A Birth Day...

It was Wednesday night and we all drove to Richmond to pick up some alphabet foam mats to put under my birth pool. We ate a huge Indian meal from the food court. They had those fun cars that you push the kids in for free...so we walked around and around the mall. It was raining, why not? Then I thought lets go to the Superstore to get containers so I can organize Elijah's closet. Dan said this should have been his first clue. But I was only 38 weeks pregnant, and I went to 41 with Elijah. So we filled up our cart with new towels, a plethora of bins and containers, a laundry hamper and a bunch of fruit from the 50% off bin. We came home put Eli to bed and set up our birth pool. A big teal tub with a heater. I put on my 'waiting for baby' robe that I wore with Elijah and pranced around the bedroom jokingly, saying that I was ready. We went to sleep and I woke up at around 3:30am, thinking that I really should not have had that root beer because I could not sleep. Dan tickled my back till I half fell back asleep. I thought these Braxton Hicks are strong tonight. We woke up because I did not want the mop in my room, I had to double make the bed, I needed that box out of my sight. Dan thought we should fill up the pool "it can stay warm for three days, lets do it just in case".  He started to fill the pool, I lay on the bed listening to the rushing water. Too much rushing water, it was filling the cupboard under the sink leaking everywhere. Dan tried everything and nothing was working, meanwhile my contractions were getting super strong. Dan was filling buckets and dumping them in. We have to give up on this birth pool plan. Water, wet towels and pots all over the floor. Dan times my back to back contractions and promptly calls the midwife. I pour myself a bath to try and slow things down a bit. My phone is in the car, my phone is the buzzer to let people in. The midwife is at the building, I feel like pushing and Dan bounds down the stairs and makes it back up before my next contraction. The midwife following shortly after. She comes into the bathroom, I look up and she looks like our friend Megan... I giggle " Why is Megan here?" I tell her

I feel like pushing and she asks me softly- perhaps I could wait till the other midwife arrives. I cannot believe I get to meet my baby so soon. so early. it is nothing more than surreal. I feel silly and giddy, and super chatty in between contractions. The other midwife arrives. Really this is happening? Tonight? I feel the babies head coming down. A haze of bliss. Sips of water. I feel the head come even closer. I think of all the important people in my life, close to me at that moment. Face by face I see everyone.

I hear a pitter patter of tiny feet. My eyes open, the bathroom is dark, a twinkle of light from the midwifes head lamp makes pretty stars across my field of vision. I see Elijah, his tired eyes and beautiful sleepy face. He sweeps his hand across my face, smiles and gently strokes my belly " Mom you are doing a great job"  Dan gets in the bathtub to make the water level higher and to catch the wee one. Elijah is thrilled "the baby, the baby" his encouragement and divine timing give me such strength and I push out the rest of the baby.

January 9th

7:21am

Elijah jumps in the tub pyjama's and all.

The four of us in this tiny yellow tub.

We laugh with the midwives.

We lay there for a while, I lift up the wet blanket.

A Boy. How very perfect.