My April Fool Surprise

Today is the birthday of my first born.
My daughter, April.

I remember coming home from the doctors office after having been told that I was pregnant.
I walked into our apartment and was suddenly starving.
I made myself a fried egg sandwich and devoured it without breathing.
Then I immediately threw up and so it continued for the first three months.

I remember her dad calling me as he was out of town for work and was unable to go with me to the doctor.
There were no cell phones then so her dad called my from a pizza parlor he stopped to have lunch at.
He was excited to hear and when I told him yes...I'm pregnant. He let out a joyous yell that everyone in the restaurant heard. Everyone congratulated him and he gave me the biggest hug ever when he got home, then released me in a panic he might have hurt the baby.

I remember being pregnant and feeling April move inside me.
She liked for me to lay on my back and sometimes I would turn on my side and she would kick like crazy.
When I wanted water in the middle of the night I would turn on my side and place my belly against her dad's back and she would kick him awake and he would go get us water.

I remember the day I knew she was going to be born.
I woke up feeling it.
I woke her dad who called my mom.
My mom immediately got ready to come over and spend the day with me as he had to go to court to testify for an arrest he had made.
I remember feeling really great, serene almost.
When the pains got closer and I knew that I had to go I paged my husband, again no cell phones. He called me and told the judge he had to leave as his wife was going to give birth.
He told me the judge told everyone in the court and they all clapped and congratulated him as he left.

I remember being in the hospital and hoping I would have my baby before midnight so she wouldn't be born on April Fools Day.
I remember yelling at her dad because he was watching tv while I was having contractions.
I remember going into the delivery room and the pushing. I don't remember the pain.
Then I remember my baby girl coming into the world...on April Fools Day.
I remember her little head coming out of my body and that she had so much black, black hair.
I remember them cleaning her up and I couldn't let her out of my sight.
I wanted her in my arms NOW!
I remember when they put her in my arms and I saw those big black eyes looking at me like she knew me already, like she had no fear and it was normal to be in my arms.
I remember looking up at her dad who was in tears and I remember saying, "I want another one".

Then we took her home and life has never been the same again.
I love you April, my daughter, my first born.

Mom