I was 9 months pregnant, a week before my due date, with baby #3.

I was working from home full time under special approval.

We were all nervous this one would come fast. We joked about not making it to the hospital but it was a real and serious concern of mine.

My mom had just come from out of state to stay with us until the baby was born.

It was just a few weeks after my step-dad had passed away from cancer and my mom and I hadn’t seen each other yet.

We had a 4 year old and a 6 year old and it was the week of Halloween.

Each day I thought it may be time.

When they went to school we reminded them my mom would pick them up if it was time for baby.

Each night when they went to bed we reminded them we would put a sign on our bedroom door if it was baby time and my mom would get them to school.

The night before Halloween we painted and carved pumpkins with the kids. That night we reminded them of the plan and we all went to bed.

Sure enough, in the early hours of the next morning my contractions started. I woke my husband right away.

Soon after I woke my mom to tell her we were leaving for the hospital. We put the “baby time” sign on our bedroom door.

We rushed to the hospital, nervous how far along I may be and quickly he may come. I told the nurses it was my third and how quickly my second came. They were calm and unimpressed.

With no epidural I paced, walked the halls, and even tried to dance a little to help with the pain and move things along. I couldn’t believe the experience.

A week early and 7 hours of labor later, our second son was born.