Seven Years Ago Today...

"It's my Birthday!"

"Seven years ago today I was at work with a horrendous backache..." Yes, it's storytelling day at the Herubin's. My man in the middle is 7 today (Happy Birthday, Shannon!) which makes my children 6,7 and 8. Now I will only receive half-incredulous looks when people ask how old the boys are. And for a few glorious months the words, "No, they're NOT twins," will not have to leave my mouth. So it really IS a Happy Day!

Anyhow, assuming you won't start crying and whining that this story is too long (like Corey did this morning,) I'll finish my yarn about what happened seven years ago today.

Seven years ago today I was at work with a horrendous backache. 8 1/2 months pregnant, going to Kansas Speedway the day before was probably not a good idea. The baby loved it, though, every time the cars sped by our side of the track, a big cartwheel rumbled in my belly. But boy was I paying for it on June 3, 2002.

There were signs that I could go into labor anytime within the next two weeks, but I guess I'm not as good at reading signs as some little guy around here is. So I'm working and my back is killing me. I kept telling myself that at 8 1/2 months, the boss probably wasn't going to care if I went on home, he was very supportive throughout my pregnancy and took it easier on me than I did. Finally I said forget it, and headed home a couple hours into my shift.

I got home and called the doctor and asked if I could come in to my regularly scheduled pre-natal check-up a bit early, I needed something for this dang backache. They squeezed me in for a 2:00 appointment, so Ken and I decided that we'd grab Riley and go get some lunch and maybe a haircut before the appointment.

Needless to say, the ONE TIME my husband decides to explore Kansas City, KS (i.e. get LOST in KCK,) is when I'm miserable. We drove around forever trying to find a new place for Ken to get his haircut, and if memory serves me, we ended up at a Supercuts anyway. Riley was a trooper, but he and his daddy were soon hungry, so we drove around trying to decide on a place to eat. Another hour in the car went by, and in my agitation I yelled for Ken to just go to Burger King already, I was done.

We went inside and I told Ken he could order and keep Riley, I was going to go sit down. I told him to get me whatever, just hurry. As soon as he came back with the food, I was sure I was going to barf, it smelled so bad. I ate it anyways, all the while growling at Ken and Riley to hurry up. (No, you DON'T need to go back three times for catsup and ranch sauce, Ken, MOVE IT!)

Anyhow, we finally make it to the doctors office and we were a little early. She took me in right away, did her exam and exclaimed, "No wonder your back hurts, you're 6 centimeters dilated!" Oh. That's what labor feels like. Then she went on to explain that there was no way she would let us drive to Overland Park so that Shannon could be born at the hospital he was supposed to be born at. (2 for 2 on babies being born at the wrong Catholic hospital, by the way, and we had no idea that Corey and Carley would make it 4 for 4.)

So she threw me in a wheelchair and wheeled me next door to Providence Hospital while Ken called Mom and Dad in Nebraska and told them to book it, otherwise Riley was going to be watching his baby brother come into this world. Less than three hours later, they showed up and took Riley out to dinner. They weren't gone 20 minutes and Shannon was out and about, ready to take on the world.

And that's the story of Shannon's birthday. We wont go into detail about how, technically, I could have had another free day of rest in the hospital but my husband insisted I come home early to take care of everything....

Celebrating.

Riley, Shannon and Corey.