Can you believe it’s the end of November already? It feels like people have put their foot down on the year and we’re speeding along rapidly towards the end of the year at breakneck pace. Today, however, it all slows down a bit – at least for my husband and myself. 6 years ago last night, I came home from the obstetrician’s office almost two hours after my appointment time to terrify him with the announcement that it was time to head to the hospital – they were going to induce labor so we could get our bun in the oven out.
The Drive to the Hospital
I remember the drive as if it were yesterday and I have to admit, the icy rain we’re having tonight is a great reminder of our drive then – it was cold and icy and we were expecting more snow. We had a twenty-five minute drive to the hospital and he spent most of it quoting Bill Cosby and I was laughing so hard, I thought I would end up pushing in the car.
Even though they hooked me up with an I.V. drip of pitocin, it was still more than 13 and a half hours before our daughter put on an appearance and throughout the long night, my husband was right there – telling jokes, getting me ice chips and giving me encouragement. He was there when I had a back spasm and could barely think past the pain.
He helped to keep me focused on the hard part of the pushing and he was there when I needed someone to hold my hand and tell me I could do it. I remember the look on his face when he said he could see our daughter crowning. There was shock and awe on his face as the doctor helped her out the rest of the way and laid her on my tummy. He got to help cut the cord and the naked joy and love on his face actually brought tears to my eyes.
Every Year, I Remember
In the last six years, we’ve faced a lot of challenges, but every time we look at our daughter – we both say the same thing – we see the best of us in her face. We see all the things we’ve done right and all the reasons we continue to try and succeed in our marriage even when it doesn’t seem easy. Today our daughter is six years old and every part of the night she was born is etched indelibly into our memories.
Her birthday is in many ways a celebration of her life and the life we share with her at the same time. Six years ago, we made the transition from married partners to parents and it’s not always easy. Sometimes it feels like we’re fumbling in the dark and I can’t pretend it’s always easy – but today we celebrate all of what we have done right and all the hopes and dreams we have to keep doing it right.
Today our baby is six years old and our tenure as parents is six years old. It’s a pretty cool day.
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