Ethan's Birth Story: Part Two

"It's time to push..." Alright. If Dr. P says it's time to push, then I'm ready to push! I did ask him if he was serious, to which he replied, "I wouldn't joke about that". And so began one of the more exciting, and most exhausting, parts of the labor process. I was once again blessed with the most amazing birthing support group, which consisted of my husband, my sister, and my mom. These were the same faces and voices I focused on while bringing Gracie into the world, and they didn't let me down this time either. I guess I won't ever really know if I was doing as great as they kept saying I was, but it sure was helpful to have their encouragement. Pushing was hard for me... I was so totally exhausted and there were moments I was sure my pushes were getting us nowhere. I pushed while on my left side, I breathed in and out through an oxygen mask. I pushed while on my right side, I cried. I worked at getting this baby boy out for a good hour...

 But then, at 5:39 on the evening of June 16th, my son was born.

9 months of growing, 15 hours of labor, 60 minutes of pushing... it all brought me face to face with my baby. I remember seeing his face as they worked to suction out his little mouth and nose. I noticed that he had a head of hair, just like his sister. They placed this brand new, precious baby on my chest and as I touched him for first time, my world stood still. Welcome to the world, little guy. We've been waiting for you.

I think that meeting your child for the first time is difficult to really describe. There are so many emotions that take over. I was relieved to see that Ethan was healthy, I cried happy tears at the sound of his first cry, and then, as he was bundled up and given to me, I felt peace and an overwhelming love for this tiny human being. We loved him from the very beginning, before we knew he was a "he", before he had a name or a room waiting for him in our home. It's amazing how that love continues to grow and somehow you love more than you even thought possible.

 Sean and I had talked weeks prior to Ethan's birthday and agreed that we wanted Gracie with us as soon as possible after his birth. It worked out beautifully that I went into labor in the early morning, then headed to the hospital that afternoon. Sean's mother and my step-dad waited with Gracie in the hospital waiting room that day. It was comforting knowing she was nearby, and once we were ready to show off the newest family member, Gracie was the first one to walk through that door. She walked in all by herself. I'm sure it was overwhelming, and possibly confusing to her, but she reacted as though she had been perfectly prepared for this very moment. She kissed her baby brother on his head and told us he was handsome. I'll always remember that moment when Sister met Brother and the love she had been giving him while he was in my belly revealed itself in a whole new way now that he was here, on the outside.

Ethan was 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 21 1/4 inches long. During our hospital stay, I kept telling everyone that he was such a sweet baby, and I'm still telling people that today, three weeks later. He is so sweet and cuddly! We feel so blessed by this precious gift, our son.

(Our first family photo.)