Twenty-seven years ago I was sitting in a hospital waiting room awaiting the arrival of my baby sister. Now, today I sit anxiously awaiting to board a plane to visit said sister as she awaits the arrival of her firstborn baby, a boy. My trip was planned in hopes that he would already have arrived into this world with a scream of joy, soft newborn hair, and of course, those kissable toes.
However, it seems that he is presently content remaining in the warm, comforting walls of his mother’s womb. The floods of memories that come pouring to the forefront of my mind from my first pregnancy are overwhelming, yet surprisingly surreal. I remember keeping a journal of all my thoughts and feelings. So as I prepare to see my sister, I am skimming the archives of my heart’s fondest moments from the day of my son’s arrival and the immediate ones thereafter.
- Thankful for the moment he released that first cry.
- Staring at his face…it will remain etched in my memory forever.
- Telling him I love him with all of my heart and how thankful I am to be his mother.
Well ladies, as I wrap up my visit to Washington D.C.– again writing from the airport– it seems that my nephew will be making his debut either late tonight or early tomorrow morning ( after I have returned to South Carolina). My timing was off for this trip, but well worth visiting my sister and watching her experience her last days of her first pregnancy.
In the midst of writing this post, November 11, 2009 , my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby boy…8lbs. 6 oz.! He is beautiful, healthy, and absolutely precious!
As a favor to me, I would like to ask that you leave a brief comment of one of your fondest “birth” day moments. I have told her to read today’s post as she will be going home with her new bundle of joy.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve been thinking a lot about the births of my children lately, I remember every second of each day. I think my favorite moment from each birth was looking at their father’s face the moment our baby was placed on my stomach, I loved seeing his reactions, it was always pure love that I saw.
I actually love the giving birth process. Sure it is painful, but I love the details and the excitement in the air. Being in the moment, knowing you are about to bring another human being into the world… really is incredible. Thankfully I have had two relatively easy (not counting the 4 hours of pushing my first out) births, I am forever grateful for these precious boys of mine and their stories though unique and amazing – will forever hold the forefront of the two most incredible days of my life.
Thanks for the opportunity to reflect on December 5 and July 16 again. Congrats to your sister!
So cute!!! Congrats to your sis :-)
There is nothing that beats that new baby high!
Birth is such an amazing experience and I am forever grateful. There is nothing like that first time, with all the unknown and overwhelming emotions. My favorite moment, of all time, I think – was after the doctors, nurses and even my husband left me alone for the first time with my newborn son. He was just hours old and I was amazed at everything about him. Laying in the dark hospital room with just he and I was incredible! We breastfed and alternated between praying for him and talking to him about my hopes for his life. God has been so very good.
I have always had such a deep respect for the birth of new life. I cannot watch anything related to the birth process on TV without bawling my eyes out (and I RARELY cry). Of course, those emotions are heightened by having the privilege of giving birth myself. It definitely hurts, but feeling your baby come out and being laid on your chest… there is nothing sweeter than saying “hi” for the first time and feeling an immense sense of accomplishment!!
My husband desperately wanted a boy. He’s a man’s man. He was in love with the idea of “a son.” We decided not to find out the sex at the ultrasound but I knew, I knew in my heart that “the baby” was a girl. I was petrified of his disappointment. Of all the amazing things I remember about the day my daughter was born, it is the look on my husband’s face the first time he held his gorgeous little girl – the look of pure unconditional love and admiration that I remember and treasure most. He still has that look…it shows on his face every time he sees her.
Like many others, the moment that most sticks in my heart is that “first” face to face. When you finally get to hold the precious bundle you’ve been carrying around for 9 months. You know the next few months are going to be a mix of joy and pain and sleeplessness and more joy, but with those first few minutes together you know that no matter what, it’s all worth it.
Oh my-there is NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING in this world that will ever compare to that moment of seeing your baby for the first time. I have 3 children and each birth was sooo different from the next-one was a nightmare-with a happy ending, the next one perfection, and the third was a scary miracle. So my appreciation for the miracle of birth is like no other. My favorite newborn times usually happened at night when the house was quiet, dim light from the night light, rocking in the glider, warm baby nestled in and listing to the sweet sounds of a baby nursing. Then falling in love with my husband over and over as I watched him with each one of our children!
Until our daughter was born, my husband had never held a newborn baby. As I was recovering from an emergency c-section, he stood all by himself in the nursery and told the nurses he didn’t know how to hold her. The nurse simply said, “It’s time to learn.” She made him sit in a rocking chair and that was it. He took good care of her until I woke up.
I ended up having to have an emergency c-section after way too many hours of labor. I was only so exhausted and out of it, that during the surgery when they took my son out, I heard him crying and I thought “oh, someone had a baby that sounds like a brand new baby cry”.. then it hit me, that was MY baby!! The realization that this little guy was mine and here now was just surreal.
My favorite B-day memory with my first born son was watching his Daddy hold him for the first time. I thought I’d actually never have a chance to since they were in their own little world getting acquainted, father and son!
Congratulations on your new nephew! I was fortunate to have an easy delivery with my daughter. The entire experience was beautiful and amazing. The first thing I thought of when I saw her big, blue eyes, was how deeply she was looking at me, and I at her. Amazing. Her eyes still light me up every time I see her.
I just gave birth for the fourth time 2 weeks ago, and it was a precious, precious experience just like all the others. I’ve been reflecting on the miracle of birth all this time since. I remember the hours of labor feeling trancelike and surreal as I concentrated on the way each contraction would bring our baby closer to us…culminating in that beautiful moment when I first felt my baby in my arms. There is nothing like it in the whole world and I’ll never forget those four beautiful moments as long as I live! Congratulations to your sister!
I’ve only had the one baby so far, but it was a water birth so it was a pretty amazing thing to see this little dark headed baby float up in the water when I finally did that last push.
I agree with Amy H. There is nothing like a newborn for bringing me to tears! Even the pic you showed of your beautiful nephew choked me up! I loved every minute of those newborn days – staring at my sons, dedicating every little thing to memory, feeling that warm little bundle snuggled up to me, knowing that I alone was “mama”. Absolutley nothing like it!
The births of each of my four children are etched in my mind like it was yesterday, all so very different yet the same. There’s nothing like that feeling when you first get to hold your new baby in your arms and it’s one of the few times I’ve ever seen my hubby cry. Congrats to your sister and her new little family!
I had a wonderful, not short, but wonderful birth experience with my son. The crowning moment was that after we delivered his head and shoulders my midwife had me “catch” him the rest of the way and pull him to me. It was lovely and overwhelming. He was beautiful and here!
For about 30 minutes I thought I should know him better than I did and was worried that I wasn’t measuring up but still elated. Then, they moved me to a recovery room and stopped him in the hall to get some measurements. He was maybe an hour old and he began to cry. Mind you there were a number of babies crying on the ward, and I was no where near him, but I knew that was Ethan. I wanted to know why my son was crying and why he wasn’t with me already?! It was a lovely, fiercely connected, protective moment that I will forever cherish.
As I read your post I am sitting on the floor in my daughters room as she falls asleep – she is exhausted because she has had a full day of celebration, today is her 8th birthday. I am watching her sleep and reading. What a perfect post to help me put the love joy and bittersweet feeling I have in my heart. I have so much joy that 8yrs ago today I became the mother of two in an instant, that I welcomed a beautiful healthy daughter into my life, I am flooded with the feeling of love and the memories of my son meeting his sister for the 1st time and it’s all just a tad bittersweet because my baby is 8 – every passing year is a blessing. To your sister: many blessings and as cliche as it sounds please take. Moment breath and remember this beautiful day-soak it in….
I’ll confess I remember very little of the birth of my first daughter – but my second one was different, and I held her close and we snuggled in bed that whole first night and it was wonderful. But for me the most amazing moment was my husband bringing our oldest daughter to meet her little sister – the look between us all that said “now there are 4 of us, and we’re complete”
Congratulations to your sister! With all three of mine, I felt an immense sense of achievement (and eternally sorry for men, who can never really know ;-)
I remember my husband being so happy that he actually jumped for joy when we heard “it’s a boy!”. we had 2 girls at home he loved dearly, but really wanted a boy to make our family ‘complete’. It still makes me laugh.
Congrats to your sister. Being a mom is such an incredibly challenging ‘job’. But the benefits are beyond comprehension.
Congratulations to you and especially your sister!
I am fortunate to have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl 16 short years ago. She was born on “Labor” Day.
It was the day that I came to know what unconditional, love at first sight is, and how that love just continues to grow daily. (Even though now she is a teenager. haha)
Thea I know exactly how you feel I am at my sisters right now for a visit before she gives birth to her first baby boy too. Only I will be able to be here for the birth. Because we live only a state away from each other. I’m so excited to see my new nephew.
I gave birth to twins and what was most memorable for me was after I was finally able to see them looking at my daughters face and seeing my grandmother and looking at my sons face and seeing his father and thinking my husband and I made these beautiful babies. What a gift from God.
Congrats to your sister!
Congratulations! That little man will change you in so many wonderful ways. I gave birth to my first child, a boy, July 24, 2009. I endured 12 hours of natural labor when he finally arrived at 5:19am. Everyone thinks I\\\’m crazy for going the natural route but I wouldn\\\’t change a thing about it. He was worth every ounce of sweat and every single tear. I don\\\’t think I have a most memorable \\"moment\\". The entire experience was so absolutely amazing! Congrats again!! Much love!
Aside from all the obvious things like seeing my daughter\\\’s face for the first time, the first time my husband held her and the tears of joy in his eyes, etc., the thing that comes back to me so warmly is the feeling of strength and success that I had after delivering her. I have never been so proud of myself!
My dearest husband announcing the sex of each of my darling daughters — all three were a surprise. We are so blessed.
Congratulations to your sister!
A little late, but congratulations! I had the most amazing birth experience two months ago – and I still well up every time I watch the video (on my blog). It really was the most amazing day of my life. Raising my daughter out of the water, my hands the first to touch her… I’ll never forget it, nor will I forget the moment my eyes locked on to hers… *sigh* I think it’s time for another one! ;oP
When my first (and only) child was born almost 11 months ago, I said to him, quietly, “Thank you for choosing me”.
It was our special quiet moment in a room full of people…no one else heard it.
Just us.