Story time: So everyone said that first babies are usually late. A coworker told me that our workplace had a curse that babies always come out early but we all just laughed it off. I was a late baby. My sister’s kids were both late. I had the conversation with the doctor about how late I could be and when we would have to consider inducing me. Because statistically I would be late. As I am sure you can tell by now the curse was real and she came early. 9 days early in fact. Here is the story: My sister and I have season passes to a safari park so we were going often to use the splash pad and see the animals and whatnot. This was a particularly hot day so we took the kids and decided to go and do the usual. When I texted the husband to say that's where I would be that day his exact response was something like “Have fun. No babies at the safari!” And I said “haha that would be something wouldn't it? But not likely”. We walked around for most of the day and I felt fine. By time we hit the splash park at the end I was feeling a little off but just figured I was tired. I remember saying to my sister on the way home that I thought I might be having Braxton hicks or something. My back was sore and I was having little tense feelings in my abdomen but they weren't consistent anf from what I had read it didn't sound like anything else so (very out of character for me) I didn't worry. When I got home my back was really sore and I was very tired so I laid down for a nap. I couldn't seem to settle so I just laid on the bed thinking. Something was nagging at my brain but I just couldn't grasp what it was. Eventually I decided to get up and as I sat up I heard a popping noise. Like someone had popped a balloon. I thought I had imagined it but when I stood up a gush of liquid hit the floor. A sense of panicked yet calm came over me as I called out “Honey?” “What?” “My water just broke”. It was 4:45pm. Phone calls to midwife and a visit. They said it would probably be hours so try to relax, eat and maybe sleep and they would probably see me tomorrow. It was not long and it was not tomorrow. Contractions came hard and they came fast. It was not long before they were a minute apart. It came suddenly; the urge to push. We had to go and we had to go now. Screamed (both literally and figuratively) to the hospital. Mad rush upstairs to triage . I vaguely remember being told to put on a gown and try to stay calm. I don't know how I got that gown on or got from triage to the birthing room. It was a huge blur of just trying not to push the baby out before I was in the right room. We forgot the bag in the car, I was being told to try to keep my knees apart. I thought I couldn't do it. I thought I couldn't take it anymore or I would explode. And then suddenly they put this wriggling crying baby on my chest and my baby was here. It was 8:12 pm. Of course after that there is a lot more to be done but I won't get into that because really the only good parts end when the baby gets here. I don't know if it was better being short or if it would've been better if it had gone as the midwives had predicted. It was nothing like I thought it would be like and nothing like how I had tried to plan. Honestly it hasn't been what I thought it would be like from that moment of my water hitting the floor to this very moment as I write this with a sleeping 7 week old on my other arm. There are so many things I could write about. Postpartum anxiety, obsessing over milestones, and reading every article about children ever written at 2 am, breastfeeding struggles and so much more. I hope I will be able to continue to write about it all and of course more about autism and everything else that continues to be part of my life. I just hope I can find the time and that you continue to read when I do! Sincerely the average with a twist… Mom