by Eulalia Prynn

Created on: October 20, 2009

Rocky, emotional, lonely, strained, too early; these are the words that float through my memory of my first pregnancy. From six months of pregnancy, I began having pre-term labor contractions. On three different occasions, I had to go to the hospital and have my contractions stopped, but our baby girl was healthy and growing well, so we didn't worry too much.

My aunt and step-mom both threw me baby showers, two in one pregnancy! The second one was in mid-December up in the mountains of Washington state. I was due January 22, 2006 but I knew that she was going to be a few weeks early, at least. I just didn't realize how early until December 10, 2005.

December 10th was a Saturday, the day on which my second baby shower was held, hosted by my step-mom up in Washington at the church many of my family and friends attend. It was a mid-day gathering, but being so far from home, my husband and I had made plans to spend the night at my parents' place after the shower. My husband and dad did "man things" while we women folk oohed and awed over baby clothes, blankets, and the like. Afterward, we invaded my dad's house and ate heartily the meal that my step-mother had prepared. That night, as per our Christmas card tradition, we all donned our Christmas hats and took our family picture to be sent out on the Boucher Family Christmas Card. I had gained 40 lbs by that time, at 34 weeks pregnant, and round as a ball. Needless to say, that was not my finest photograph.

The evening wore on with little to report, and I was just getting up the strength to amble to the bathroom before heading up to bed, where my husband was sleeping soundly; having been up all night for work, and then drinking beer the whole evening long. As I pushed myself up out of the comfy recliner, a gush of water poured out between my legs and I stood frozen for a moment. Shock plainly written all over my face, my cousin and a few others asked, "Are you okay?" All I could say was, "My water just broke!" as I waddled into the bathroom, the bottom half of me soaked, to sit and let it drain on the toilet. It was 10:30pm.

My dad lives 30 miles from anywhere. The town in which he lives, if you can even call it that, doesn't even have so much as a convenience store, let alone a hospital. So, my dad rushed up to wake my husband (who thought my dad was playing some cruel joke on him until he heard me talking to the other women). My sister, my cousin, and I were the only truly sober ones in the house. Everyone else

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