Witnessing the birth of a baby is most often a luxury held by the father. For that reason I feel so lucky to have been there for the birth of my niece, Darienne.
I forget the details leading up to it. I don't remember getting a phone call saying it was time to go. I don't remember where I was or what I was doing that day - which for me is strange. I ALWAYS remember those details. For all the other kids births I know exactly what I was doing and where I was when they were born. Perhaps the experience I had this time renders the other details unimportant in my mind. What I do remember is standing to the left of Amy, her husband on the right. We held her legs as she pushed. (And pushed and pushed). In the beginning I was excited but very nervous. I didn't know what to do, where to stand, where to look, what to say.... Until I heard the doctor say she could see the head.
The second I saw the head that kid had my heart. Suddenly it was real - and it was amazing. I was so proud of my sister for how hard she worked to bring that beautiful baby into the world. (and she was a nine pound baby...so she really did work hard). My mom was overwhelmed with emotion. She stood beside me, crying, as any mother watching her baby have a baby would. When the baby finally came out we were all VERY anxious to find out if it was a girl or a boy. My brother-in-law and I peered our heads over in unison looking for the answer. But the way the umbilical cord was laying, we weren't able to tell. Finally the doctor grabbed the baby like a football, held her up and declared "It's a girl!" We all cheered and cried with happiness like a scene right out of a movie. Then we laughed, knowing the tally of girls was now at four.
That was seven years ago today. Part of me feels like it was a million years ago, yet it also feels like yesterday. Crawling, walking, talking, laughing, reading, running, scoring goals, cracking jokes & even smearing chapstick on her butt. 7 years. I just can't believe it. That baby has become a beautiful little girl.
Birth truly is a miracle and I'm so thankful my sister let me experience it and share in that moment with her and her husband.
Thank you Amy. As always, you rock.
Some kids sing Barney, some kids sing camp songs. This kid? She sings old school country. Check her out: "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" by George Jones
Happy Birthday Darienne
1 comment:
I LOVE IT! Your niece is so totally hip, busting out the George Jones like some kind of neo-country soul sista. Props to the people around her for filling her world with good music instead of Raffi. :)
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