Yes! Beautiful DIL gave birth to our little granddaughter, on Thursday, February 26th at 3:43 p.m. 7 lbs., 11 oz., 21-1/2 inches long and "perfect" according to the doctor and everyone else who has seen her since. Yes, a perfect Jewel of a girl, who arrived six days early because she just couldn't wait to make her mark on the world!
When something either wonderful or terrible happens I feel compelled to tell the story over and over to either cement it in my mind or work through the emotions that attend a Big Event. But to everyone else listening it gets a bit old, yes? So, no long-winded retelling of the story of labor and birth here. The abbreviated version is that I got a call at 8:00 a.m., that contractions were under way and everyone was enroute to the hospital. I live 3 minutes away, so I beat them there. What followed was seven hours of progressive labor, with a big rush of excitement at the end!
I was in the room, along with DIL's mom and my son, "Daddy", for the delivery. This was an especially huge deal for me, being a mother through adoption, and never having experienced a birth myself or even ever seen one. Their generosity to invite me to be an intimate part of this pregnancy and birth was the greatest gift I've ever been given.
Let me say this about pregnancy, labor, and birth. It's a little weird. Many women I know, including DIL, agree. There is a strangeness in realizing a little human is growing inside you. We made "Alien" jokes more than once. And then the whole labor thing. It looks pretty hurt-y. I'm pretty good at pain when I set my meditating mind and Yoga breathing to the task, but I don't think I've felt anything at all like labor pain. It looks a little daunting, but DIL was absolutely amazing. A little moaning, a few tears, and at the end maybe a delicate "vocalization" (nowhere near the screaming stream of obscenities I was sure would be coming from me at that point had I been in her place.)
The drama was how fast it all went at the end. There was one nurse in the room checking her and then frantically trying to reach their doctor, who was nowhere to be found. A team of nurses with equipment ran into the room, then a doctor no one had ever seen before came in, took one look and said, "On the next contraction, go ahead and give a big push." She did. Then one more big push and...zoom! Baby birthed! Within minutes, DIL was all smiles, baby lying on her chest. Son One cut the cord. Baby got a blanket thrown over her and the bonding began.
Hub came into the room to meet his granddaughter, Son Two had been babysitting Angel and brought her to the hospital to meet her sister....the rest of the afternoon and early evening was a surreal and tender time of oooohing and ahhhhing, taking dozens of photos on six smart phones and sending the pictures instantly to family and friends far and wide. Everyone took a turn holding our Jewel. We toasted with champagne and sparkling cider and then said our goodbyes around 6:30, leaving Son-One and DIL to spend their first night together at the hospital with their new daughter.
OK. I guess I did go on and on....sorry. I'm still a bit in a daze. All my usual irony is completely at bay and I'm going around spouting the most sappy, cliche'ed, rhetoric about the whole thing. I am blessed, I am delighted, I am in love, I am proud, I am hopeful, I am glowing, I am ... amazed at my amazement.
"Angel" came to us at 10 months old when Son-One introduced us to, and eventually married, her mother. I love Angel with all my heart, and now we have "Jewel" who I will have known from her first breath. Two little girls in my life, after a lifetime of being surrounded by boys and men. I cannot wait to watch them grow and become the human manifestation of the bright spirits and beautiful souls I know they are.
At least, that's the (joyful) view from here...©
Congratulations! What a wonderful topic for a post! As a new grandmother, you did extremely well describing the whole experience. I am so happy for you that your son and daughter-in-law wanted to include you so up front and personal, which doesn't always happen. We've just begun a wonderful adventure that will last a life-time.
ReplyDeleteI don't like posting pictures of people I know in my blog either unless I have permission or they are photos of someone who has passed.
Thanks, Jean. Yes. It does feel like a new chapter in all of our lives. I have to brush up on my baby-tending skills. We'll be doing 'grandma & grandpa' care 3 days/wk when DIL goes back to work in May. It will mean a huge shift in focus, energy and time, but I'm excited to be able to help them and care for our Gem.
DeleteBeautiful,, special, exciting! A gift from God!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandy! So true!
DeleteI have had the honor of expanding my family through delivery and through adoption. Each has its own set of difficulties, amazement and joy. The end results, however, were the same. Pure, true love. And that works for grandchildren, too. Special needs, biological, adoptive...the love is there and the deep gratitude. I am so happy for you and for your expanding family.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue. You are so right...no matter how they come, love is the binding force and it's the same regardless. I am so blessed.
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