Happy Birthday Mr. Bunny! (aka Jacob Petersen-Perlman)

Thirty years ago at this moment I was typing away in the main office of the Communication department at Illinois State University.  It was the first day of spring semester and I wanted to complete the mimeograph stencils of the syllabi for the courses I was assigned to teach.  I had awakened earlier that morning with rather dramatic cramps.  Oh, I thought, I'm experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions--not to worry.

I had a lot to do that day.  I wanted to be ready for the term and needed to get my materials in order.  The problem was, as I sat there typing I started to feel more pains.  After a particularly strong pain, I turned to the secretary and said--just for fun, would you mind timing my pains?  According to my obstetrician, this baby wasn't due for another three weeks or so. 

My husband was living in Iowa City, and there I was in Normal, Illinois.  We had married the previous spring after a 10 year courtship, but our occupations kept us in separate cities and states.  We managed to see each other most weekends, and we had been together for most of the holiday break in the previous few weeks.  Still, it was strange not to share these prenatal months.

I kept typing, cursing when I made mistakes, but we had a handy correction process which I used extensively.  As I typed on the IBM Selectric, I called out pains with greater frequency, so much so that the secretary finally called one of my colleagues who whisked me off to Brokaw Hospital.  My colleague, Dr. Larry Long, stayed with me long enough to ensure I was in the capable hands of the nursing staff and then proceeded to call my husband.  The baby was coming.

The pain wasn't too bad for the first few hours.  It didn't seem real in a way.  It was almost as if I was sitting beside myself watching things unfold.  Within an hour, I was in a room hooked up to some monitors and starting to worry whether or not my husband would be there in time to see this baby come in to the world.

Every now and then, the nurse would peek at the baby's heart monitor and proclaim how rapid the heartbeat was--must be a girl, she said.  That fit with my expectations.  A few weeks earlier I had a dream about my baby.  She was blond, blue-eyed, and most assuredly female.  I remember feeling this sense of recognition.  I knew this child.  She was, after all, a part of me.

The pains starting coming more frequently and my discomfort increased dramatically.  Finally, my husband arrived.  I was so glad he was there.

I was experiencing back labor which, I remember, produced the most incredible pressure.  The doctor soon arrived and started telling me to push.  Honestly, it didn't take that long and then the baby was born. 

We were so surprised to meet our little dark-haired boy.  He was beautiful and perfect.  We cried, we laughed, we rejoiced.  I had never been happier in my life.

Jacob Daniel Petersen-Perlman is a wonderful son.  He has been a source of pride and joy and of course, continued love and happiness.  He has accomplished so much, but there is so much more in store for him.  We are excited to see what will happen next.

All the best to you my darling boy.  I wish you health, happiness and success for this and all the years to come.