Blessing: my sister just gave birth to her first child, Emma Elizabeth.
My sister, Brianna, went into labor two weeks before her due date. That’s not very common for a first-time mother. So I received a text from her around 10pm last Tuesday that said she was having “uncomfortable contractions” and she think she’s going into labor. I quickly changed my flight to Indiana and got on a plane 7 hours later.
Months ago my sister asked me to be with her when she gave birth. I was so honored and touched. I wanted nothing more than to be by her side during that special moment. Nevertheless, no matter how quickly I was able to adjust my flight and be on my way, I wasn’t there in time. (Cue the waterworks – I was so disappointed!) By the time I arrived, my sister had already given birth to a healthy baby girl, Emma Elizabeth. I have not spent a lot of time around newborns but it seems like most newborns aren’t that cute. However, my niece… she’s the cutest! (I might be a little biased.)
While any new baby is a blessing – they are so innocent and sweet – I’m so grateful for the time with my sister, niece and brother-in-law because it helped me with the thought of becoming a mother soon. Seeing my sister and brother-in-law settle into their new roles with Emma made the process for me seem so much less daunting. Even the idea of childbirth seems much less stressful than what I was anticipating. Of course, it’s my understanding that my sister’s labor and delivery went much smoother than most first-time mothers. And everyone is different. However, I’m taking this positive thinking and running with it.
Regardless, Brianna is a champ! There’s no other way to describe her. By the time she got to the hospital, she was already 6cm dilated. She pushed for all of 15 minutes and little Emma came into the world. I can only hope that my own labor will be half as easy. Baby Emma was born at 7lbs 15 oz and 21 inches long. A perfectly healthy and happy baby. And she’s such a dream!
I am eight years older than Brianna. My mother gave birth to her in our home, and I stood at the end of the bed next to my father and watched the whole thing. I saw my sister come into this world. I held her carefully on the sofa only an hour later as we watched The Smurfs on Saturday morning cartoons. And now it’s amazing to see her as a mother with her own baby girl. Emma made my sister a mother, and I am so grateful that I could be there to witness Brianna’s transition into motherhood.
Hormonally Happy 