Imaginitive, fearless, and such a joy to be around, not only to see what she will do next but for the sweet way she wraps her arms around your neck and snuggles close.

P.S. My niece was born 17 hours after Caelan was born. My mother barely making it in time and begging us (the two sisters) to never, ever have children that close together again.