`“Kanmani, wake up…” Kanmani…”  My dad shaking my sleepy body as I groggily asked,

“What is it?”

“The baby is coming.”

“Ok” I responded

“Yup”

“Wait WHAT?!” I screamed.

“COME ON LET’S GO!” He roared.

I rushed out of bed. Grabbing my satchel and putting on my jacket and jeans,” It was exactly 12:15, when my mom had contractions, 15 minutes after the new year started, and I only got 2 hours of sleep, but I was wide awake when I was awakened. I rushed downstairs and put on my shoes. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more. But then,“KANMANI!” Don’t just stand there, help your mother! My dad said” “Ok, ok, jeez.” I muttered under my breath.

I went to my mother and helped her with her shoes( well attempting to) while my brother  was singing.”The baby is coming, the baby is coming, the baby is coming. HOORAY!” I realized as the oldest I was the one my siblings look up to. Our family could be defined by just one thing: A pod. Like a pod a dolphins, we all stay together, we all look up to each other, and we all love each other. With another little dolphin swimming into the pod, it would be even more big, and more fun.

5 minutes later, we were all inside the car buckled and ready to go. My dad started the car and we were on the road, playing religious music along the way, creating a peaceful environment for everyone along the way. . I continued asking my mom if she was okay, and for her to breath,  We continued to drive, my little brother sleeping and snoring away. We pulled up to the front of the emergency entry area. A security guard asked, “Are you going to the delivery room?”  My mother nodded. The security guard told us “Take a right and go into the elevator to the 3 floor.”

We all started walking, I was holding on to my mother’s hand, gripping onto her tightly. We arrived at the front desks at the 3rd floor. My parents were talking to the a lady at the front desk, my dad holding on to my brother. I looked around, I remember the building from when my brother was born, but the entire space felt new to me. 15 minutes later, a nurse escorted us into one of the delivery rooms, she helped my mom into the bed. The nurse asked my mom questions like, “Are you taking any medications?” or “On a scale of 1-10, how much pain do you feel?” The nurse was very nice. She told my dad that we all had to wait in the family waiting room that was down the hall, for a few minutes. So I grabbed my things and headed to the waiting room.

It was exactly how I remembered it. Squishy couches, a pine wood table, and large tv. I took out my earbuds, got out my mom’s phone and played music on Spotify. But then my dad asked me, “Kanmani, can you go check if they are ready yet?” I walked down the hall and peeked inside. They didn’t look ready. I went back to the waiting room and told my that they weren’t ready. The third time I checked my dad and brother came in also. The nurse was asking my mom more questions. My dad and my brother sat on the recliner, and I sat on the rocking chair, reading the book The Hunger Games on my Kindle. The nurse turned out the lights in the room. As my brother, mother, and father slept, I continued reading, and reading, and reading some more. Page 128, page 278,  page 373. But then “Honey, here’s a blanket and pillow.” “They are really warm, and it’s very cold, so here.” I realized that I had fallen asleep with my Kindle in my hand. “Oh thank you so much, that is very kind of you!” I replied with gratitude in my tone. “No problem sweetheart!” She replied.

After the nurse had left I tried sleeping. But I couldn’t. I got up and checked the time on my dad’s phone. It read 3:22 am. So I went back to the(slightly uncomfortable) rocking chair. I tried many sleeping positions to ease my uncomfort. But none of them worked. When I finally found a sleeping position that brought ease to my back and neck, I finally slept a good long sleep( That I very much need). But then I woke up to find that the nurse turned on the lights and was checking on my mom. When the nurse was done, I couldn’t fall asleep again. Is this what it is like for a gynecologist, or any person  in the medical field? Do they stay late and take shifts?

Thinking about all of this. The whole experience of going to appointments for my mom and the baby really taught me a lot of things that not only were surprising, but fascinating. The doctors and nurses have codes for specific things. For example, “magnolia skin” stands for a specific skin type similar to what his or her sister or brother had as a baby. Well that’s what I have heard. What doctors and nurses do are really interesting. They never know if they will find a cure for a disease, or even discover a new one that they have to figure out. I thought about it for the rest of the night. Maybe I could study and work for a goal like this.

By the time I had fallen asleep, the nurse told my dad that we had to go back to the family waiting room again because it was time for the delivery to begin. We went into the waiting room, bringing blankets and pillows with us. Even the couch was MUCH more comfortable than the rocking chair, I still couldn’t sleep. My baby sister was coming! It was somewhere around 7:55. So we waited, and waited. I kept asking my dad, “Dad, is she ready yet?” and he always responded with a very irritated “NO!”

A few minutes later, the nurse that was helping my mom came in. “Your mother is doing very good, and she is doing such a great job.” she said. “I am now going home because my shift just ended.” Your mother will probably be done pretty soon.” You should check in with the nurses that are up front in about 15 minutes.” “It has been a pleasure working with her, bye!” Before she left, I slipped a small note into her pocket. I wrote it when everyone else was sleeping. It read: Thank you so much for being so kind, not only to my mother, but to my brother, father, and I as well. We all very much appreciate your hospitality, and kindness.

With Love,

Kanmani Harivenkatesh

I sat back down. About 20 minutes passed. Then a different nurse came in. “She’s ready!”  YES! Finally! I walked faster and faster. Like a child seeing a bunny in the forest. I was the first one to get inside. I walked in, my dad, and brother trailing behind me.

Then I finally saw her. My sister. The person I have been waiting to meet for ages. I walked up next to my mom’s bed, and looked closer. She had a little button nose and big brown eyes. She had really thin eyebrows, and a forest full of hair. She was the cutest thing I ever seen in my life. She looked exactly like I did as a baby. Just the sight of her little face brought tears into my eyes, I quickly wiped them away.

Two weeks later: “DAD, CAN YOU GET THULASI’S LITTLE TOWEL PLEASE!” My little sister had just puked a little bit on me. As I wiped away what was left of her puke, I started thinking. One word to describe my little sister is, feisty. When she gets really mad, like she will seriously get MAD. But it is so hard not to laugh because she does the cutest face. But the feel of having a little baby, especially a tough little baby girl, is just amazing, and messy.