Elise, born June 2002, my age: 21
I was going to school full time at Oregon State (in Corvallis, OR) and working part time. I literally walked miles every day--from home to school to work and back home. I took classes pass/no pass and did an internship, so I was all finished with school a week before my guess date. Which came and left. I remember picking strawberries and making jam on that day. Elise was born on a Monday, the first day of finals week at OSU, 7 days after the guess date. In fact, Stephen had to leave the hospital the day after she was born to take a test. My parents left town for Nauvoo the following Thursday, Stephen graduated on Sunday and we moved to Wilsonville on Monday.
Here's what I remember about that first whirlwind week...
My water broke about 11pm on Sunday and the contractions started right away. On the way to the hospital I decided that I wanted an epidural, and once that wonder drug was in I was very comfortable. She was born at 10:29am on Monday. I couldn't move afterwards because of the epidural--it was really weird. I had lots of visitors, and my Grandpa sent me flowers! I remember being famished and devouring a huge hamburger and fries--food had never tasted so good!
Stephen's brother and his wife and 3 kids (one of whom was 3 months old) stopping by. I was terrified to clip Elise's fingernails so Melissa did it for me.
Stephen studying late at night while comforting Elise.
Being SO overwhelmed at having to pack up the house, especially with my mom gone, and receiving a phone call from a friend. She asked, "How is everything?" (Alicen had recently had her first baby). I started to say, "Oh, everything is just fine", but couldn't make it through the lie and started to weep. She said, "I'll be right over." And come she did, with her own baby, and did my dishes. Soon another friend (Dawn) came over with her newborn and folded laundry. I still cry out of gratitude for those friends, who came at a time when I truly needed them.
Going to Stephen's graduation with his parents and John & Melissa (and Caleb, the 3-month-old). I remember sitting in the grand stand as the ceremony went on and on and on and on. I was still figuring out the whole nursing thing (it took months!), and during the 5 or so hours we were there, Elise wouldn't nurse once. I was freaking out, but Elise just slept.
Moving the day after graduation--Elise was exactly one week old. Stephen's parents didn't let me do anything. The first thing Ann had done when the truck was unloaded was set up a spot for me--our old blue recliner from Grandma Cleaver. I felt guilty for not helping, but at the same time was so grateful that I wasn't allowed to do anything! It was quite the deluxe apartment after what we'd always lived in in Corvallis!
Here's us in our new place:
Stephen had an internship in downtown Portland, and then in October got a job at Nike, in Beaverton. He took the car to a park & ride most days, but sometimes I'd drop him off so that I could get out of the apartment.
I took the following semester off of school, so for 6 months I only took care of Elise. Sleeping in until 10am was normal during that time. How wonderful and strange! The following January I started commuting to Corvallis to finish up school. I passed Elise off between my mom (who had started working), my 15-year-old brother, Scotty (who refused to change diapers) and my former Young Women's president, Janet Folsom.
Elise didn't sleep through the night until she was 10 months old--she was the first baby, after all! Her learning to sleep was a painful process for me, but learn she did! We moved to Beaverton, to be closer to Nike, when she was about 11 months old, so my school commute became longer. But I finished at the end of the summer!
We pretty much worshiped this little girl!
1 comment:
That was me that watched Elise and wouldn't change diapers, Scott was always in school.
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