Double trouble!
Wednesday 17th December 2008
She may be seven years younger than me, but when it comes to certain things, my sister, Donna, has always been way out in front. Take marriage, for example. I was 29 when she'd married her childhood sweetheart, Adrian Barton, then 23, back in March 1995. She'd beaten me to it in the kids department too, giving birth to her first child, Luke, four months later.
Two years on, in September 1997, I'd caught up a little when I'd married my husband, Darren, then 28. And my marriage brought me even closer to Donna than you might think.
Darren is Adrian's brother. We went on to have two kids of our own, Reiss and Adam, while Donna and Adrian had Amy. Talk about double trouble. Donna and I were two sisters who'd married two brothers, and had gone on to have two kids each. But now, in July 2002, Donna had put a spanner in the works.
'I'm pregnant,' she blurted out to me down the phone.
'Rather you than me,' I laughed.
I was delighted for her. But after having Adam 13 months earlier, I'd decided two kids were enough for me. I wanted to concentrate on my job as a customer service trainer, at the same company where Donna worked in the accounts department. But three weeks later, that smug smile was wiped off my face when my period was late. I did a home pregnancy test…
'I'm pregnant too,' I gasped to Darren that evening. 'I can't believe it.'
'Everything will be fine,' he said.
But to be honest, I was terrified. The fact that Donna had been so excited by her own pregnancy made telling her more difficult. I finally broke the news a few weeks later, on our way to work one morning.
'I'm pregnant as well,' I muttered.
'That's so funny,' she giggled. 'And it's great news, too,'
'That's what Darren said. But he's not the one giving birth,' I groaned.
Both Donna and I had suffered birth complications in the past, so we knew we'd both need a Caesarean. But even that didn't make me feel much better. Unlike Donna, who was loving being pregnant. As her bump grew, she positively glowed, and at five months gone, she called me excitedly.
'I'm having a girl,' she babbled.
Then a scan just a few weeks later, at Solihull Hospital, revealed that I was having a girl, too.
'Another of our weird coincidences,' Donna laughed, as I broke the news.
Still, at least we weren't due on the same day. Donna had been booked in for her Caesarean on 14 March 2003, while mine wasn't for another two weeks. I'd been Donna's birthing partner for both her babies, and I wasn't about to stop now, heavily pregnant or not. So, on the morning of the 14th, I was up at the crack of dawn and helping her into the car by 6.45am.
'Ready for the big day?' I smiled.
'As I'll ever be,' she grinned back.
Driving to hospital, I felt a twinge.
'Ouch,' I cried, rubbing my tummy. 'I've just had a sympathy pain.'
I thought no more of it, until Donna was in her gown having tests done.
'How's everything going?' the midwife smiled, as she checked Donna's blood pressure.
'Oh, fine,' Donna said. 'Although Sonia's getting some twinges.'
'Why don't we just pop you on the monitor as well and take a look?' the midwife suggested.
'OK,' I said. 'Why not?'
Ten minutes later, the midwife looked at the printout.
'I'll just get someone to take a little look,' she said.
She came back with a consultant.
'You're in labour,' he said. 'You'll have to pinch your sister's slot.'
'I don't believe it!' Donna shrieked. 'You're going to beat me to it.'
Now, there was a first. While I struggled to take on board what was happening, Donna popped out of the room to call Darren.
'He didn't believe me at first,' she said, as she waddled back in.
Luckily, he made it to the hospital in less than 10 minutes, and was by my side as I was wheeled down to theatre, where we met our little girl, Darcy, for the first time.
'She's beautiful,' I gasped, looking at her big brown eyes and dark hair.
'A little girl,' Darren gulped.
I may have moaned my way all through the pregnancy, but now I was the happiest woman alive. Four hours later, I was recovering on the ward when Donna was wheeled towards me.
In her arms lay another dark-haired bundle.
'Meet Emily,' she smiled.
As she was tucked into the bed next to mine, we took it in turns to hold each other's baby.
'You're the talk of the ward,' the midwife said, as she did her rounds.
'We never do things by halves,' Donna laughed.
And we really don't. Reiss and Adam, are 10 and 7 now, while Donna's kids, Luke and Amy, are 13 and 8. Emily and Darcy are 5 years old, and Donna's gone on to have another daughter Lily, 2. But I'm still smiling about the fact that after all those years, I finally did something before my little sis.