It just comes naturally

Our neighbors just brought home their brand new baby girl. I haven't got to see her yet but I can't wait to meet her. I talked to the new father today in the yard and congratulated him. I can tell he is very proud of her, and very tired too.

I remember when we brought Dawson home from the hospital not too long ago. I was so happy to have him home, but also a little scared to leave the cocoon of our hospital room with the safety of help only as far away as the push of a button.

The birth of their daughter reminds me quite a bit of our own labor experience. Sunday night when we came home from my mother's (mom takes the baby on Saturday night and I get a full night's sleep! Completely unheard of these days, so we go a lot) anyway we were bringing in all the 50 million things it takes to travel with an infant and they were entertaining in their backyard. Jared told us the due date was Saturday and their weekend flew on by and still no baby. So Monday night they were to go to the hospital to be induced Tuesday morning.

The similarities to my experience were almost strange. My due date was Saturday, June 21 and I went in that following Monday night and was given medicine to help me dilate, which didn't help but did send me into labor right away. I was given pitocin the next morning. My labor was really pretty awful, completely worth it, but really long and hard and ended in a c-section. I was hoping the neighbor's would be much easier! But I spoke to her family this afternoon and they said she had to have a c-section too. I felt so bad for her! But she is home today so everything must be going well for her and I am glad.

My labor lasted on to Wednesday morning, we think about 38 hours total and then at 7:05 June 25 our beautiful baby boy was born. He has grown and changed so much in that small amount of time. And I have grown and changed as a mother. I started out scared to even change his diaper, let alone bathe him. But now, eleven weeks later, I feel super confident with him. I know as he grows we will encounter moments I am not sure how to handle. But I've learned that really it just comes naturally. It's on the job training.