everyday miracles: birthin' babies

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In my family, the women tend to be ahead of the curve. We plan things in advance, even for other people (which sometimes gets us into trouble). And we never ever like to be late for anything.

So it should have been no surprise that a baby girl joining this family might choose to preempt her own baby shower by arriving beforehand, like little Miss Bailey Catherine did yesterday:

We were expecting her to join us in a few weeks. Meanwhile, we all had plans this Saturday to shower her mom Anna with food and gifts in anticipation of the big day.

Only Bailey had her own ideas and decided her Big Day was July 15th, thank you very much.

My cousin Dawn messaged me early in the morning: "I'm on the way to Columbia, Anna is in labor! I'll text you later."

Later she messaged me details, you know - water, dilation, time frame, that sort of thing.

"How's Brandon?" I asked, wondering how my big burly bearded cousin was handling things.

"He's great! Tired, but great."

Right. Because he's a chef and has probably not been to bed since the day before.

"And Anna?"

"Uh....miserable?!?"

Right. Because she's been pregnant forever and in labor since 1:00 am and she's DELIVERING A BABY!

I blissfully do not remember the miserable parts of my labor. I remember sleeping for the first time in weeks because the epidural made my hip pain go away. I remember the music playing in the background. I remember the people around me. I remember the giant relieving whoosh that no one prepared me for.

Ah, the joy of selective memory!

Today, a day later and a few weeks earlier than expected, Anna has gone from miserable to plain ol' happy. Her girl is here - ten fingers, ten toes, and pink bows. Now she can go from being pregnant to being mommy. And she will do it with style, just like she does everything else.

Author Jan Kelleher, recently shared the story of her first birthing experience with audiences as part of Listen To Your Mother Charleston. From getting pregnant within the first year of her marriage by following the advice of someone in her brother's fraternity, to having Prissy as her anesthesiologist, to wondering if her "happy valley" would ever work right again, Jan offers a humorous take on some of the less pleasant aspects of becoming a mother.