Evan's birth story

This is the story of the birth of my second child - as told to both of my children.

Part II - Delivery, as told to Evan.

I walked from your brother's room in to mine and told your Papa I thought we should call my parents. Contractions were now five minutes apart.

Honestly, I was kind of scared. I called your Pops and prepared him for what might come. He placed his bags in his car and told me to call if I felt I needed him.

Back upstairs, I climbed in to bed to try to rest. For 45 minutes, the contractions came in five minute intervals. The pain a little more than before. We were getting close.

Then, my water broke.

Everything that followed happened so fast. My body began to shake. My teeth couldn't stop chattering. I called the midwife. Papa called your Pops.

We gathered our belongings. We dressed. Papa began taking our things to the car.

Still, I continued to shake. The contractions now came on so fast I couldn't record the time on paper. The pain intensified.

I asked Papa to call your Mamaw and Papaw. I knew you couldn't wait for your Pops to make the hour long trip.

While we waited for your grandparents, I walked. I clung to door frames. I grasped your Papa's body against mine. All to ease the pain of each contraction.

I felt you low in my body and knew your time growing inside of me was close to an end.

I expressed my concerns to your Papa.

He expressed his excitement. Told me how proud he was of me for laboring at home.

You've done all the work, Mama. The hard part is over.

We got in the car and began to make our way to the hospital. Out of habit from the day, I looked at the clock.

10:40.

We drove quickly. In silence.

I grasped the handle above my seat. I held on tight to the sunroof. I rolled the window up and down. Each contraction more painful than the one before. Each contraction closer together than the one before.

We arrived at the hospital. Papa put the car in park in front of the labor and delivery doors and helped me inside.

I saw my mother's face. I felt comfort. And then pain.

You were coming. Coming now I told the receptionist. I needed a room. Quickly.

The nurses walked me in the room, and I immediately asked for pain relief. There would not be time.

I undressed and climbed in to bed. I answered a series of questions. I moaned in pain.

I felt you.

I ignored the nurses insistence that I was only dilated seven centimeters and didn't need to push yet.

My mom informed them that I moved quickly from seven to ten with my first delivery.

I pushed. You began to make your way in to the world. The nurses calmly prepared the room for an emergency delivery. My doctor was called. He would not make it in time. A doctor was grabbed from the hallway.

With my mom and your papa by my side I felt the pain of a contraction and pushed again. I looked to my mom and saw tears in her eyes. I heard your papa tell me to push again.

I didn't think I could do it. The pain was too much. I asked for help.

Help wasn't needed. You were here. Two more pushes and you were born.

The time was 11:48.

Seventeen minutes after arriving at the hospital, you were born.

The doctor placed you in my arms, and I felt as if I had known you my entire life. Your face looked so familiar.

We all said it - me, your grandmother and your papa.

You looked just like your older brother.

Later that night, after I'd had time to process the excitement of your birth, I held you in my arms and nursed you.

I kissed you in the spot where your nose meets your eyes and whispered to you, "You and your brother are the best things that have ever happened to this mama. You know that. The best things."