Tonight I sat down with my two oldest kids and looked through pictures of when the two of them were just born and some pictures of them through the years. It’s pretty amazing to see how long ago all of that took place and yet looking at the pictures brought it flooding back like it was yesterday. It was an absolute blast to listen to their reactions at seeing themselves as babies. We did this because now that they have their new baby sister, their curiosity regarding their own “beginnings” is piqued. Ah, yes, their baby sister… the surprise that I didn’t see coming! This post is very simply (and selfishly) a feeble attempt to capture what this ride was like as we welcomed our little firecracker, born on the 4th of July.
With each of our other two kids there were events that dictated when they would be born. With Allison, it was the doctor deciding that we needed to induce. With James, it was a watershed event… pun completely intended. But this time was different. We already had permission from our doctor to come in if the contractions were fairly regular even if Becky knew that she wasn’t really in labor, simply because she was progressing well already. So after waking up and not being able to go back to sleep, Becky decided to take the kids for a walk while I continued to snooze. When they arrived back home, I asked her if she was having any contractions and she said she was probably having enough. And in an almost surreal scene, I simply asked her if she wanted to have a baby today and she said yes. So we called up our friend who would watch the others just to make sure she wasn’t busy, and what time might be a good time to drop them off. We swung by a store on the way over there to look for a baby 4th of July outfit and then dropped the kids off. We decided that it would be good to amp up the contractions a little more again before getting to the hospital, so we grabbed lunch and walked around an outdoor shopping area here in town looking in kids boutiques and well… hat stores because that’s how I roll. After we walked sufficiently we decided that it was time to head on in and have a baby. It still sounds funny when I type it, but that’s really how this played out.
Now, I’m sure everyone is really hoping I won’t give a blow-by-blow breakdown of labor and delivery, and hopefully, it brings you great joy when I tell you that I won’t. What I will do is deliver two critical points: 1) Birth is an amazing miracle every single time it happens and 2) My wife is amazing. Now, to the first point… I have been on the easy side (i.e. the Father-not-feeling-pain side) of just three births, but I feel like it’s enough to give me some perspective on birth in general. There is truly nothing like it. Watching a life that you helped conceive appear for the first time, see light for the first time, take a breath for the first time, and cry for the first time is absolutely awe-inspiring. It is an absolute miracle. It’s so amazing to be madly in love with someone from the second they arrive on this planet. It’s also amazing what you feel for the love of your life as you share that moment with them. 
We had completely different delivery experiences with each of our kids and Becky showed amazing grace and perseverance through each. With Allison, she went through labor and a significant gallstone attack simultaneously. We will both attest to the fact that a conversation did take place regarding never doing this again… though I was pretty sure that tune would change. And yet, she was absolutely amazing as she pushed through all of that and we were greeted by our beautiful first-born baby girl. The second time around she showed strength and poise in the face of a very impatient on-call doctor and a sleep-deprived husband who had to call on the good folks from AMP Energy drinks to ensure he was awake for the final stretch of the birth of his son. Now going into the third delivery, Becky was certain that could and wanted to deliver this baby girl naturally. And if you listen to her, she will tell you that she didn’t handle it as well as she hoped. And if you listen to her, you will hear a lie. Take it from the guy who was there and remembers all three (well, most of all three… still never going to live down that section of #2). She was as tough as can be and though the final hour was tough, she really handled it virtually as well as the previous two only this time without any assistance. It was amazing. I was in awe of her strength and ability to do it. And as Lauren was born I really got caught between two waves of emotion like never before. Love, pride, and amazement toward my wife, and love, joy, and awe for my baby girl. It was something else.
So now I sit here and write this, 8 days after her birth. What is it like this time? It’s truly a special blessing. By the time Allison was 8 days old, we were already dealing with how we would handle her having major surgery in the first few months of her life. By the time James was 8 days old, we were very focused on how to juggle a toddler and a newborn. This time feels very different. For one, watching the older two being lovingly effusive toward their baby sister is absolutely precious. The fact that they are old enough to really appreciate her, and all of this is neater than I had anticipated. As with each of them, watching Becky gaze adoringly at her precious baby is an absolute portrait of love. And, as Becky has pointed out to me, something is just a little different this time with me as well. I cut in for my own snuggle-time with Lauren more than ever and I just feel more caught up in it all. Additionally, getting the extra time with Allison and James as part of this has been even better than expected. It’s truly awesome. I could soak in this for a very long time and never tire of it.
I have struggled to come up with an ending to this, so in lieu of something amazing, all I will say is that I will never look at the 4th of July the same and it is now, unequivocally, my favorite national holiday.
Other Thoughts Illustrated 