Fast Forward to a year after Steve's delivery, to the Chincoteague U.S. Naval Hospital, in 1955.
Due Date of 4 July 1955 for Child # 2.
A very small facility, there was no waiting room per se for the OB Clinic patients, lining up on either side of the hallway, waiting for your turn.
In order to greatly speed up the labs, and because of the scarcity of bathrooms, one brought one's urine specimen of the day in a clean glass jar to hand the technician who drew your blood.
On one such visit, I had baby Steve in his stroller, charming the crowd - went to the lab and sat back down along the hallway wall.
The lab tech that day was our good friend, Ron, and he soon came out to proclaim loudly for all to hear, "Well, Margaret - I've already analyzed your specimen, and the result is "Positive Peaches!!"
Much loud laughing erupted, needless to say - -
In Steve's diaper bag, I had placed his jar of Gerber's peaches on one outside pocket, and the specimen in the opposite side one - and in my haste had handed Ron the wrong one to analyze..:))
This time, labor completely stopped after I went to the hospital at 2130 on 30 June, and I stood in the galley (kitchen) and chatted with Ed and Ron until 0430 of 1 July, when they sent me back to the Labor Room - "Hey! You're supposed to be in labor! Go rest!"
Hopped up on the labor table (NO labor pains since @ 2330 - now 0400) and promptly shifted into high gear, delivering Kevin 54 minutes later. "Get it done - get it over with!" I OBEY!!
Child # 3 (daughter, Jennifer) involved a mere 42 minutes of hard labor.
Enough 'short time' was enough - last child!
I likened my labor and deliveries to the ceremony to launch a brand new ship.
Someone - usually a woman - takes a bottle of champagne and breaks it on the bow - and said vessel glides wonderfully down to the sea...
That's how I had my children..:))
(Musta been the Marine Corps influence - LOL)