The latest on Baby G!

Update from Karen at 9:08 a.m.

Nick just called...broke her water...things are moving along...I'm taking off soon. Will keep you up to date...all is well.


Written by Grandma Karen early Tuesday, Sept. 30...

The "kids" have been at the hospital since last night. Nick has been in contact (whew) and things are progressing very slowly. They will probably induce this morning/today.

Heidi (Beata's mom) just called and they are leaving for the airport within the hour. They won't be here until about 6 p.m. and I'll be picking them up in Flint (another whew...hate Detroit Airport).

Dad will be leaving for home on Saturday and sister will stay until about Wednesday. Mom will be here for at least 3 weeks.

I have an air bed from Dan to take down for me when I'm there in the next days/weeks. Janet A. and I are working the Obama rally on Thursday morning so this baby should definitely arrive before then!

Heidi said she and her sisters had fairly long labors (36 hours) so we'll see. Heidi told me a funny story this morning. When her brother's wife gave birth to the first girl in forever she said that there were about 100 people at the hospital waiting and when the nurse announced it everyone started giving her money and coins, etc. (tradition in Iran when girls are born because they are so treasured). The nurse said "where are you from anyway? I think I'll move there!"

The plan is that I will take off here before noon and hang out at the hospital and then retrieve the family when they get here. I get the feeling that Beata is in no rush because she so wants her family there.

Another funny story from Heidi: She said when Beata was born they took her home and laid her on the bed and looked at each other like "ok...what do we do now?" They had no training, no books or classes, etc. Got that "plastic" changing table put together but every time they put her on it she screamed. Turned out that it was "cold" as hell because they didn't know to put a blanket or towel on it.

They began to scramble reading books but with the language barrier some things were not that clear. When they ran out of lotion to put on her they really panicked because they thought without it she would die...in other words, every single thing was crucial in their mind...thank God for friends who calmed them down. They had no family here at the time.

Enough for now...I'll keep you all informed and lets keep our fingers crossed that it will be sooner rather than later.