A TRUE BIRTH DAY.

As Laura was leaving Ben and Lin's raucous sledding party Sunday afternoon, she confessed that she had been having some pretty convincing contractions!  Remember that through-the-belly conversation I had with my unborn nephew?  Apparently it worked!  By 11:30 that night, Laura finally decided she was indeed in labor again and headed straight for McCall Memorial Hospital.  And I was not far behind!  I had been a very impatient expectant aunt all weekend!  And Sunday night was my last night in the mountains! Perfect timing!

Downtown McCall certainly looked very quiet when compared to my

most recent memories of the Winter Carnival!

MY HANG OUT DURING THE DELIVERY!

  

WHERE I INHALED CAFFEINE--QUITE IMPATIENTLY!

  

AND READ EVERY AWKWARDLY PLASTIC-CASED MAGAZINE IN THE WAITING ROOM BEFORE 

FINALLY RESORTING TO IMPATIENTLY PACING THE DESERTED HALLWAYS.

DID I MENTION I WAS UNCOMFORTABLY IMPATIENT?

  

AND THEN . . . AT 4:03 AM,

EVEN FROM THE "IMPATIENTLY WAITING ROOM," I COULD HEAR

THE CRIES OF MY NEWBORN NEPHEW!

AND WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY LATER, DANNY CAME

OUT AND CONFIRMED THAT MY NEPHEW HAD ARRIVED

(AND THAT HE WAS INDEED A HEALTHY BABY BOY)!

I, ALONE, SERVED AS BABY'S WELCOMING COMMITTEE!

I AM SUCH A PROUD AUNT!

AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

  

TEN FINGERS AND TEN TOES!

AND PERFECT IN EVERY WAY!

BABY AND I GOT TO SPEND A TON OF TIME ALONE TOGETHER WHILE

THE HOSPITAL STAFF ATTENDED TO LAURA AND GOT HER SETTLED

IN HER ROOM FOR THE NIGHT--OR WHAT WAS LEFT OF IT!

HE LAID UNDER THE WARMING LIGHT WHILE I WATCHED IN QUIET AWE!

AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT HE BETTER GET USED TO THE

SOUND OF MY CAMERA SHUTTER!  HE WILL BE HEARING AN AWFUL

LOT OF IT DURING HIS LIFETIME!

I WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS CHERISH OUR FIRST MOMENTS TOGETHER!

AND AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST VOICES HE HEARD, ONE OF THE FIRST TO TOUCH HIS AMAZINGLY SOFT SKIN AS I GENTLY SOOTHED HIM--TO WITNESS HIS FIRST MOMENTS OF LIFE.

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS LITTLE BOY!

WHILE LAURA AND DANNY WERE GETTING SETTLED, I GOT TO HELP THE NURSE 

TAKE HIS MEASUREMENTS AND FOOTPRINTS!

AND WATCH HIS FIRST BATH!

WHICH HE WAS NOT SO HAPPY ABOUT!

LAURA'S NURSE, CHERYL, IS A GOOD FRIEND OF HER'S!

HOW MANY OF US CAN SAY OUR FRIEND HELPED DELIVER OUR BABY?!

CHERYL IS AWESOME!

SHE CAME IN, WHEN SHE WAS NOT ON CALL, JUST FOR LAURA'S DELIVERY!

  

FINALLY THEY SENT DADDY BACK TO RETRIEVE BABY.

6 AM!

WE WERE ALL PRETTY EXHAUSTED!

I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW:

MY SISTER IS ONE TOUGH COOKIE!

I AM SO PROUD OF HER!  SHE NOT ONLY MAKES BEAUTIFUL BABIES BUT

SHE EVEN MANAGES TO DELIVER THEM WITHOUT PAIN BLOCKERS!

WHAT A WOMAN!  AND A REALLY, REALLY GREAT MOMMY!

MCCALL MEMORIAL HOLDS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

NOT ONLY HAVE THEY DELIVERED LAURA'S BABIES, THEY HAVE ALSO REMOVED MY ORGANS, PUT MY FAMILY'S VERY BROKEN BONES BACK TOGETHER AND SAVED MY MOM'S LIFE!

IT IS A VERY COOL HOSPITAL!

AND I LOVE THEIR SMALL, QUAINTNESS TOO.

(WHERE YOUR FRIENDS DELIVER YOUR BABIES)!

THE ONLY TWO CARS IN THE PARKING LOT WERE MINE AND THE EXPEDITION!

AND AT WHAT OTHER HOSPITAL CAN YOU FIND DEER TRACKS IN THE SNOW IN THE PARKING LOT?