The Last One Out

Today our friend who was due three weeks after us gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Imagine our surprise and confusion at the news: we were all in a line and now that line is bent (almost as out of shape as I am!).

I called my friend who is in the U.S. and due four days after us. We moaned about these boys we are carrying that have no intention of coming out early. The two of us are the only ones in the summer line up who have come almost to full term. The thought of being 'late' was terrifying to me. Now I go between gratitude at all the things I've been able to get done and curiosity about when the guy will make his appearance.

This has thrown me for a loop because most of the children in my family are born early; almost all my nieces, and even most of us siblings.

I wasn't getting impatient until my husband kindly informed me he didn't want us to go to see the sea turtles hatch their eggs because it was an hour outside of the city.

Rightly or wrongly this imposition only made me furious: as if sitting around, getting bigger, hanging out with my mom wasn't slow enough. Now I was being banned into my house because of this kid who was so comfortable, his head wasn't even in the right direction to exit?

My mom shared a story about being left alone at home with a ten year old girl while the rest of her family went to see a boat at eight months pregnant. Unexpectedly I had an ally.

I tried to reason with everyone: Labor rarely lasts only an hour. After all even the baby girl delivered today at 4:15 p.m. started her way out the previous night at 2:30 in the morning.

The likelihood of my delivery taking only one hour was slim to none.

"Do you want to be in pain for an hour?" my husband was asking me, trying to talk me out of going up north to see the turtles.

This was the same man who felt so uncomfortable about my going to the US at seven months pregnant, that I didn't go.

"You kept me from going to the US," I said, "You and everybody else with your nervousness. I'm not going to hang around the house for no reason."

It's amazing how at this stage in the game, nine months, everyone has an opinion about what you should be doing.

Eat spicy food, they tell you, to bring on labor.

I'm Indian and my mother is visiting. It's impossible for me NOT to eat spicy food.

Walk a lot they say.

Since it's Qatar, the mall is the only place to hang out when it's 120 degrees outside. Walking is all there is.

"We'll go to the movies," my husband says, ignoring the fact we've been to three movies this week and watched even more at home.

Needless to say, I'm not thrilled with the idea of staying home. And I called my friend to say I'm going to see the turtles. And if the kid decides to come on the way there or the way back: well then, the hospital bag and car seat I've been driving around with for two weeks will come to good use.