Monday, December 10, 2012

On This Day 5 Years Ago

On this day 5 years ago, I was standing in my in-laws bathroom while my mother-in-law held a flashlight, trying to determined if I just peed on myself or if my water just broke.  If you ever find yourself in this position, just throw “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” out the window because shit is not going as planned.

I can explain part of this.  I was in my in-laws bathroom because we had just moved to Tulsa and we’re living with them while our house was being built.  My mother-in-law was holding a flashlight because we had just lost electricity about an hour prior to this episode thanks to the ice storm of 2007.  What I can’t explain is why I thought staring at the bathroom rug with the flashlight was going to help determine if that was pee or amniotic fluid.  Like at some point I was going to channel my inner CSI and say “Based on it’s reflective nature I’d definitely say that that is pee.”  Turns out it wasn’t.  The following contractions kind of settled the argument.

“Randy, get the car!  Sabine’s water broke!”
“You’re shittin’ me.”

I called Eric, who had battled the ice and finally made it to work, to tell him the news.
“You’re shittin’ me.”
The Brown men are nothing if not wordy.

We loaded up and my father-in-law dodged fallen trees to get us out of the neighborhood.  We made it about a mile up the main road into town only to have to turn around second to a fallen power line.  Thankfully my father-in-law has a navigation system in his brain and was able to get us around the obstacle and back on track…only to find out that every traffic light for the next 8 miles was out.  As my contractions got stronger, he started passing people in the left turn lane (which I think he secretly enjoyed).

My mother in law was in the back seat, hands clenched, “Randy, Randy, Randy, Randy… RANDY!”
He replied, “Just stick your head out the window and make siren sounds.”

An hour later we made it to the hospital. Eight hours later and six hours ahead of schedule, my son was born and would forever change my world.  Not just because he made me a mother, but because he made me a better person.  He taught me to roll with the punches.  He taught me that people are basically good and people won’t think you’re a horrible mother because you’re kid just threw a tantrum in the bread aisle.  He taught me that sometimes a hug and kiss really can make everything better.  He taught me to appreciate the small things and how to run in the rain.  He taught me not to expect perfection from anyone including myself.

He has not yet taught me to appreciate the sound of an accordion, but based on how much he has played it since he received it at his birthday party, it looks like he is trying.

Happy Birthday, Hudson.


  1. Happy birthday, Hudson! Great story.

  2. Love that story!!! Happy Birthday Hudson!!!

  3. Happy birthday, Hudson! Keep teaching your Mom great lessons!