Second

To continue with Firsts-obviously I have much to learn about blogging. I thought I could go back and edit Firsts and continue on. Guess not after clicking 'publish post'. There is much more I could add about becoming a first time mother. But I will contain it to this one story: Doug was born in what was then the Rosary Hospital in Corning. At that time, the hospital was still operated by the Sisters.
Today's new mothers often go home the second day after giving birth. The day after Doug was born, an aide came in the room. I thought she wanted me to sit in the chair so she could change the bedding. So I gingerly made my way to the chair and then back to bed after she left. A short time later Sister Jovilla came in and berated me for getting out of bed. Her words were to the effect: "On the first day, we just 'dangle', we do not get out of bed!" Meaning I was to sit on the edge of the bed and dangle my feet. I was scared of the nuns anyway, after that I was really scared of her.
As the week went on, I got over my fear of her. Especially after she complimented me on how relaxed I was while nursing my baby. (I was reading the newspaper.) After a full week in the maternity ward, I got to take my baby home with me to my Mom's. (Doug's dad left for a two week national guard camp the morning after he was born.) To be continued....
Second: That is the day my second son was born; August 2, 1971; also in the Corning hospital. It was almost nine years later, however. Preston Louis Fleming was born at 9:40 p.m. We were living near Des Moines then, but Denny was getting his Master's at Kirksville. Because of his absence during the week, we decided when it was close to my due date, I would go stay with my folks. As it turned out, I went over my due date, the Dr. was going on vacation, so we chose to induce labor; something I had always said I would never do. But it all turned out o.k.
We really wanted a boy. I knew there were two boys in the nursery, so as they wheeled me back to my room after delivery, I looked into the nursery. There were two babies swaddled in blue and one in pink. I thought they had lied to me and that I had had a girl because of the pink blankie! (I also tried to grab a drink at the water fountain on the way past; but that's another story.)
A caveat for parents: be careful what you say in front of small children. I told the story of how upset I was when I learned I was pregnant with Preston. Years later he confessed he thought he wasn't wanted, therefore, wasn't loved. No amount of reassurance in later years changes a child's early feelings of a form of rejection. Regardless of the circumstances of birth, a mother's love for her child is forever.