the birth of nicolas west: a list

by no means complete.  just a way to begin to remember our boy’s day of days.

• early labor…walking to the cafe and being with Nicki and Mabel and Zion
• napping with Mabel after our walk, so much our usual routine
• waking with contractions, then waiting for AP to come home
• beans and avocado and chili verde for dinner
• out for a walk in the warm sun…wearing the birth dress and Jessica’s sweater
• reading on the couch with the girl between contractions
• Mabel asleep in her own bed

• Beth coming, then Nicki.  the atmosphere changing: yes, this baby is coming.  calls to family
• telling Troy stories between contractions
• going to sleep at the edge of active labor
• the house dark and quiet, waiting for the new thing
• then getting up–my body determining for us all that sleep would wait
• the Inland Arbor tree as focus point…and Dream and Reality by Berdyaev
• filling the tub–boiling water!
• in the tub, waiting for Andy
• Mabel arriving, all smiles, drinking juice, happy, matter of fact
• her face at the side of the tub as she watched her mama push out her brother
• feeling his wrinkled head inside me
• the contractions still coming so close: push, push, push
• feeling his legs inside while the rest of him was out and knowing that he was moving to get a contraction going and that being so right.  he’s a player here too.
• that boy on my chest!

• all of us in bed together getting warm
• then scattering to our various jobs: placenta prints, egg making, blood collecting, reading on the couch, star gazing, babe in arms
• Nicki’s foot rub
• watching the newborn exam with Mabel in my lap
• the house quiet again after such a flurry of activity, Mabel back asleep
• waking for five minutes with the grandparents
• our first morning.  together.  at home.