A Long Summer's Night

Well I've been waiting for the right time to tell this story. The story of Celia's birth.  I couldn't decide if this was the right forum for me, but I think I'll give it a shot.  The first real miracle I've ever experienced (at least that I can remember- for those of you who know my own start to this world) began June 14th. I'd waited, prayed, climbed stairs, eaten jalepenos straight up, had a very intense experience with some hot sauce at a Thai restaurant (we narrowly avoided the dreaded castor oil route) and Celia wouldn't budge.  She liked her snug little home and she wasn't sure what this world held for her, so I'm guessing she had some thought like- "Look Mommy, can you just chill for a few more days?  I'm stubborn just like you." 

And so as my dute date went flying past I became a ticking time bomb. Bobby was my shadow for the two weeks we waited (no complaints from me there). And each day we'd wake up and look at each other with this face like, "Dang, can you believe I slept like a rock again last night?  She's still in there!"  So my mom came to visit again for the tenth time (honestly 10 times) on Tuesday and when she left it was just like all the times before.  "Maybe next time you see me I'll be holding my baby."  I gave a weak, swollen faced smile and sent her on her way.  That night Bobby's parents got tired of waiting in Clemson and just decided to drive on to our house.  We went to have a quick dinner near our house.  I'd been examining every single pang, creak and ache to find out if it was labor and then it happened.  The first contraction... in Panera Bread of all places.  My face flushed with the intensity of it and I knew instinctively, "This is it!"  So we got back to the apartment and Jan (Bobby's mom) and I walked around our little lake for a mile.  I took a shower and drank tons of water (all things they say to do to make sure you are actually in labor) and the contractions kept coming every 30 minutes or so.  Bobby's parents left us around 9: 30 to begin the journey of labor by ourselves.  And as we settled down for a long summer's night we stood in the quiet of our home knowing it would the last time it would be just the two of us ever again.  ... To be continued....