This is what life is all about II - The birth story

This here is the Extended Version.

We were at my in-law's having a birthday celebration. After dancing with Michael Jackson and shaking things up and having Gina (my sis-in-law and birthday girl) rub my feet, I was pretty much ready to pass out. By the time we left that night I was starting to feel the contractions come on. In the car on the way home I started to suspect that the time had come.

Kimball fell asleep right away at around 1 AM. I didn't. I was in labor and back pains where getting more and more severe with every contraction.

I paced around the bedroom trying to ease some of the tension. By 2:30 AM I called my midwife Cathy and then I woke Kimball up.

We started getting everything ready. Set up the birth pool and the hose hook up, clear space around the pool. 

Kimball was doing everything right. He worked hard at creating a peaceful place for the delivery. He drove to the store and got food and water bottles.

I noticed the intensity of the contractions were less in my mind when I was in the same room as Kimball.

I called my mom and talked to her for a little bit helping me keep my mind of the back pain.

I told Kimball to go to bed at around 4 AM.

He had a restless sleep until about 8 AM. Meanwhile, mother Mary showed up at around 7:30 AM well rested and ready to help. Cathy took off to get some things taken care off and returned at around 9 AM. 

By then my back was ready to explode with pain as every contraction came on. 

No relief except when Mary would push hard on my hips.

I got in the pool at around 9:30 AM and the water carried some of my pain away. Contractions where really intense and finally at around 10 AM the baby shifted lower and the back pain went away.

But now I had two more centimeters to go and that was the hardest part. 

Kimball was soothing me with delicate cool touch on my neck and hair. Bliss.

I was far a way in La la Land and stopped acknowledging people. I was making sounds like a cave woman trying to breathe and relax between contractions.

I still hadn't lost the plug and the sack was still intact. It was up to me and the baby to move things along.

Overwhelmingly strong forces took over and I started to push.

After a few pushes the plug released. A few more and the membrane popped like a balloon (thank you MJ, king of pop..) and to me it was almost audible.

Things picked up and I decided to just go for it. Far far away I heard Cathy telling me to take a break but I was done, ready, over it, on my knees pushing as hard as I could.

Baby crowned and all of a sudden she was coming out in a hurry. Cathy had her hand on baby's head behind me and was directing someone to take over in the front. 

No one had time to think or blink. 

Mary was the closest and made a dash for it and caught the baby as she came shooting out like an octopus! I could feel her little body push through. Magnificent feeling of release once the head was clear.

As Mary lifted the slippery little body out of the water the cord somehow snapped and colored the water red.

Cathy had it all clamped within seconds and that was it.

Baby Lois was breathing well, she was calm and perfect.

She opened her eye within seconds and lifted her little head to look around. It was the most spectacular thing I've ever seen. She didn't make a sound but merely blinked at the sudden light and change of surroundings.

She's strong, perfectly healthy and beautiful.

I'm in love.