December 25, 2005

Week 40

7:56 am

Ireland and Lyric sat beneath the tree tearing open all their gifts. Patty had come by to experience this with all of them. She of course took all the pictures of her great-granddaughters. Randi and Dave sat curled up on the couch enjoying the entire sight.

"Look!" Ireland held up horse riding Barbie. "Told you I'd get horsey." Randi chuckled.

"Santa knows." She said.

"Nanny tanks." Lyric hugged a stuffed Elmo tightly, "Pretty."

"Grandma knows what her great-grandkids want too." Patty smiled.

"This is the best Christmas ever." Ireland said walking over to her parents with a package. "Here."

"Is this for me?" Randi asked. Ireland smiled.

"Made it at School." She said. Randi opened up the red wrapping.

"It's a mug." Randi grinned. Ireland crawled onto the couch and pointed to the pictures she had drawn on the mug.

"There's you. There's me. There's a heart 'cause I love you."

"What about me?" Dave asked.

"Here." Ireland handed Dave a picture.

"What…is it?" He asked.

"That's you at work." Ireland said, "You fixed that little boys boo-boo." Dave chuckled and kissed Ireland's cheek.

"I love it." He said.

"Dave." Randi said. Dave looked over at his wife's pale face.

"What?"

"My water just broke." She said. Dave's eyes widened as Patty squealed.

"It broke??" Randi nodded.

"Hospital. No you're having her here. Call Hannah." Dave ran to the phone. Patty went over to her great-granddaughter.

"Do you want me to go get your bed all ready?" She asked.

"Yeah. There's sheet and a blanket in the chest next to the bed. I'll be there until I get ito the birthing pool." Randi said.

"Okay. I'll be right back." Lyric and Ireland looked at Randi.

"Is the baby coming?" Ireland asked. Randi nodded.

"Yup, but not for awhile." She breathed deeply. Randi wasn't sure that she wanted her daughters to be here anymore as she looked at their wide eyes.

11:10 am

"Didn't last time I was going through this I said no more?" Randi asked as she took in deep breaths. Dave chuckled.

"Yeah you did." He said, "I think you said it the first time too."

"This is the last time. I swear." Randi groaned.

"Why don't you get on your hands and knees." Hannah said, "It helps relieving some pressure." She rocked in a rocking chair.

"Okay." Randi whispered. Dave helped her get on her hands and knees. She rocked back and forth slightly. "I'm sorry for ruining your Christmas, Hannah." Hannah laughed.

"You didn't ruin anything, Child." She said, "There's nothing more better than bringing a child into this world."

"How true." Dave smiled massaging her back. He was excited.

"Dave, why don't you check on how dilated Randi is."

"Isn't that your job?" Dave asked looking at his wife.

"You're delivering the baby and I want you to check." She said.

"All right." Dave got up behind Randi. "Sorry, babe."

"It's okay." She chuckled slightly.

"Okay," Dave said as he started to check his wife, "Ah…She's about four centimeters." Randi groaned.

"I was hoping this was going to be a two hour birth." She said.

"All good things come if you wait." Hannah said. "Where are your daughters?"

"Randi's grandmother took them out. They were a little scared."

"I would be too." Hannah chuckled.

"Oh god." Randi groaned as she rocked back and forth.

"Breath baby." Dave said.

"No shit." Randi moaned as her contractions tore through her.

"Dave, why don't you start setting up the birthing pool so it has time to fill and heat up while she's in this stage?" Hannah suggested. Dave nodded as Randi started to relax.

1:05 p.m.

Randi shuffled along the hallway with Hannah.

"This is Ireland's room." She said, "It's very pink."

"I see." Hannah said holding Randi's arm.

"She only ink things pink and sometimes purple." Randi shuffled to Lyric room; "This is Lyrics. She likes bees. This is very plain compared to Ireland's, but that's how Lyric likes it."

"She's the quiet one right?" Randi nodded leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes. "Are you glad you chose home birth?"

"Yes." Randi said softly, "It's more comfortable here."

"Yes. I think there's more freedom having a child at home." Hannah said, "May I ask you question?"

"You're going to see me naked in a few hours so go ahead."

"Why are you ignoring your fame?" Hannah asked.

"What? I don't think I'm ignoring it." Randi said.

"I've been reading up on you. You haven't done a single interview since your line broke out." She said. Randi shrugged.

"I'm just trying to separate my work life and my home life." She said.

"That's understandable, but I think people would like to know who you are besides a fashion designer." Hannah said.

"I know." Randi said as she waddled back to the bedroom. "There's a magazine that's interested in doing an interview before my fashion show." Hannah nodded.

"Well, do what you want to do." She said, "My granddaughter wanted me to ask you for your autograph for her."

"Really?" Randi giggled crawling back in bed. "Well, that's flattering."

"What's flattering?" Dave asked walking to the birthing pool and checking it's temperature.

"I've been asked for my autograph." Randi giggled. Dave cocked his eyebrow.

"I see." He chuckled, "Whatever floats their boats."

3:23 p.m.

"Oh god. Oh god." Randi groaned sitting on the edge of the bed. "OH god. I w-want her out." She sobbed.

"Soon, Baby." Dave whispered.

"I hurt s-so bad." She cried.

"I know." Dave caressed her cheek tenderly. Hannah stood up.

"Why don't we get her in the pool it may relieve some pressure for her." She said. Dave nodded and helped Randi up.

"Come on, sweetheart." He said, helping Randi take her nightgown off. She whimpered softly as Hannah and Dave helped her into the warm water. Randi eased into the water and groaned.

"I'm naked." She moaned.

"It's nice." Dave chuckled as he stripped down into his swimming trunks. Randi groaned again as Dave crawled in behind her. Hannah went over and made sure the heating system was working well.

"It's not nice," She cried. "Sh-She needs to come out soon."

"She will." Dave said softly.

"I th-thought it'd b-be easier the third time around.' Randi said as she wiped her eyes. Hannah chuckled as she checked how far Randi was.

"Every pregnancy and labor is different." She said.

"I d-don't want to do this anymore." Randi cried. Dave chuckled.

"All right. We don't have to do this again." He said even though he knew she'd want to do this again with in a year or so.

"Shut up." Randi groaned.

"Okay, I will." Dave said as Hannah started lying things out on the bed. Randi breathed in deeply.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"It's all right." Dave said.

"No it's not." Randi said, "I'm being mean to you."

"No you're not sweetheart." Dave chuckled, "You're going into labour. It's okay to be mean and curse."

"I haven't cursed yet." She whispered. Dave laughed.

"Oh you will." He said.

"Randi, you're about seven centimeters dilated, so it won't be long now." Hannah said.

"Good." Randi said, "I'm tired of this fucking labour."

"You swore." Dave chuckled.

"When this baby is out, I want some steak and cheesecake."

"When this baby is out, you may have whatever you want."

6:33 p.m.

Randi breathed in deeply. The pain was so intense she though she was going to pass out. She concentrated on the other side of the pool. Dave stepped back ito the pool.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm feeling like I'm going to have a baby any second." Randi moaned. Dave put his hand between her legs and chuckled.

"Yeah, you sure are." He said. His heart was racing. He was going to deliver his daughter. Hannah laid out a couple of towels on the bed. Randi whimpered softly as she looked at Dave.

"C-Can I push?" She whimpered. Dave nodded.

"When you want to you can start pushing." Dave said. Randi took in a deep breath and grabbed Dave's hand.

"Now." She said as she gritted her teeth and started to push.

"That's it, Randi." Hannah said kneeling next to the pool.

"Good, Baby." Dave said, watching between her legs.

"Shit." Randi cursed as she exhaled.

"That was good." Dave said.

"This sucks." Randi moaned. "I want her out now."

"In a few minutes probably, Baby." He said softly.

"Now!" She cried. Hannah chuckled.

"All right, Randi, on the next contraction you can push." Hannah said as she took Randi's hand. Dave caressed Randi's thighs.

"H-How long have I been at this?" Randi asked taking in a deep breath.

"Ah, about nine and half hours." He said, "Short." Randi groaned.

"Here…" She moaned loudly as she started to push.

"That's it." Dave said, "She's starting to crown. Push, Randi."

"I am! I am!" She cried trying to push harder. Randi breathed and relaxed against the side of the pool.

"Very good." Hannah said dipping a washcloth into the pool and placed it on the back of her neck. Randi whimpered slightly.

"You're doing great. She had dark hair." Dave smiled, "Next contraction give it your all."

"No shit, Dave." Randi snapped. Hannah chuckled.

"Remember this is Jesus' birthday as well." She winked.

"I remembered." Randi whispered trying to get her focus.

"Ready?" Dave asked. Randi nodded slowly and started to push again. She concentrated on her husband. He was delivering her baby. Randi pushed harder, "Jesus, girl." He laughed, "You popped her head out."

"Very good." Hannah grinned.

"She's gorgeous." Dave whispered as he eased his fingers around her neck making sure nothing was around it. "You okay?"

"Just in pain." Randi murmured.

"Well, you have her shoulders next." He said. This was different. Being on this end was different. It was utterly amazing.

"Two more." Randi whispered to herself. "Two more."

"That' sit, Sweetheart. Push." Randi groaned and pushed. Dave slid his hand down and helped her shoulders out. "Perfect."

"Perfectly painful." Randi panted. She watched Dave's face. There was a look she had never seen on his face before. She couldn't explain it. "Need to push. Need her out."

"All right." Dave got ready. Randi held Hannah's hand tightly and started to push. Dave tugged gently and his daughter came free.

"Oh god." Randi cried with relief. Dave pulled her out of the water with tears streaming down his face. He cleaned out her nose and mouth and she started to cry.

"Sh-She's perfect." Dave said lying the baby on Randi's chest.

"H-Hi." Randi said, "I'm your mommy." The baby opened her eyes and revealed bright hazel eyes.

"She looks exactly like Lyric." Dave whispered.

"She's perfect." Hannah smiled softly.

"Congratulations." She said.

8:15 p.m.

Patty knocked on the bedroom door softly.

"Come in." Dave said sitting next to Randi. Patty and the girls walked in. The girls gasped when they saw a baby in their mother's arms. Tears formed in Patty's eyes.

"Baby." Lyric grinned crawling up onto the bed.

"Girls, I want you to meet your sister." Ireland and Lyric surrounded Randi, "Say hello to Sailor Abigail Malucci." Patty smiled.

"She's beautiful." Patty said.

"And perfect." Dave said, "Ten fingers. Ten toes."

"Hi 'lor." Lyric whispered. Randi smiled proudly. This was it. This was the life. Having Ireland, Lyric, and Sailor right here with her, was an amazing feeling. Her girls. It couldn't get any better than this.