Assorted Details from the Hospital...

My son, Will, was born December 5th. Here are some details/musings from the event:

The Dilemma: Ever since the Redskins announced their 2007 schedule, I had plans to attend the December 6th, Thursday night football game with my lifelong friend, George Boomer. I've known him since the 2nd grade, as George and I grew up in the same church. We were also college roommates. Anyway... the 12/6 date has been circled on my calendar for some time. Well, as it turns out, Will decided to come 5 days late.... a mere day before kickoff. So, at some point, Kelly starts having major contractions and we have the following conversation:

Me: "I should probably call George now and let him know I can't make it"

Kelly: "No, don't do that! I want you to go to the game"

Me: "The game is not important right now... I would never leave you at the hospital while I was at a game"

Kelly: "No.. don't ca..."

(she pauses to deal w/ a painful contraction)

Kelly (continued): "OK. You can call him."

Unreal. I would imagine that 99% of the pregnant women in America that are having contractions and are about to go into labor would never consider for one minute wanting their husband to "go to the game" the next day.

Now, I did watch the game in the hospital room. But it was awkward sitting back several feet and having to wrench my head to see the TV mounted way up on the wall. It was uncomfortable and I didn't feel part of the game (my viewing does make a difference to the outcome of the game). So I stood on a chair so that I could get eye level. While not the glorious HD viewing available in my living room....it actually wasn't that bad (picture above). While I watched, Kelly slept.

So, to summarize... Kelly wanted me to go the game while she was going into labor. Once I put my foot down on that idea, she demanded that I, at least, watch the game even while she was recovering.

Friends, this is a good woman and I love my wife.

The "I'll never see these people again" Moment: I felt bad that Kelly would have to sit in the hospital bed while I was watching the Redskins game. So, I wanted to get something to entertain her. And, given the confined circumstances, I knew there was only one thing that would provide cheap and accessible entertainment thrills for Kelly... celebrity gossip. So, I offer to pick up a People or US Magazine while I'm out picking up dinner. Kelly jumps at this before I could really think this through... because... well, no straight man should ever buy People or US magazine... and offering to "pick up" one of these magazines meant I'd have to "buy"...in person one of these magazines. Yikes!

So, anyway... I walk into the CVS. I immediately see a People magazine at the front counter. But, for some reason, I can't just go right in.. buy the magazine and leave. So, I walk around the aisles. I grab a small bag of chips. A candy bar. Then I walk up the checkout where I saw the People magazine. I throw up my items on the counter and the guy starts ringing them up. Then, I casually throw the People Magazine on the counter. Seriously, it was a move swiped from the 15 year-old boy's textbook on how to buy a dirty magazine or a six pack of beer. It's as if there is something innate in us males that thinks we can distract the cashier from our true purchase if we only distract him with a bag of fritos and a snickers bar.

At any rate, I bought the stinking magazine, put my head down and made a bee-line for my car.

Sacrifice, my friends.... it's part of what makes our marriage successful.

My favorite moment: Alright, I'll end on more a serious note. When Will was born... and with Reagan and Luke, as well... I'm not in this instant euphoric state of "love"... I know others have that feeling. For me, I'm really kind of in shock. I love my children...and I would lay down my life for each and every one of them from the moment I know they are in the womb. But, it takes me a couple of days to become "in love" with them. It's hard to explain... I guess I just need a little nudge and, for lack of a better word, bonding time with them.

Well, Kelly is NOT that way. She loves and is "in love" with the baby from the day she sees the two lines on the pregancy test (I, on the other hand, am usually in denial for a few days). Before they are born, she dreams about them... she thinks about them constantly and is in continual prayer for them. So, when the baby finally is born, my favorite moment is watching Kelly as she lays her eyes on the baby for the first time. I can see the love she has for them. I saw it when Reagan was born and when Luke was born and now with Will. It's worth waiting the 9 months... and 60 years from now when I'm old and decrepid and recovering from a broken hip and have forgotten most everything about the day my children were born, I pray to God that I will never forget that moment in time when Kelly saw each of our children for the very first time.