sleepy now

waiting for baby maggie just about kicked my ass. yesterday i couldn't get in touch with anyone because the hospital my sister was at has a no cell phone policy, which is great for all those newborns that want to sleep and stuff, but hell on family members. i knew they were planning on inducing early in the morning if she hadn't shown up by then, so i called then as early as i could and they were already gone! i spent the rest of the day calling about every hour, getting the voice mail, checking the phone obsessively about every five minutes, pacing and trying to keep busy. no news is generally good news, and i sort of suspected that once labor started my sister wasn't going to let mom out of her sight. she talks a big talk, but i've known her longer than anyone and when it comes right down to it, both of us want mom there when we don't feel good.

my sister went into labor at about two in the morning, but the hospital said she wasn't far enough along, so they sent her home. when they went back in at seven she was dilated to 7 centimeters and they decided inducing wasn't necessary. mom says my sister freaked out more about the IV than she did the actual labor. she kept telling everyone she was having contractions, but everyone said, "if you can talk through them they aren't serious." except i guess either my sister is entirely too badass for her own good or else they just didn't hurt that bad, but she really was having serious contractions. before the birth she wanted all the drugs she could get, but then she didn't take anything until the very end (when she got nervous about pushing out that giant baby head) because she said it just wasn't that bad. my mom was amazed at how calm and easy-going about the whole thing my sister was. she said it was an easy labor, and that my sister was a champ. also that she was pretty damn lucky, because most women's first kids can be the toughest. if this is as bad as it's going to get for her, then maybe she should have lots of kids.

mom, dad and baby spent last night at the hospital and are coming home today. the last i talked to her, my mom was looking forward to a nice bourbon and soda, and maybe more than three hours of sleep. i had a ton of champagne and conked out at about one, only to wake up at seven. i can't sleep now just because i'm thinking of all the things i want to make her; onesies with her name on them, bibs, a nice "welcome home" card. i can't wait to see pictures of her. it's an exciting time. my mom is a grandmother! my pop is a grampa! there's this new baby and i have three other aunts to compete with for title of "best aunt ever." i should get to work.