French Adventure (part 2)

The doctor gave me a stern look for taking up his time by being so long behind the curtain, and then told me to sit down in the chair.  "What!" my mind was screaming.  He proceeded to note the necessary data, to establish that the due date I had given him was accurate.  When I told him how big, and how late my other babies had been , he took out a measuring tape (not lying, here!) and measured my tummy and said, "Your in France now!  That won't happen.  This baby won't weigh over 6.6 lbs!"  I already knew this baby was bigger than the other 2 had been.  I could feel how big he was!  My other 2 had been 8 lb.12oz. and 8 lb. 8 oz, respectively!  I am only 5'3".  I was praying the doctor was right and that THIS baby would be on his due date!
The time passed, and we acquired an insane poodle (I think WE were insane to get the poodle, but the children needed a playmate!) and Don started language school.   That devil dog ran between my feet as I was going down the stairs. I fell from the bend to the bottom.  I was ok, but...
I carried all my babies extremely low, which meant my lower muscles were under a lot of strain.  The fall finished the job.  I struggled to get to my feet, but could hardly walk. 
From that point on, I could no longer get up and down on my own, nor turn over on my own.  One night Don said, "If this baby is as late as the others, I don't think I will survive!"  I thought, "Me either!"
We were worried, because our container hadn't arrived yet.  The 4 weeks were now 2 months, and apart from one sleeper, all the baby's thing were in that container.  It arrived about 10 days before the baby!  Thank you, Lord!
On 23 April, I went to the clinic becuase I was bleeding.  The Dr. made me stay.  He said the baby was coming.  Now in those days, you took all your own stuff to the hospital.  I got my nightgown on an climbed on the table, they started a drip to make the contractions come, broke my water, and the Dr. said, "It will only take about 2 hours!  You are in France now!"  I laughed to myself!  When four hours had passed, with contractions less than a minute apart, peaking off the machine reading, he said, "I guess you're right!  Nurse, put her in a room!"  They did...and left me there.  At 8PM, they made Alexis and Don leave.  I laid there all night, in agony, and finally, I felt the baby begin to push.  I rang for the nurse, but no one came.  After about 30 min., I could feel him pushing really hard, and I let out a scream!  A nurse came in and checked and started babbling, and running at the same time.  They wheeled me down to delivery and called Alexis.  Don and the kids were at their house, as we lived a good deal farther away and had no car.  They got there in time, and the ordeal began.  They would give me nothing for pain!  It was going to be a little 6 pounder!  I wouldn't need it.  Nor would I need an episiotomy!  Little babies come easy!  Well, when he finally came, he weighed in at 8 lb. 15 oz. with 16 inch shoulders.  Now if there are guys reading this, STOP here.  Ladies, you know in the States, they gently sew you up.  That crazy Dr. walked in with a surgical STAPLER...and with nothing for the pain, he proceeded to staple the tear I had from not having an epsiotomy!  Alexis said, "If looks could kill, that Dr. would have been dead!"  I told her that it was a good thing I was strapped to that table or I probably would have used that stapler on his face!  But we all got through...alive...our beautiful baby boy was finally in our arms and only 2 days late!  He was born 24 April, 1976!  Oh, hey!  Today is his birthday!  Happy birthday, Shannon Dean Williams!  You are a wonderful son!  May God give you an extra special day!
Bye to any readers.  Trying to shorten this, as I am new at this and tend to be toooo long...
PS.  I thank the Lord, Shan was only 2 days late!  Can you imagine how big he would have been!