Today's my daughter's Birthday. Holy cow. Here's the story - because I want folks to know how special she is among people. smile emoticon
In the late hours of 25 June, sleep enveloped me without objection.
Approaching midnight Mary called to me. Mary’s water broke the date you were due to arrive. Punctuality runs deep in your bones.
Arriving at Madigan Army Medical Center we were admitted without fuss – initial examination confirmed Mary was in labor. Wheeling your mom into a room, I nervously stood by, making conversation with whomever stopped in. Chief among my topics was the history Mary’s family created with very-rapid deliveries. As Mary lay with epidural installed into her lower back, the pain and discomfort changed to feelings of pressure. An hourly exam, about 0530 showed mary about half way to the point of delivery. Mary’s doctor and a colleague looked mary over. The colleague doctor looked up and said “She’s at 5cm, so probably another 4 or 5 hours”.
I protested “Doctor – women in her family…they deliver really quickly”
The doctor seemed a little insulted and told me he’d been a doctor for
years and was very experienced in the stages of labor. I was encouraged to sit, relax and just be there if Mary needed anything.
I did what any expectant father would do in this situation – I went back to sleep.
“Darin…” Mary said softly “Darin – can you get the nurse? I think I have
to use the bathroom. So much pressure”.
I awoke and called for a nurse. Looking up at the clock I saw it was about 6:08am.
The nurse came in, and we mentioned mary’s pressure to her. As procedure the nurse did a quick exam.
What followed was a whirlwind of scrubs, legs, face masks, shields gloves and stethoscopes. Mary’s Doctor rushed into the room upon a call from help from the nurse. The doctor told everyone the delivery is going to happen right here – not the normal delivery room. Everyone sprang into action “Dad!” the doctor said “Grab a leg!!”
With Mary’s right leg pressed up against my shoulder (as an aside, I did NOT put this on Facebook, but I thought to myself "Hmm..this is a little like how the baby got in there in the first place...-dmp) – and a nurse holding the opposite leg – the doctor began giving Mary instructions about pushing and breathing. What happened in the next few minutes changed me from the core for several reasons. As Mary followed the doctor’s instructions, I began to see a very dark-skinned head emerge. Honest to God for about forty-three seconds I was petrified. My resounding thought was “Me and Mary are going to have to TALK…”
Two more pushes and the dark skinned baby’s head gave way to a little Caucasian forehead under what was SUPER thick black hair, matted and glossy from the fluids and all that. Breathing a sigh of relief, and probably not more than a half-dozen pushes later I saw the whole you in the arms of the doctor. After cutting the umbilical cord you were introduced to Mary and me. You cried. Your bottom lip was curled way down and your mouth agape as you belted out a tune. I didn’t want to stop touching you. Your little crazy head with your huge crazy hair-do. Your little fingers. Your precious little nose. Everything was perfect and less than an hour after the “Four or Five hours!” statement from the associate doctor, you were officially a part of the outside world.
Now, I’m unsure if the planet realized what happened that morning 16 years ago. You were one baby of probably millions born 26 Jun of that year. I promise you however, the world WILL know you because of the impact you have within mankind. The world tilts a little bit because of your power, Alaina. Humanity is measurably better from the influence of your perspective, the laughter of your wit, and the softness of your heart. I’d wish you “Happy Birthday” and I hope your day is indeed Happy but more than Happy I wish you Joy; I wish you discipline; I wish you wisdom – and the strength to get through the hard-way lessons one must take in order to get wisdom; I wish you grace; I wish you perspective – and yes, the strength to get through the hard-way lessons one must take in order to gain perspective.
I love you more than the stars and the moon.
Dad.
The Happiest Moments In Your Life
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Originally Posted by Augusto
