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My really incredible day

Aubrey
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Aubrey

Aubrey

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So yesterday I went to see my mw, an hr away, at her new location. I've been there twice, but for good measure, I had dh write out the directions, because after all, I am pg.

 

He left a step out. Which was fine, because I still got to the right hwy, but neither of us could remember the name of my exit, which was also fine, because I was sure I would recognize it.

 

So driving down the hwy, I realize it must be the other way, & I'm losing a little confidence, but I've got this emergency cell phone, & I figure I might as well call my mom & ask her to google it. Not a big deal.

 

Of course, as soon as she gets it pulled up, my cell phone dies.

 

Still not a big deal, because I've turned around, I'm coming at it from the right direction now (as opposed to the funky direction from trying to follow dh's directions).

 

It starts looking familiar, & it's all good. Then it quits looking familiar & I'm in a city so far N all of a sudden, that...I'm not panicked or anything yet, but it's clear that I'm not going to recognize the exit by its name. But it's one of the 2-3 exits that looked familiar. Still not really a problem, but w/out the phone, I'm getting worried about time. Good thing I left 30 min early.

 

Did I mention I have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad? But to do that, I'd have to get ALL THREE kids out of the car. That's why I called my mom to begin w/. Because I've got a mapsco in the trunk if I get really desperate, but I *hate* to stop for directions, & right now, my bladder just can't handle it. And plus, I'm SO close. I know I am.

 

But now I *have* to pull over. So we all trapse into the gas station, use their lovely bathroom, & ask the clerk for directions.

 

The problem is, I can't remember the name of my exit. I know the street I need, but it's a little one. So I simply ask how to get to the right city.

 

Suddenly there's a line behind me--at least 8 scruffy looking men. "Well...where are you trying to go?" they ask, eyeing me suspiciously like I'm about to pop.

 

I hesitate to tell them. Because, you know, it would look like I was in labor or something. I mean, a woman would know better, but...so, not wanting to be rude, I tell them the name of the birth center.

 

The thing is, the birth center is named after its original location in Dallas, from which it just moved. They tell me how to get *there.*

 

I insist that I want to go to the other city. I get directions that I *know* are wrong. An older man offers me a mapsco, & I remember that mine's in the car. Buried under a couple years' worth of junk, plus the stroller & giveaway. Probably.

 

I find it, though, find the street name I need, & flip to p 245. There is no p 245. It's been torn out. Really.

 

But the old guy was already at his car getting his map out & brings it to me. I find my exit, he tries to explain where I am, & we drive to the birth center.

 

But wait. It gets much worse.

 

At the bc, mw is very sweet, even though I'm nearly an hr late, but she asks me why I changed my appt. WHAT??? You TOLD me to change it! Well, no, just call & talk about whether or not you need to change it. That's fine, you're here now. How's your diet?

 

So I burst into tears. LOL She hugs me, measures me, listens to the heartbeat, & checks for twins. (neg) But the funny thing is, she checks because I'm measuring 2cm big. W/ #3, I was consistently measuring 5-7cm big, & she thought NOTHING--didn't double-check the due date, didn't suspect twins, nothing. So when she wondered yesterday, I LAUGHED.

 

Anyway, there's a park w/ a lake & ducks across from her office. Quite lovely. The kids always want to go play there. Yesterday, ds7 said, "I think we should go play at the park. It would help us calm down, & then we would act better, & it would help you calm down." So of course I took them. They had been so sweet all day, really.

 

We put baby in the stroller, headed around the lake, across the bridge, to the playground. Almost as soon as we got there, uber-scary grown man w/ ridiculously large sunglasses, heavy clothing, etc., came to swing on the swingset. I'm watching, but he's probably just a listless, bored, oversized teenager, right?

 

My kids are playing on the structure next to him, & move to the one across from that. He moves, too. He climbs up on the one they were just on & goes down the slide. Then he heads toward the one where they're playing, but stops, looks around, & goes back to the swings. He's watching us.

 

I told the kids they could play for 5 min, & I'm beginning to think it's been close enough to that. Ds starts to complain that this park isn't fun, & I say, "Ok, let's go."

 

We get out of earshot of the playground, & I ask them if they notice the man, that he had no kids w/ him, etc. We start to talk about stranger danger, I look over my shoulder, & he's FOLLOWING. Close enough to hear our conversation? I don't know, but I change the subject & pick up the pace.

 

We're heading for the bridge, but there's no one in sight. On the other side of the bridge, I look again, & he's gaining on us. Barely more than an arm's length away.

 

Now I'm trucking. Stroller over dirt & grass (no sidewalk), pg, two kids in tow, who keep asking, "Mama, why are you going SO fast?"

 

I know that there's a family having a picnic way down where we started, & my goal is earshot of them.

 

Dd5 looks over her shoulder, & Mr. Scary says in a creepy voice, "Bye," & heads the other way.

 

We went back to the bc, & there was an expecting father who walked us out to our car & watched while we loaded up.

 

That's all.

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mamalotsoftots

mamalotsoftots

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Oh wow! As I was reading I was thinking sounds like our every trip out. Lol. Except when we get in the vehicle to go there is fighting and the little one cries most of the way because he hates to be restrained. Hehe.

But then I got to that scary guy part. Oh my! Well the good part is that if you didn't go into pre term labor after that day, you'll be good for the rest of the pregnancy, right? Just kidding.

Wow. I'm sorry you had such a day! Incredible was a great choice of words I think!

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Aubrey

Aubrey

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Oh wow! As I was reading I was thinking sounds like our every trip out. Lol. Except when we get in the vehicle to go there is fighting and the little one cries most of the way because he hates to be restrained. Hehe.

But then I got to that scary guy part. Oh my! Well the good part is that if you didn't go into pre term labor after that day, you'll be good for the rest of the pregnancy, right? Just kidding.

Wow. I'm sorry you had such a day! Incredible was a great choice of words I think!

 

Yeah, I know, right? Preterm labor? Psh. LOL & :crying: & :eek:

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Doran

Doran

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Do you think the Universe was trying to give you every possible thing to fret about all at once? Good grief, girl!? Already you'd had a tricky weekend, with all the back discomfort and spotting. The trip to the mw was supposed to be your ticket to calm. So, I guess now -- after that trip and all its "incredibleness", whatever happens at home will seem pretty low key, huh?

 

((((Aubrey)))) -- I really hope today is calm and uneventful for you.

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Remudamom

Remudamom

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You poor thing, that is beyond scary. I wish one of us had been there for you with a big iron frying pan to smack that guy on the head.

 

Three words......conceal and carry.

 

Once when I had a three yr old and my very old grandma at a mall, I noticed we were being followed. I messed around a while, making sure, and then walked straight up to the guy and asked in a loud voice why he was following us? He started stammering and took off.

 

It only worked because we were in a crowded place and I have a big mouth.

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Aubrey

Aubrey

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I am assuming since you are here to tell us the story that everything is ok? So sorry you had a rough and scary day. I am the exact same way about directions. Hope your week calms down from here. :grouphug:

 

I don't know. I was nearly an hr. late. I was so frazzled, all I could do was shrug, nod, & cry.

 

But it had been more than 48 hrs since anything had happened, I was *feeling* fine, & she did a test for a bladder infection. She said that infection is the only *known* cause of preterm labor. And she said some other stuff that I don't remember.

 

I asked about when to call. She reassured me in a thousand ways that it was ok, & finally said that if her clients quit calling she might get lonely. At that point, she had knelt down in front of me to hug me, & all I wanted to do was go running out of the office, I was feeling so dissheveled & dumb. (Although I guess I did get to do the running part afterwards, eh?)

 

Incredibly, my blood pressure was the lowest it's ever been in my life.

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Aubrey

Aubrey

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Good heavens. I feel like coming down there and just taking care of you until this baby comes. I'm great with directions and maps and I can be a pitbull to strange men if needed. Let me finish the laundry; I'll be right there.

 

You're sweet. My life is not usually nuts. Honest. :001_huh:

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Aubrey

Aubrey

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I can be a pitbull to strange men if needed.

 

Perhaps I should clarify. This was not a creepy old man. This was a very big, very solid, YOUNG guy dressed in gold jewelry & gang regalia.

 

I've finally decided that I must have been interrupting a drug deal, & he just wanted to get rid of me. Although the way he seemed to be watching dd5 was what really bothered me.

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Brindee

Brindee

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I was thinking about you all day today wondering how it went. I never imagined that it went like this! I'm so glad that you aren't still out there wandering the streets, running away from scary young men! When is your next appointment? We'll all pray for you!
Maybe we should all go with her, for safety reasons! Think we'd all fit in your mw's office? ;)

 

Wow! I am so glad you're safe!

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Aubrey

Aubrey

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Man, I think I would have (to quote Ree) dropped my contents over the park incident. Then I would have gotten mad, real momma bear mad. Killer whale flippin' mad.

 

Praise God you and the kids are safe. Don't go to that park again alone, 'k? Please rest, and take care of yourself.

 

Cindy

 

Honestly? I don't think I'd have the guts to go there alone again, BUT--it's a gorgeous park, usually populated by families--at least the 2 other times I was across the st looking at it. It's in an upscale, rich part of town. There's a Whole Foods across the street!!

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Brindee

Brindee

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Probably, but not in my car! ;)
Guess we'll have to rent a bus then. But we need someone to drive that is good with directions! That leaves me out, and I'm not even pg! But I'll help take care of your other kids, and bring an extra IRON skillet for any suspiciouse characters! :D

 

Hope you get some good rest tonight!

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melissel

melissel

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Wow. That's all. Just wow. My heart was thundering in my chest by the time I finished reading your post. Thank God you're all OK. What did your DH have to say about it all?

 

 

Wow Aubrey, I thought it was going to be incredibly GOOD and it was incredibly BAD! So scary. Glad you and your kiddos are safe.

 

Seriously. I was expecting this funny, upbeat story. I think I need to go upstairs and turn on all the lights now :001_huh:

 

 

Maybe we should all go with her, for safety reasons! Think we'd all fit in your mw's office? ;)

 

Wow! I am so glad you're safe!

 

:smilielol5: I'm picturing this like the Verizon commercial, with the whole WTM network traveling around behind her. Several hundred HSing moms (and a few dads!) shuffling around behind Aubrey, reciting history facts and skip counting songs and Latin verb tenses, and debating politics and global climate change. LOL!!!

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Aubrey

Aubrey

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Oh my gosh Aubrey - did you put everyone down for a nap when you got home? I hope that chocolate isn't scary for this pregnancy and you got to have some. How terrifying. :willy_nilly::willy_nilly::willy_nilly:

 

A nap?? LOL--we didn't get home until after 10.

 

It was rush hr, so we went to mil's--still a long way away. I was hoping she'd offer us dinner & a glass of wine. She showed us her garden & made me a cup of creamer w/ a splash of coffee.

 

So we went & got dinner & then got back here in time to pick dh up from work when he got off at 9:30. Ugh.

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