A Birthday Story

Today is my youngest daughter's first birthday.  If it weren't for her, I'm not sure I would have started this blog.  Although having two kids can be hectic, three kids all under the age of four is blog worthy.  Not to mention how it prompts the expression from EVERY person at the grocery store, "Wow you've got your hands full."  Thanks-I had NO idea!  I'm really going to start making people pay  me a dollar when they say that so I can pay for the girls' college education.  Anyway-I thought since it was little GG's birthday, I'd give you a little back story about how she came to be, since she wasn't exactly, um, planned.  

When Andy and I talked about having kids, his idea was to just have one while I wanted four. (What the hell was I smoking?)  We compromised and decided that our final destination would be two, mostly because I believe every child should have at least one sibling.  After having  Sonya, who was NOT an easy infant, two was definitely enough and I was sure I was crazy for ever wanting four.  Toward the end of my pregnancy with Lana we were trying to figure out what to do for birth control after she was born.  I was thinking we would just do something final like I would get my tubes tied if I had another C-Section, or a big V for Andy if I didn't.  However, Andy mentioned that maybe we should have a third, and I wasn't opposed to the idea.  I didn't want to go back on the Progesterone only pill that you have to take when breastfeeding.  I hated it when I took it with Sonya.  It totally screwed up my period and made me breakout and I just generally didn't like it.  I thought we would  go ahead and use condoms and in the meantime I would figure out my ovulation cycle so we could avoid ANY contact during my fertile time.  At least until we decided whether we wanted another baby and when it would be.  We were figuring at least a year or more if at all.  Yes, I know most woman do not ovulate or get their period when they breastfeed.  I am not most women.  

I was sure I had it all worked out.  Positive I knew when I was and wasn't ovulating. However,  the pregnancy test I took at the end of October 2007, told me "HAHA! YOU WERE SOOO WRONG!"  When that second pink line popped up on the pee stick I almost fell off the toilet.  I immediately drank more water to pee 10 minutes later and try again.  It had to be wrong.  It wasn't.  

Sonya wasn't yet 3 and Lana was only 7 months old.  I heard about these women who got pregnant when their baby was only months old.  I always said how crazy they were and how much that sucked and here I was one of THOSE women.  I called my sister, Beth (who was pregnant at the time too), hysterical.  I'm pretty sure she thought I was joking at first, but she soon realized I wasn't.  She calmed me down some, but I was pretty freaked out at the whole situation.  How in the HELL was I going to take care of three kids so close in age???  Then I called Andy to tell him and all he could say was "Well that's not very good."  YA THINK?!  

We were both in a bit of shock that evening.  I also had to tell my best friend, Melissa that Sonya and I wouldn't be in her wedding in June. She was getting married in Rhode Island and  I would be 37 weeks pregnant at that point and unable to fly.  It was a bit of a hard time to say the least.  I felt sad and guilty that I wasn't more excited for this little baby like I was for the other two.  It was very stressful for a couple months.  Everyone I called to tell the news had the same reaction, "WHAT?!"  Followed by a tentative, "Congratulations."  I would tell them how worried I was and admitted that I didn't know how I was going to do it.  Every friend and family member said the same thing to me,  

"If anyone can do it, Kristi, you can." 

 Now I don't know if they said this to be nice because what they were really thinking was, "You are SOOO screwed!  Better you than me lady!"  Or if they really meant it.  Either way, the more I heard it, the more I believed it and the better I felt.  

There were still some bumps along the way.  Like when I told my youngest sister, Megan, I was pregnant and due June 30th.  Ironically, she was pregnant too and due the same day.  Which was great, except we both needed my mom at the same time. She in Milwaukee and me in Los Angeles.  My mom lives in Florida.  In the end, it all worked out.  Megan had Lucy on the 23rd of June, so my mom was here with me right after, and in time to help with the girls before and during me having Georgia.  I was sad to miss Melissa's wedding too, but I knew it was for a good reason. 

When Sonya and Lana were born I had to be induced due to low amniotic fluid.  I was starting to go through the same thing with Georgia, but they hadn't induced me yet as of the 27th of June last year.  I was so done being pregnant, so I decided to try and walk her out.  I took my mom and the girls to the LA Zoo and we walked around that hilly Zoo for a good 3 hours.  That night I went into labor all on my own.  I should have known then I had my easy, cooperative baby.  Labor lasted a while, but with the epidural, who cares!  I pushed for about 10 minutes, didn't even need an episiotomy and out came Georgia Taylor Dadekian  into the world at 2:05pm  on June 28th, in Los Angeles, CA.  She looked a bit like Sonya did when she was born, with very little hair.  She did have one of my dimples, which the other girls do not, so I was excited about that.  From the start she was easygoing and happy.  This, this is what I needed more than anything.  

Like I said, Sonya was a difficult infant, but as baby she was okay.  She's a really smart child though, so she can be a bit hard to deal with at times.  Lana...well Lana is Lana.  She is fiery and loving all at the same time.  She's my Jekyll and Hyde.  You never know what you're going to get with her and although I love her so much, some days she's exhausting.  But Georgia...well if you ever listen to Ray Charles song, "Georgia On My Mind" her disposition is the way that song makes me feel.  Sweet, happy, and calm.  Now that's not to say she doesn't have her bad days, but they're so few and far between.  She is going to be the balancing force in our family.  The anchor we will need, to deal with all these other crazy personalities under the same roof.  She was not in any way planned, but she was in every way  needed.  I don't ever regret at all that I accidentally got pregnant with her, and in fact I am thankful for her.  She is my sweet Georgia Peach, my little GG-O, Geester, G-Money.  I love her as much as I love her sisters and I am so happy that this day-this 28th of June is a special day in our life.  Happy First Birthday Georgia!  Thanks for coming into our lives. Here's to many many more to come!