The Fruits of My Labor

I cannot even begin to thank everyone for the amazing comments on Thomas's birth story. I tried to respond to as many as I could, but time has been short lately. Know that I read and loved EVERY single thing said. I am so overwhelmed by it all. I'm also overwhelmed by the love and support of our friends and family. Saturday was such a sweet day. Beth was our first visitor, bearing donuts, coffee, chocolate, and clothes, because my meticulously packed suitcase was sitting at home. She took photos and didn't judge when I ate three donuts so fast that I had powdered sugar all over my face. Shane's parents came next, then CE, Sarah, my parents with Luke, my boss and his wife (she's a L&D nurse at the hospital) and Leah, who drove 2.5 hours with a box of cupcakes. It was a day full of love that began at 12:02 that morning and didn't end until we finally fell asleep that night.

With Luke's birth, I have pictures from the very moment he was out of me. The look of joy and relief and pride on my face, a shot of Shane's hands as he cut the cord, one of my midwife holding Luke up as he came out of me. I don't have those with Tommy.

This is our first photo together. Tommy was under the blanket, where he stayed from the moment we climbed on the stretcher until about three in the morning. But my face? The joy, the relief, the pride, it's all still there.
Today, my midwife called. I hadn't spoken to her since Tommy was born, so it meant a lot to me that she called. She told me that she heard congratulations were in order and that I had an exciting weekend. And then she asked a question that made me pause. She asked how I was doing with his birth, how I felt about it. When I stopped to think, I told her that there are parts of it that were so scary, yet I feel so good about it, that I feel like it was the most empowering thing that ever could have happened to me. And it's true. She told me she was amazed and proud of me, then she told me that even though she births babies for a living, she's seen them present in the amniotic fluid sac before and said that it's an incredibly strange sight at first glance. That made me feel better because I was suppose my only regret over his birth is losing my cool when I first felt the sac, because as Shane will tell you, I completely lost my composure. All things considered, I think that's okay.

My biggest fear was that Luke would associate the birth of his brother with his fear at that moment, but it was completely unfounded.

He loves his brother. I mean, REALLY loves him. He asks to hold him all the time. He kisses him, he hugs him, he calls him HIS baby. Every tear I've shed since Tommy's birth has been over the sheer joy of it all.

I know that there are so many beliefs surrounding babies born in the caul, some being that they'll be lucky in life or blessed. And I believe it, because this little guy, only four days old, has already brought more luck, love, and blessings into our life than we ever imagined possible.