The Happiest Thanksgiving

 I have experienced many happy moments in my life. I have traveled the world, seen many different places, tried many different foods. I had the wedding of my dreams and I remember the natural high that I was on for months after. I even remember saying "it can't get much better than this".  I was oh so wrong. The day that changed my life would be almost a year to the day of our 1 year wedding anniversary and although my wedding ranks high up on my all time favorite days, Giving birth to our first child, Lucia Melinda, trumps the wedding day.  As a matter of fact, it may trump every other day for the rest of my life.

It began the night before thanksgiving.  I was 4 days past my November 20th due date and was admittedly a little disappointed that she hadn't come on our 1 year anniversary.  I was determined to meet her!  The hubs and I set out to eat a spicy dinner and around 10pm I realized I was "feeling something".  I couldn't believe that this day I had been planning for all these months was actually approaching us.

After much research and strong conviction of our hearts, we decided to have a home birth.  We wanted to experience birth in it's raw and truest form.  We wanted to create a peaceful birthing den.  A place where we could let everything go, a place full of warmth and love, a place where we could simply focus on the one thing that mattered most; two people who love each other bringing their first born child into this world, a moment that still gives me goosebumps.

Rewind to June of 2011. I had come across something called hypnobirthing. I am one who loves to try things out of the ordinary. I love to do things the "alternative" way and look at people when it's over and say "see I told you it would work" so hypnobirthing sounded like something right up my alley.  I had signed up for the classes and had been diligently listening to the CD's for months, so when the day came I put on my game face.  I slept on and off listening to my birthing playlist and at about 5am I realized that this was probably the day we would meet our little one.  Candles were lit, the bath was drawn and we jumped in head first greeting the journey that was ahead.  The sun began to rise and slowly fill the room with warmth and for the longest time the only noise that could be heard was my slow breathing as I embraced each surge.

At 8am my mom and the doula arrived and for the next 4 hours I labored quietly between the warm tub and the warm shower.  Around 11am I was checked to see how dilated I was and to everyone's disbelief I was 9cm.  I couldn't believe I had gotten this far without even realizing it.

Our midwife showed up around 12 and from here on out the word labor took on it's true meaning. Pushing life out is work but it is the most rewarding and meaningful work I have ever done.
There were a few times when I let my mind get the best of me. There were a few times when I thought to myself "I can't do this" but with every push I was rewarded with the thought that I was one second closer to the moment we had been dreaming of for 9 months.

At 1:57 my heart learned to love in a way it never knew it could. With one final push Lucia Melinda was born peacefully into this world.  She came out with a strong set of lungs as if she was saying to us all "I'm here".  It was a day that will forever be engraved on my heart. A day that made me realize I can do ANYTHING!  Welcome to the world little one.  We love you more with each passing moment!